10 Reasons to Workout in Pregnancy

There are so many reasons to workout while you’re pregnant and I have such a passion to spread the word and increase awareness on this topic! Times have changed and science has disproved many myths which have been circulating over the years. I swear they have been designed to put you off working out in pregnancy all together!

Here are some serious motives to get your capable body moving:

1.  Exercise improves sleep and mood

Exercise exerts excess energy and therefore encourages better sleep at night - something that can be tricky when you’re pregnant - believe me, I know! There are lots of other reasons sleep can be elusive - restless leg syndrome, overactive bladder, overactive mind! There’s more. But if exercise can help, why not give it a go.

During your first and third trimester you may feel exceptionally tired, but sometimes too much rest can cause a vicious cycle and make you feel even more sleepy. A quick workout can help perk you up and actually relieve tiredness.

Exercise releases endorphins - the feel good hormone - so if you’re not overly keen on working out beforehand, you’ll be super positive and happy you did afterwards. It’s such a sense of achievement and I often find that I have a better workout when I’m expecting it to be a tough one.

2. It’s all functional

I have a passion for functional fitness - in other words, practicing certain movements within exercises which help to serve you in everyday life. Improving these movements help to prevent injury and allow for a more comfortable lifestyle. It’s the same, if not more important, for mamas-to-be. You need strength, endurance and mobility to carry, lift and eventually chase(!) your baby. Think how much easier squatting to pick up your baby from the floor will be if you’ve got the strength and correct technique to do it properly. I personally remember having to hook my elbows onto Dusty’s bedside cot to bicep curl her out of there once she’d got to a certain size!

3. Reduces risk of hypertension

If you’re pregnant or not, exercise will help to lower your blood pressure. This is particularly important in pregnancy as high blood pressure - or hypertension - reduces the blood flow, and therefore oxygen, to the baby. This can lead to various complications including slow growth, low birth weight or premature birth. High blood pressure is also risky to mama so if you can help to keep it down with exercise then you’re helping to reduce these various risks.

4. Excessive weight gain is less common

Excessive weight gain can have serious health complications during and post-pregancny. Weight gain can lead to gestational diabetes (GD) for which you will need to be monitored closely. GD is an insensitivity to insulin and not only does exercise help to prevent weight gain, but it helps to improve your insulin sensitivity.

If you have excessive weight to lose after you’ve had your baby, this can feel overwhelming and can occasionally contribute to post-natal depression. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an advocate for any serious weight loss any time soon after birth, but what I am saying is, anything to help reduce feelings of overwhelm and increase self-esteem in a vulnerable time, I’m all for it.

5. Eases constipation

Constipation is something none of us want to face at any time - let alone add to the seemingly never-ending list of pregnancy symptoms! Get moving to help get things moving.

6. Improves posture and relieves back pain

In pregnancy, your posture naturally changes which is totally normal. I mean, think about it - there’s a baby growing in the front of your body, not to mention the fluid and placenta in there too! This can lead to changes in posture and additional back pain, but exercise can go a long way to helping ease these issues. Moving and stretching your body can ease the load on your muscles and assist your growing body.

7. Can help speed up labour

I use the word ‘CAN’ here because it’s impossible to tell how long your labour will be (I’m sorry!). Some studies show that exercise can reduce the time in labour but the takeaway here is that you’re basically training for a marathon event and you wouldn’t go into a marathon without any form of training. So if you can maintain or even slightly improve your strength and endurance levels you’re on to a winner. You’ll inevitably gain additional awareness of your body and also the mental ability to keep - quite literally - ‘pushing on’ :)

I remember when I was in the midst of my 36 hour labour with my daughter Dusty, I approached it the same was as I did with an intense pre-pregnancy workout. I just focussed on what was happening in that moment and took things step-by-step as they came. Looking too far ahead at the bigger picture can be super overwhelming.

8.  Risk of caesarean delivery reduced

Any birth is birth! But if your birth preferences include a vaginal birth, the risk of having a caesarean delivery can be reduced by exercising during pregnancy. Of course, it’s not completely eliminated, but studies have shown a reduction in unplanned caesareans in women who took part in an exercise program while they were pregnant.

9. Speed up post-delivery recovery

If you’ve been active during pregnancy, the chances are you’ll be mentally ready to increase your activity levels after labour sooner rather than later. Always follow recommendations for postpartum fitness, start slowly and get sign-off from your GP, but you should find it easier having stayed active rather than being more sedentary during pregnancy.

10. Studies have shown that exercise can also be beneficial to your baby:

• Reduced risk of diabetes in baby

• Boost to brain health

• Lower body mass index (BMI)

• Lower heart rate

Wherever you were on your fitness journey pre-pregnancy, exercising through each trimester will help you to maintain your level of fitness. If you weren’t super active before pregnancy, you can still reach a level of activity you’re comfortable with. This maintenance will help you postpartum when you’re ready to up your activity levels again.

If you have any questions about exercise in pregnancy, please do feel free to email helloteambump@gmail.com or alternatively, sign up to the workouts here: team-bump.com.