So you're pregnant. And you know you need to either get active or stay active (depending on your fitness level). But you also have these fears, doubts, and concerns about what's too much, what's not enough, and if it is even safe at all.
As Kathleen Donahoe (COO of Oh Baby! Fitness) puts it:
"ACOG (the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology) recommends pregnant women work out at a moderate level for at least 30 minutes on most, if not all days of the week. Basically, they want you working out at a moderate (note, not gentle) level every single day. Pregnancy is not the time to curl up and rest, it’s the time to prepare for the most strenuous jobs on the planet- motherhood! ".
I've been doing some research on what seems to be the biggest reasons why women are either too afraid of working out while pregnant, or are just trying to justify their way out of staying active throughout their pregnancy. And here is what I've discovered.
Top 8 Excuses Why Women Will NOT Exercise During Pregnancy
1. "I am not in shape!"
Just because you are not "in shape" when you get pregnant doesn't mean it's not a good time to start exercising! Pulling from one of the Core Beliefs held by myself and Oh Baby! Fitness:
Pre- and postnatal EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT. We believe exercise during pregnancy creates easier labors, healthier babies, and happier new moms. We listen to the latest studies about perinatal exercise, share them with our clients and instructors, and build our programming based on their recommendations. And we encourage women to get in the best shape of their lives during pregnancy.
Prenatal and postpartum exercise is key to having a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery! Not to mention, a healthier mom and baby!
2. Wrong Trimester
Check this out: as long as your doctor KNOWS and APPROVES of you getting active, there is NO WRONG TRIMESTER to start exercising! Exercise provides multiple benefits throughout each trimester and can help with prenatal aches and pains. Studies have shown that women who exercise up until their delivery date are:
- Less likely to have premature labor
- Less likely to have babies with low birth weight
- Less likely to have a c-section
- Less likely to request/use pain management during labor
- More likely to have shorter, quicker labors
- More likely to gain less weight during pregnancy
(http://blog.ohbabyfitness.com/category/pregnancy-exercise-tips/page/3/#sthash.RzdavdEk.dpuf)
Note: if you develop a condition that causes you to be high risk, it is important to listen to your doctor and your body before exercising.
3. You've NEVER exercised a day in your life
You have never used a dumbbell. Exercise bands look like they could snap in half. And you've never done any kind of pushup ever. You are the PERFECT candidate to start exercising! Especially with other pregnant or new moms! It's a gentle environment filled with support, compassion, and a Perinatal Fitness Expert who is ready to guide you through each and every question you may have!
4. Feeling under the weather
If you're feeling nauseated in your first trimester, limited in your second, or exhausted in your third, going for a walk (not doing a massive workout) can at least help makes those feelings subside. Better yet, getting out and being a little active with other expecting or new moms can lighten the load of all those feelings, and others such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
5. Back, hip, and other pains and aches
Your hips are aching due to round ligament pain or your low back hurts because of sciatica. Getting active and moving your body gets the blood flowing, loosens up muscles, and can help relieve several discomforts: swelling of feet and hands, varicose veins, pelvic pain, SI joint pain, spinning breech babies to head down position, carpel tunnel, nausea, insomnia, control/manage gestational diabetes, and control overall weight gain.
6. "What if I need to pee 10 times during a prenatal fitness class?"
It’s okay to go pee, and barf, and eat, and fart, and cry. A pregnancy exercise class is sometimes the ONLY place no one will look at you funny for the behaviors that pregnancy brings on. So don’t worry if you suddenly are the girl that accidentally lets one fly, or that breaks down in tears. We understand, and I've seen it all! So do your thing, and we'll do ours!
7. "Do I need a gym membership to come to a class?"
Nope! You just get to walk into class, sign in, sign a waiver, and get your sweat on!
8. "I'm afraid that I will have a miscarriage"
Many women fear that exercising, falling, lifting heavy objects or the like can trigger a miscarriage, but the chances of that happening are slim. “Unless you are a smoker, illicit-drug user or heavy drinker, there’s very little you can do to cause a miscarriage,” notes says Henry Lerner, M.D., an OB-GYN at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Mass., and an assistant clinical professor in obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School.
What other fears, concerns, or excuses do you find yourself having that keeps you from being active during your pregnancy?
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