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Exercise

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering how much exercise you can do in the first trimester? I'm currently at about 9 weeks or so. I'm getting my scan on the 09th of Mar (I wish it was next month).

I used to be a total gym-junkie but before xmas I had a chest infection and I then I found out I was pregnant a couple of weeks ago, I've not been to the gym for at least one month ago.

This week has been rather tough - morning sickness, off food, nausea, etc. and so I've just been eating whatever I can. Unfortunately it's not been healthy - polo mints, crackers, chocolate and baked potatoes (no marg/butter). I went to the gym tonight to find that I've gained 3.5kg in the past month.

Please let me know if it's still o.k to exercise? By exercise, I mean cycling and running on the treadmill and some weights.

Cheers ma deers image xx

Replies

  • Hey honeybunny,

    From what I understand, you are okay to exercise in the first trimester if you feel up to it. Just go a bit gentler than normal - use the talk test (if you're too out of breath to hold a conversation whilst exercising, you're doing too much) the other thing is to not get too hot and make sure you keep your fluid intake up. Dehydration is not a good thing in pregnancy. I managed to get to the gym a few times in the first trimester but after 10-12 hours a day on my feet at work and nauseous, I really didn't fancy it. I stuck to cycling and a bit of resistance training, and scaled it all down a bit. Your gym instructors, GP or midwife should also be able to tell you what is safe. I found pilates was the only thing I could do the whole way through and am still going now.

    http://newtickers.bump-and-beyond.com/25/2530/253062.png


  • I went and signed up at Virgin this morning and got the full low down from a PT who is a specialist in maternity exercise. I used to cycle 12 miles a day and horse ride for an hour a day but stopped when I got BFP. I am now nearly 16 weeks so havent done anything for nearly 4 months but having just been made redundant I thought it was perfect timing to get back into the gym. So I started with swimming today - they say it is brilliant for pregnancy. I noticed though that developed a lower back ache when swimming and I know it is not from technique but lack of muscle which must also mean that my stomach muscles have slackened off too. I had not realised this until this morning! They say that the pregnancy hormone relaxes all of that area's muscles and so that is why you need to be careful. The lady I spoke to said it is fab if you can get into the gym when you are pregnant as it will help with sickness, low energy levels and weight gain and then it reduces pain in labour and increases the rate of your labour. She has done a lot of research on it and lectures at several of the large London hospitals. She said to start with, exercise very gently and build up. If you usually run for 30 mins on treadmill, power walk for 30 mins instead. She said what you want to avoid is going home and being shattered. That you should do enough every day / every other day to allow your body to recover so that if you want you could do the same the following day. There are specialist pregnancy yoga classes as you need to be sure you are not over-stretching as this can be dangerous. She said not to hold positions too long, like the plank. Everything in moderation basically. And finally, she said that there are no medals for being in the gym, sweating away with a baby bump - you should only do a small amount to keep things ticking over!
    Hope that helped and makes sense. I have booked 3 PT sessions with her starting tomorrow so she is going to put a special program together for me so I am sure I am bot damaging me or baby. I would see if you can get the same at your gym perhaps as the last thing you want is an injury!
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