Exercise modification guidelines

minnemiska

I am curious to hear what your doctors and midwives have advised on modifying exercise as you progress through pregnancy. I feel like I’ve gotten conflicting advice this time—my first pregnancy I was told to keep doing what I was doing, as long as I was comfortable, but eventually no more exercises while flat on my back. Today a different NP (at the same practice!) said no more core work AT ALL and even expressed concern about squats and lunges later in pregnancy, which I know I did to the very end last time!

Please share the guidelines you were given! In particular, I would love to hear what you’ve been told about core exercises. 

kvh22

@minnemiska I was basically told don't overstretch (much easier to do while pregnant and you could injure yourself) and no twisting movements. Bird dogs, planks (including side planks), and such for core is fine from what I've heard but things like sit ups/crunches can be bad. I basically would do prenatal yoga and prenatal workout videos to make sure what I was doing was safe. I didn't have Diastasis Recti which I was very thankful for but you also have to be careful when you start working out again postpartum to focus on your transverse abs and obliques to build up strength before going back to normal. Also, I'm sure no one is going to remember this but I'm surprised by the number of people in my new mom's group whose OBs didn't check them for DR at their 6 week PP visit. Definitely ask if you have it. Mine checked without me asking. Here's a potentially helpful article (there are tons, most say similar things, I figure better safe than sorry with the crunches: https://www.self.com/story/pregnancy-diastasis-recti-exercises).

mrsdee15

@kvh22 That's really interesting, I didn't get checked for DR at my appointment but I'm pretty sure I have some form of it from my last pregnancy.  I wasn't sure how to go about getting it treated, I've seen physical therapy mentioned.  Obviously that'd be after this pregnancy, but I really do wish my MD had checked!

kvh22

@mrsdee15 I'm not crazy into working out but ab exercises have always been my favorite. I like to cross-train (running, swimming, barre, yoga, boxing...but this is because I get bored, I usually focus on a few at a time) and my OB is a pretty active/fit so we had tons of conversations about what I could and couldn't do during pregnancy and how to get back into it postpartum.

Bodyfit by Amy had some of my favorite pregnancy and postpartum workout videos on youtube.

This mama is on modified bedrest for now and my OB said not even chaturanga but I should probably do some side planks or bird dogs now that we're discussing it. Hoping to be cleared in 3 1/2 weeks after my A/S.

k2k2tog

I didn't even bother asking this time. My track record proves I tend to exercise a lot in about the two months prior to getting pregnant and then I completely fail to keep it up during first tri and have no idea how to comfortably get back at it in second tri.

In the past, I know my OB has not been very supportive of working out. I remember asking her about running in particular and she essentially said that I can continue, but I won't want to. She was right, but I remember being kind of annoyed at her assumption that I wouldn't keep it up. I've relied on my own research which says to not push yourself into anything new and listen to your body. If something is uncomfortable, stop.

DressageDarling

My OB put zero restrictions so far, but my trainer basically follows what @kvh22 said about core work. My OB only said to just listen to my body and take breaks as needed. 

kvh22

k2k2tog said:

 I've relied on my own research which says to not push yourself into anything new and listen to your body. If something is uncomfortable, stop. 

Yes! This is great. I had to stop running at around 30 weeks because I kept trying and getting bad BH. The contractions would stop as soon as I stopped running, then start again if I ran. It sucked, but it was warm out and our apartment complex has a pool so I took to swimming on my lunch break when I worked from home (perks of an August due date...not sure that will work this time).

minnemiska

@kvh22 I did prenatal yoga last time too, and I could swear I remember doing some planks there, so when I was told today zero core work, especially since I’m not a newbie, I was like did I completely forget everything or what is going on?! So I want second opinions! 

k2k2tog

Oh. Also, I have DR. It's really easy to check yourself. I have about a 2 finger gap, which isn't actually terrible, but it has made my shy away from doing any sort of core work. I have a friend who successfully managed to shrink her gap using exercises similar to those @kvh22 posted, but it took her months of incredible dedication.

kvh22

@minnemiska I wonder if the NP heard a doc say this to a patient (that the NP didn't know had existing DR issues) and is just taking it as blanket advice? My NP is great but she doesn't provide advice like that. I talk all those things through with my OB. Like @k2k2tog said, if you have existing DR issues and want to do core work, there are specific exercises to shrink the gap, but I think that while you're pregnant, you're not going to be able to do much to shrink it so would need to be even more vigilant about what you're doing.

SpaceBurger

My OB last time said absolutely no ab work, but in prenatal videos they have you doing side planks and some other ab stuff. I just follow that, but I had DR after my first that never really went away. Guessing it'll be worse this time around. There wasn't a lot of working out either with my first. 

Other than that, I've been doing normal stuff, just not pushing it as hard. The elliptical and stair master are my best friends right now. Also for weight work, I just alternate legs and arms with a lot lighter weights than usual. Hopefully it's all good because it puts me in a great mood if I go before work. 

MaggieG183

My midwife has only told me to make sure no crunches or sit ups but obliques, back work (planks), and other prenatal yoga is great and when getting my heart rate going to ensure I could hold a conversation. She encouraged lunges and squats as it helps strengthen the pelvic floor as it helps with pushing and recovery during birth. I’ve been doing extra just to make sure I’m able to hold my bladder too when I run at the moment. 😂  I am getting short of breath a lot easier lately and my heart rate is going higher easily lately (I wear a heart rate monitor during workouts) so I’m just trying to keep it at 145-150 max because that is my typical threashhold for conversation during workouts. 

eatinwatermelonseeds

I am in poor shape this time (unless lazy potato is a shape), but with my son I was always afraid of overdoing it, but LOVED to run. So, I did the couch to 5K for the first 20 weeks and then he started bouncing on my bladder so I just walked every day. I'd love to get back into running C25K but lazy potato 🥔

mrskoz428

I did a second trimester prenatal yoga video for experienced practitioners. Honestly, it felt amazing but I haven’t stretched or worked out in two months so I may regret it tomorrow. I haven’t been told to avoid anything,  it even an elevated heart rate. But I also told them I was really only planning on walking and doing yoga because I don’t run unless something is chasing me to my death.

anonellis

@kvh22 I was told it’s worth working on your DR while pregnant — not sure if you can either shrink it or just keep it from getting worse, but you’ll be in much better shape postpartum if you don’t delay.  I do Pilates classes specifically for people with DR (I live in a big city so there’s literally a class for anyone, ha), and also see the instructor for private sessions.  It’s the only way I trust getting a good workout in knowing it’s safe for my core.  

In general for pregnancy, my OB just said to avoid activities where I can get injured (so spin class fine, riding a bike through my traffic-filled city maybe not; no kickboxing etc). And not to take up something totally new and intense.  But they didn’t tell me anything specifically related to my core.

cwell2016

@mrskoz428 I have been having a hard time finding prenatal yoga videos, where did you find yours? 

ETA I have no idea why I am awake right now! 

mrskoz428

@cwell2016 I have amazon prime and there are a lot that are on there and included in the prime membership! The one I did yesterday may have been a bit ambitious but there are a lot of options.

minnemiska

My OB was in the same Orangetheory class as me yesterday and I got a high five so I’m definitely going to be chatting with her about what that nurse practitioner told me about exercise when I see her next month! 

imrachellea

I was given no restrictions, just to listen to my body. I even told my new OB I do CrossFit and he said to keep it up within reason so long as I'm comfortable doing so. I actually haven't been to the gym in two weeks because I've just been too tired, but I knows I need to get back to it. Aside from listening to my body the only modifications I will be making is no more burpees (gee, whatever will I did without those....), not work on my pull ups as kipping can lead to DR, and modify my stance for Olympic lifts as needed.