Does exercise lead to an easier delivery?

crismenjivar · June 2012

Since day 1, I've been VERY active and have continued to be throughout my entire pregnancy. When I was 4 weeks I did a triathlon and have not stopped doing cardio, strength training or yoga since then. Today, I ran 3 miles on the elipitical and did strength training, in fact.

Women at the gym say this will totally help my delivery, which is what I am really hoping for.

Does anyone here have experience with exercise (not just casual walking) and labor? Did it really help?

NavyPilotWife · June 2012

It may lead to an easier delivery. Both of my deliveries were pretty easy. I worked out my entire pregnancy with DD2 and part of it with DD1, had preterm labor with her, so I spent some time on bed rest. My recovery with DD1 was fine, but it was amazing with DD2. I know that I had an easier recovery with DD2 because I exercised the whole time. Doing modified core work during pregnancy is key to an easier recovery, IMO.

TunaTown · June 2012

It's hard to say. Everyone's body is different. Keep up your exercise. It DOES help the baby, AND your sanity.

Also, everything NavyPilotWife said.

BoilerUp1 · June 2012

I exercised till the moment I delivered and childbirth was not nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be. I would describe my L&D as smooth and (relatively) easy!

jamdv3 · June 2012

i think the "easy" part that exercise really helps is the pushing. My labor was kind of long since my water broke but i didn't go into labor, so they had to induce me, but i had to push for 20 min and that was it. pushing is HARD WORK and exhausting. you feel and breathe like you're working out pretty hard. i would say this part is what will really distinguish an "in shape" woman from an out of shape one. the one who has been exercising is more likely to push harder, longer, and have more stamina in this area. just my 2 cents.

JKohio · June 2012

Mine was a c-section, so I don't know that it helped specifically with delivery, but I do think it contributed to an easier and faster recovery, for me at least. I was running and cycling throughout most of my 1st pregnancy. With this pregnancy, I was running until about 18 weeks, but my schedule has gotten crazy with other things. I'm trying to get some walk time in though. Luckily, my 3.5 year old likes to hike.

JG362009 · June 2012

It did not for me. For my first I had to be induced after 41 weeks and I had been running the entire pregnancy -- I ran 4 miles the day before I was in the hospital. My induction failed and I had a c-section. I had RCS with this one and went running (3 miles) the night before my c-section. I've had a really, really easy recovery though so perhaps exercise helps with recovery.

Megs1HOTRED · June 2012

I think it helped, definitely during pushing. I pushed for almost 2 hrs for DS, but I was really not that tired from it - just frustrated, lol.

I think all the exercise really helped DS too. His heart rate was monitored all during labor, and even through all the contractions and pushing, he never was in distress. He acted like it was just another day running! haha

salt78 · June 2012

I think it did. I exercised right up until I went into labor and actually being in labor wasn't that bad. I ended up with a c-section (baby was stuck), but I was back to my regular yoga classes 3 weeks pp. I think the fact that I was so active also played a big role in how quickly I was able to recover.

IncogNeato · June 2012

It won't hurt but it's no guarantee. I was fit and had been told by doctors that my abs were strong, but it took 2 hours of pushing and an episiotomy to get my 5lb DD out. Go figure. You can't control the size of your... ahem... openings.

But, yes, being strong will theoretically make pushing easier and that's a good thing.

I did, however, feel great afterward and recovered very fast. So while my pushing was not nearly as effective as I expected it to be, I felt like I could have done it again the next day with no sweat.

emmabug727 · June 2012

It can't hurt. I exercised very regularly pre-pg and during pg (crossfitmom) up until my due date. Squatting felt more comfortable during labor, maybe a move that may have been hard had I not been doing squats for months. I also had to push for 2 hours, but as pp said, having a strong heart & lungs probably helped me from ever feeling tired.

More importantly, I felt the benefits of exercise were more in how I felt throughout of my pg. Most women are complaining of all the weight gain, aches and swelling especially at the end. I felt pretty darn good the whole time, and I am NOT one of those people who likes being pg!

And maybe most importantly, my body bounced back very quickly after - and I'm 34. Smile

sarahandtim · June 2012

I absolutely think that it did. My doctor even commented that she could tell I worked out. It has also been easier getting back into it since LO has been here.

sragreen · June 2012

These posts are so motivating!! I am only 6.5 weeks pg with my first, and I am super glad I read this thread. Thanks ladies!

lindsay.lou · June 2012

I agree with what everyone has said. It's great and it can help, but it's not a guarantee of an easy, uneventful l&d. I also agree 100% with the posters who mentioned easy recovery. I had a super easy recovery, I went for a run 14 days after my DS was born and within two weeks after that, I was up to my normal 5 mile runs. There is NO way I could have bounced back like that if I hadn't been active throughout my pregnancy.

JammieJk · July 2012

I think so... it did for me.

I am a lap swimmer and I swam every day that I was allowed to do so while pregnant (I was on bed rest a few times). I even lap swam an hour the night before I went into labor.

My labor started at 4:11 AM, I was 7 cm dilated when I got to the hospital at 7:15 AM, and DS was pushed out by 10:53 AM with no pain meds, no drugs, no interventions and I didn't tear. I gained 24.5 pounds, DS was 10 pounds 11 ounces, his placenta was nearly 5 pounds and I was back to my pre-preggo weight 1 week post partum.

The L&D nurse said she rarely sees anything like that and when she learned I'm a lap swimmer, she nodded and said, swimmers always have the best deliveries.

ETA: I felt great the entire pregnancy, very little aches and pains, was incredibly mobile and energized... I attribute that to staying so active and in shape. Also, I am over 40 years old...

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