Balancing exercise and pregnancy after a loss

peregrinefalconx · September 2015

Hi all,

I just wonder for those who were regularly exercising how they dealt with it after a loss(es). I'm not a "crazy" exerciser, but I did run during my last two early losses. I more recently have gotten into warm vinyasa flow (room temp at 90 and do seriously sweat, or as I call it, water just pours out of you). I've heard that dehydration is the biggest concern, as long as you are not doing any more intensive workouts than you were used to beforehand. My past losses were attributed to poor egg quality, although I have no answers for the 3rd viable one. After sucking it up and using a donor egg, I obviously have no desire to jeopardize a pregnancy in any way and I'm paranoid that my ideal of a "fit pregnancy" will cause me to miscarry again, although I have absolutely no diagnosis that that was an issue.

I am going to talk to my doc about doing the warm vinyasa, and any running (although I mostly walk these days). But the "safe" route seems to be nothing but basic stuff. How might you have handled this situation, if you are in it? [I've seen other threads about the vinyasa, which basically said either "don't do it to be safe" or "you'll be fine if you stay hydrated"--hot yoga, 105+ degrees, I would never do.]

Thanks in advance ladies!

Plleriti1 · September 2015

The day I got by BFP in April was the day after an incredible 10k in SF. I was fairly active but miscarried over Memorial Day weekend. Then I just kind of went on a binger. I stopped running and picked up drinkin and eating. I did continue once weekly barre classes but that's barely anything. I feel like I'm paying for it this time around (almost 10 weeks along). I'm more sluggish and the weight seems to be packing... So I'm not a lot of help. But I say stay active!!! It's good for you regardless.

lmcfall83 · September 2015

I understand how you feel. The fear is real. I don't consider myself at all the heavy exercise person, however they previous pregnancy which ended in miscarriage was just after I finished a lot of yardwork heavy lifting pulling sweating. This time soon as I found out I was pregnant no more mowing the lawn or weeding or anything like that. I know it probably had nothing to do with the yardwork that caused the miscarriage but I still have the fear. I'm now eight weeks along and no bleeding yet I hope it continues.

spatter1 · September 2015

I know your fear all to well. With my loss I kept up my exercise program - running, yoga, HIIT, etc. My doc said not to start anything new but should be safe to continue doing what I'm used to. Well, about a month later I had a missed miscarriage. Coincidence? Quite possibly, but who knows! This time I waited a while to start exercising, and no running, just the elliptical and some strength training. I'm trying to get up the nerve to take a yoga class bc I hear it's really good for pregnancy. However, it's true the dehydration and overheating is very dangerous and I have been told by my OB that hot yoga is not recommended.

All in all I don't blame you for being nervous and am glad you plan to ask your doctor. Good luck and good thoughts for you!!!

Vets1 · September 2015

I spoke to my OB & she told me to avoid overheating, lunges & squats. I just started walking, doing gentle weights & Pilates rather than my normal sessions & Xtend Barre classes.

kimey1 · September 2015

I'm no workout buff but after my mmc when I was not getting much sleep and was very stressed, this time I'm taking things easy and making things easy on me & my body. When I don't feel like my normal 30min-1hr walk, I don't do it. When I don't feel like doing yoga from the bloat/fatigue, i skip it. Sometimes I'm huffing and puffing from walking on a teeny tiny hill.
I think the key is to just listen to your body and take a lil easy. I agree with other PP that avoiding hot yoga is probably good. We shouldn't be exposing ourselves to prolonged periods of high heat.

peregrinefalconx · September 2015

Thanks everyone. When you've worked so hard, it only makes sense to take it easy. I agree my "warm yoga" is very likely too much. I did regular yoga this weekend and got a little sweaty. I mostly really need the stretching and psychological aspects. Can always switch to prenatal when the time is right.

nekedfeet · October 2015

I'm definitely big into exercise as well- I've run 3 full marathons, done Bikram yoga (105+), and all manner of HIIT. And I used to teach vinyasa, and prenatal yoga.

My the loss of my previous pregnancy cannot be at all attributed to exercise, but I was definitely being cautious throughout. I ran a sum total of once, and it felt really wrong to me (breathing was out of control!) so I stopped.

I continued doing Insanity and T25- videos using interval training/cardio/etc. and had no problems, just had to dial it back on certain moves.

My recommendation: listen to your body, if it feels weird/wrong, it probably isn't good for you. Lay off the hot yoga- it really is too much for pregnancy. A good vinyasa flow can get you similar results without stressing out your body so much. Lastly as far as what to eliminate from your regular yoga practice (from the yoga teacher in me!)- no more upward dog (too much stretch over the belly), deep twists are out, as well as boat pose, or any other pose that exclusively targets your abdominals. Plank is okay, if you're really comfortable with it, but as you grow, you need to let your abs relax or they can tear, causing diastisis (aka- not cool!). A good alternative during a sun-salutation is going onto all fours instead of plank, and doing a brief cat/cow (to get a semblance of what you might've gotten from plank and up-dog) and then move into down-dog. And lastly, inversions- headstand/handstand, etc. the yoga jury are out on the subject, but I'm in favor of laying off. Dangerous in terms of balance, amongst other things that are pretty strange to consider, but if you feel like looking it up, I'm sure you find articles, for/against.

Anyway, all of that said-- keep up the exercise/stretching- your body will thank you! And good luck with this pregnancy- I'm sure it will be great!!

peregrinefalconx · October 2015

@nekedfeet

I went to yoga this morning. Temp was in 80s and I did sweat a bit. The teachers had me do -no- twists and I took it easy (I'm at 6 weeks now). That twisting seemed to be the only thing they cared about. I'm still early so some of the other poses you mentioned are probably ok for the shortwhile, although I would modify as I went along. I did do some upward dogs and it felt ok.

I'm hoping to get back to running too, but really haven't done much of it at all since an injury last year. I just want to move!

I have had serious anxiety about literally every single thing I do and everything I eat/drink. Given my story, it's hard to even get excited. But my body does feel better after stretching and it probably calmed me down a bit! Thanks for your encouragement.

Balancing exercise and pregnancy after a loss

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