There are countless things running through your mind from the moment you realize you’re pregnant, up until you hold your baby in your hands. You want to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, so you start Googling your life away. Women often ask, “what’s safe to eat?”, “what’s not safe to eat?”, “Can I exercise?”, “Should I exercise?” and the list goes on, because now, it’s not yourself that you have to think about; you’re considering the effects of everything you do — or shouldn’t do — and all the things you eat — or shouldn’t eat — on your unborn child. These can be touchy subjects for some, and others like to push their opinions or own personal experiences onto other expecting moms, making it even more overwhelming than it already is. The fact is, if you want to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, being active, more specifically weight training, should be a top priority throughout your pregnancy. This is true as long as you don’t already have potentially serious health issues, such as heart or lung disease, preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension. So, what workout advice should you follow if you’re expecting? What safety precautions should you use? What benefits will weight training serve you and your baby? How should you go about weight training?

Rule #1: Work with your Doc.

First off, and most importantly, the relationship between you and your doctors is crucial. They will advise you on what eat or not eat, and whether or not you should participate in an exercise program. Your doctor knows you and your medical history best and should be your first point of contact for verification that you are cleared for exercise, including weight training. Your doctor may provide you with specific guidelines for your workout regiment, which may also indicate certain exercises that should be avoided or modified. For example, past the third month of your pregnancy, you should not lay flat on your back to do exercises, such as a flat bench barbell or dumbbell chest press. This is because your baby is sitting on a major vein that redirects blood flow from your lower body back to your heart, and could consequently restrict the blood flow to your placenta and to the baby.

Rule #2: Hire a Strength Coach

If you are not already an experienced fitness person, your safest, and probably most effective choice, would be to hire a strength coach or trainer who has some a background in programming workouts for pregnant women. You need to trust that your coach or trainer will have your and your baby’s best interest at heart, and will focus on building a well- rounded, and safe weight training program that can be carried out and modified throughout your pregnancy. An ideal match may likely be another woman who is experienced in fitness and perhaps has already had a child, so she is well

aware of the many changes that a pregnant woman’s body goes through during and after pregnancy. Your coach or trainer should design exercises that focus on pelvic floor strength, as this is a major muscle group that is very involved during the delivery and recovery process. The less active you are throughout your pregnancy, the weaker these muscles

will tend to be.

In fact, about 60% of pregnant women are estimated to be sedentary, and the majority of women in the United States gain the most amount of weight during their pregnancies. Studies have shown that women who gain weight significantly above what is recommended during pregnancy ended up with considerably higher weight long-term than women who did not gain above the recommended amount of weight, or who gained less than the recommended amount during pregnancy. Postpartum weight retention may increase a woman’s risk for heart disease or other health complications,

which is even more of a reason to keep your body in motion and to participate in weight training throughout your pregnancy. Aside from the health risks associated with retaining excess weight after pregnancy, there are risks of being sedentary during pregnancy as well, such as gestational diabetes, which affects up to 10% of all pregnancies. However,

decreased chances of preeclampsia, reduced lower back pain, more positive body image, and improved mental and emotional health are among the health benefits to women who weight train regularly during pregnancy. Your growing fetus will also benefit from weight training, as studies have shown that regular weight training leads to an increase in blood flow and delivery of nutrients to the placenta, which are passed on to the baby for more nourishment.

If the evidence showcasing how weight training can improve your and your baby’s health isn’t convincing enough, perhaps learning that you most likely will have an easier labor and delivery will assure you. There is no evidence that weight training during pregnancy has any negative effects on delivery, and in general, it tends to result in fewer complications. One study indicates that women who weight trained regularly throughout their pregnancies are less likely to endure premature labor, are also less likely to require a C section, and therefore, their hospitalization time for recovery after birth will also be reduced. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise on most, non-consecutive days leading up to delivery has been proven to be safe, and is preferred, with the understanding that the mother is already healthy and

capable of exercise.

RULE #3: Don’t over do it.

The main goal of strength training while pregnant is not to turn you into a world-class athlete; it is to maintain a level of health and fitness that is suitable and reasonable for the individual. Performing full-body routines which targets each of the major muscle groups on alternating days is an effective way to aid in recovery. There are no specific restrictions on

what types of equipment can be used during strength training for pregnant women, such as free weights, cable machines, bands, or stationary machines. It is advised that beginners perform only 1 set of each exercise, while more intermediate or advanced participants can perform 2 to 3 sets of each exercise. Resting for approximately 2 minutes between exercises is sufficient enough to allow for your heart rate to recover, but you want to keep moving slightly (walk around the gym or perform dynamic stretches) to avoid blood pooling. As far as rep ranges go, somewhere in the

neighborhood of 10 reps with light intensity (less than 70% of your 1-rep max) is advised. The rationale behind this is due to the fact that your joints are more laxed, and injuries can happen if the joints are overloaded and put under too much stress with heavier weights.

During barbell lifts like squats and deadlifts, the Valsalva maneuver should never be used during pregnancy, as this can increase heart rate and blood pressure to unsafe levels, and can be potentially dangerous for the baby. A sufficient warm-up of about 5–10 mins of light cardio and dynamic stretching, as well as a proper cool down consisting of the same will help your body and your muscles prepare for the activity, as well as recover from it afterwards. Never exercise without eating beforehand. The typical guidelines are between 1 to 3 hours prior to exercise, but I find with my own

training, and with my clients’ training, that eating no more than an hour before working out helps to fuel your body and your muscles for weight training, and gives you a fresh burst of energy. If at any point during training you feel dizzy or nauseous, you should end the session immediately.

Rule #4: Nutrition is (Still) king!

Ensuring that you are eating well, and drinking enough water before, during, and after exercise are important factors not to be overlooked when strength training during pregnancy. 8oz. of water before a training session is advised, as well as drinking sufficient water during the training session, and making sure to replace any water loss with fluids post-exercise. There are many different ways to approach strength training during your pregnancy, and the program should be individualized to your specific needs, as it should be tailored to your level of experience with exercise. Modifications to exercises will be necessary as your center of mass becomes thrown off the larger your belly grows, and the more weight your joints must support as you near the end of your pregnancy. Pay close attention to the signs and the cues that your body gives you, and if at any point something does not feel right, or you begin to feel ill, the training must be put on hold until your condition improves, or you’ve been cleared by your doctor. As long as proper caution is taken, the expectant mother and baby should have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, and there are no reasons, other than specific medical complications to be discussed with your doctor, why any pregnant woman should not strength train while pregnant.

Your hard work during your pregnancy will pay off dividends!

About Sondra: I went from sitting at a desk for 50+ hours a week , and gaining nearly 60 lbs during my pregnancy (I’m 5'2, so 30 lbs would have been plenty), and now strength training and overall fitness are a part of who I am . I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown so much over the past few years. I have practiced tirelessly for hours in the gym, studied numerous books and articles, I’ve filmed myself and broken down every aspect of a lift time and again, and I’ve hired amazing coaches to help me identify and strengthen weaknesses. I started at the bottom, not knowing anything, and now I’m proud of what I’ve become. Find out more on how I can help you, here.

REFRENCES:

Hammer, Roger L., Jan Perkins, and Richard Parr. & Exercise During the Childbearing Year." The Journal of Perinatal Education. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2000. Web. July 2017.

Hopkins, Artal R. Health Care Physicians." Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period — ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dec. 2015. Web. July 2017.

Schoenfeld, Brad, MSc, CSCS. Resistance Training During Pregnancy: Safe and Effective Program Design." (n.d.): n. pag. Resistance Training During Pregnancy: Safe and Effective Program Design. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Oct. 2011. Web. July 2017.