Exercise during pregnancy?

[savignon]

Hi, Everyone

I'm not pregnant yet, but rather thinking ahead and planning. I've read that you should avoid caffeine (soda, coffee, etc.) during pregnancy b/c it accelerates your heart rate but that it's okay to exercise. I guess I don't get the difference since exercising raises your heart rate more than a diet coke would.

Like I said, I'm just trying to get my mind and body ready for the next step. Thanks for any thoughts...

[thejigsup]

I worked excercising race horses until my 5th month, and still hit the gym and jogged a few miles per day until my eighth month. Excercise is good for you when you are pregnant, it raises the heartbeat in a good way. Coffee and tea raise it in a bad way. I only gained about 15lbs during my pregnancy and had a short labor. My doc says this was because I stayed fit. The day after my son was born, I easily wore my size 5 pre-pregnancy jeans home. It pays off big time!

[Shortpants]

I was actually told that the reduction of caffeine was due to the fact that it constricts the blood vessels and ultimately reduces the blood flow to the placenta and also that it can cross the placenta to the baby and can affect the developing cells. I was a MASSIVE coffee addict before I got pregnant (drank coffee all day, every day) and cut down to one cup a day once I found out I was preggo. I expected HUGE caffeine withdrawals, but it really wasn't that bad. I also cut out all tea, soda, and anything with caffeine, I LIVED off lemonade, milk and water. LOL

Excercise-wise, it is great for you all through your pregnancy, just keep it reasonable. You aren't going to be doing Jazzercise or high-impact aerobics in your 8th or 9th month, but low key things like walking, swimming and special pre-natal yoga are very good for Mommy and developing baby.

[Seraphim]

All exercise should be run by a DR first before engaging in any. You never know if you have other issues with might prohibit exercise or even moving at all for that matter. I enjoyed walking when I could. Three months of my first pregnancy I spent on pretty modified bedrest and almost my entire last pregnancy was total bedrest, all I could do pretty much was go to the bathroom and lay down again. Check with a dr and get medical approval. Walking and swimming are good low impact though.

[Sky-Cherries]

I walked everywhere during my pregnancy. I did barrel racing up until my 4th month, because I showed early and BIG.

 

I have epilepsy and don't drive, so I'm used to walking everywhere I need to go. I was already walking 5+ hours a day in my daily travels, so I saw no reason to stop.

Until the hour I went into labour I walked about 6-10 hours a day, and every day did squats with one hand on a bedpost to steady myself.

 

My pregnancy was a breeze, even towards the very end I felt no pressure, no anxiety, no pain, no sweatiness, no wishing it would just come out because it was uncomfortable. it wasn't uncomfortable, it was like being me with a bump in my way.

 

My birth was 2 hours, no drugs, no cuts, and she was healthy. 54 cms long and a bouncing 10 pound whopper!

 

I gained 10 kilo in the pregnancy and lost half of it the first month out of the hospital, because now I went walking everywhere with a pram, a 10 pound baby and a massive baby bag on my back. The bag probably weighed more than the pram!

 

My advice, unless advised by a medical professional, don't do it easy and sit on your butt all day.

Get up, do what you usually do, walk around.

 

Don't treat your belly like an eggshell, sitting on the couch for 9 months and eating craving food will only make the birth longer and more painful.

[arwen]

I was too nauseous to keep my regular schedules. I used to run about 60k a week Instead, I did yoga and I started special pregnancy gym. Unfortunately I sprained my ankle badly when I was 25w pregnant, and when I recovered from that, I was too heavy to exercise. I had severe ligament pains when walking and in those months the weather made biking impossible (lots of snow).

 

So, I exercised way less than I wanted to. But I walked everywhere, and stayed very healthy. I never heard that I should check with a doctor first. I think that if there is anything in the pregnancy that requires rest and no exercise, you'd hear that from your obgyn. I was encouraged to keep walking and stay active.

 

I gained 15 kilos (was very thin before I got pregnant), lost 10 the first week another 3 in the weeks after and I should keep the 2 extra on because I breastfeed. I had a very difficult birth, and doubt that that was related to not exercising the way I wanted to. Those who have easy births are simply lucky in my opinion.