As a fitness coach, I have worked with a number of clients before, during, and after pregnancy. It is a time of excitement, but also a time that brings a lot of worry and questions. The last thing any mother wants to do is think she did something “wrong” during pregnancy or somehow harmed her unborn baby. Yet, at the same time, pregnancy and childbirth are perhaps the most strenuous things a woman’s body will ever go through. It only makes sense that being fit would make the experience a better, safer one.

I spoke with three of the mothers I have worked with at my gym, CrossFit LA.  All three moms, Shannon, Agatha, and Norma trained with us before, during and after their pregnancies to varying degrees.

Exercising While Pregnant – What SHOULD You Do?

The consensus on exercise during pregnancy comes down to two thoughts:

1. Continue to do any activity you have already been doing prior to getting pregnant.
2. Do what YOU feel comfortable with.

And what it comes down to is FEELING. Heart-rate monitors might give you a ballpark, but mother’s intuition is the rule all of my clients swore by. One of my clients, Shannon, told me, “If I felt good that day, I might push a little harder; if I felt bad or tired, I scaled back.”

As Norma explained to me, “For me what was most important was to treat my pregnancy as an event in my life, not an illness. Oftentimes, I found myself second-guessing myself because of what women do ‘traditionally’ while pregnant. I also found that listening to my body was key when it came to figuring out how I should do a workout.”

Women who have done intense exercise prior to becoming pregnant may experience social pressure to slow down more than they are prepared to or feel is necessary. Remember every woman’s experience and needs will be different. If you did CrossFit or ran triathlons before pregnancy, you can probably do a lot more through your pregnancy than women who were relatively sedentary.

Agatha told me about her experience, doing CrossFit until she was 30 weeks pregnant: “I found that during that time, I felt comfortable doing almost everything, just adjusted for lower weights and going slower. The hardest part for me was adjusting my mindset. I had to get used to the idea that I was probably going to finish last, that I would lift less weight, and that I had to slow down. I kept my doctor informed of my workouts and she was very supportive. The key was to listen to my body and how I was feeling.”

Doctors Just Don’t Understand

Sometimes you encounter doctors who are overly cautious about exercise and pregnancy. This could be due to their own concerns about legal repercussions, it could be they don’t understand the type of exercise being done, or they could just be conservative in their approach. Make sure when choosing your doctor that you discuss exercise and find a doctor whose views are in alignment with your goals.

Indeed, Norma switched doctors four times during her first trimester until she found a doctor who was in line with her vision. Don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself and what you want – this is YOUR pregnancy.

There is a great book I recommend to all my clients who are expecting. It goes into detail about the benefits of exercising while pregnant, both for the mother and for the unborn child – Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James F. Clapp III, M.D. It could also be a useful tool in enrolling your doctor in your goals!

The Benefits of Exercising While Pregnant

As a coach looking at it from a “performance” aspect, I am a firm believer that being a fit pregnant mom is imperative for the hours of labor looming on the horizon. The act of giving birth is a tremendous physical event requiring strength and endurance. Don’t you want to be in great shape for this type of marathon event?

“I think staying in shape helped me so much during labor,” Agatha told me. “I had to push for two and a half hours and I was absolutely exhausted, but my doctor knew I could do it because I had been staying in such good shape. If I had to do it over again, I would have just done MORE squats – because that pushing time was ALL squats.

In addition, both Shannon and Norma expressed the time they set aside for exercise helped them stay saner, that it was valuable “me” time during their pregnancies.

My coaching tips for working out while pregnant:

• Remember every woman’s experience of pregnancy and exercise will be unique.
• Use your internal barometer – do what YOU feel comfortable with.
• Peace of mind is important – don’t do anything that will have you wondering later if you shouldn’t have done it. The last thing you want is guilt if something should go wrong.
• Pregnant or not, exercise is a great MIND cleanse as well as body cleanse.
• Keep the bigger picture in mind – this isn’t about your performance on the workouts anymore. This is training for your health, your baby’s health, and in preparation for “event” day.