Exercise During Pregnancy

By: Megan Plouffe | Kinesiologist

Physical activity and exercising during pregnancy have many benefits! If you were not active before becoming pregnant, you can use this time to start to incorporate movement into your daily routine.

What are some benefits of exercising while pregnant?

• ↑ physical fitness = ↓ lower back pain, sciatic pain + disability from pain
• ↓ incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus
• ↓ incidence of gestational hypertensive disorders
• ↓ risk of urinary incontinence
• ↓ incidence of pre-term birth
• ↑ improved blood glucose
• ↓ excessive gestational weight gain
• ↓ postpartum recovery time
• Reduction of depressive disorders in post-partum
• ↓complications during labour and delivery

Aerobic Exercise

A warm up and cool down should be included in an aerobic warm up, both which last between 10–15 mins and involves flexibility and mobility work. Aim for at least 3 times a week up to daily. Intensity should be “somewhat hard” or “moderate” at a rating of 5 to 7 out of 10. If you can maintain a conversation throughout your workout then you are at the desired intensity. The duration of the exercise bout should be a minimum of 15 mins in duration. At least 150 minutes of physical activity should be accumulated throughout the week. Some modalities include swimming, walking, dancing or using a stationary bike.

Resistance Exercise

A warm-up that includes mobility and flexibility for the whole body should be included. Higher reps with low weight is recommended, using either bands or free weights. The intensity should be low enough that you are able to perform the movements while continuously breathing. Exercises are targeted at improving posture, preventing diastasis recti, proper pelvic floor function, preventing low back pain.

• Kegels

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet resting on the floor. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles. To do this, focus as if trying to hold in urine and gas. It is important to only engage these muscles and not your glutes or abdominals at the same time. Hold for 3 seconds, relax and repeat.

• Bird-Dogs

Beginning on hands and knees in table top position, engage your core. Slowly, lift opposite limbs; extend your arm directly in front of you until it is parallel to the floor. Simultaneously, lift your opposite side leg by engaging your glut so that it is also parallel to the floor. Both your arm and leg in the air should be long and extended at either the elbow or the knee. Then, lower your arm and leg slowly to the floor to the starting position and repeat on the opposite sides. Focus on stabilizing the pelvis with the abdominal muscles so that if you were to have an object, such as a book, on your lower back it would remain in place for the duration of the exercise.

• Pull Aparts

Standing with a micro-bend in the knees, grip a resistance band with your arms extended infront of you at shoulder height. Pull your shoulder blades together as your pull the resistance band apart. Pull until your arms are extended directly out to your sides with your elbows straight. Ensure your shoulders do not come up towards your ears. Return your hands to the beginning position in a slow and controlled manner and repeat.

• Face Pulls

Tie a resistance band around a sturdy object at about chin height. Stand away from the attachment to create resistance, holding an end of the band in each hand. Begin with your arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as your pull the band towards your face. Your forearms and hands should remain parallel to the ground throughout the pull. Ensure your shoulders do not come up towards your ears. Slowly lower your arms back to the beginning position and repeat.

• Sit to Stands

Begin in a sitting position on a chair or bench. Hold a dumbbell goblet style at your chest if you would like. With your feet hip width apart, feet tearing the ground apart, and core and gluts engaged, rise from the seated position to standing. Resist excessive forwards lean as you rise to standing position. Slowly lower yourself down to sit back on the bench or chair. Reset and repeat.

• Standing Banded Hip Thrusts

Attach a band to a sturdy object at about hip height. With the band around your hips, step away from the attachment site so that there is resistance on the band. You should be facing away from the attachment site. Hinge at the hips by engaging your gluts and pushing them back, keeping a neutral spine by allowing your shoulder to lower to counterbalance your glute’s backwards movement. Then, thrust your hips forwards, squeezing your gluts. Repeat.

But before getting started, it is important to check with your health care provider to rule out any contraindications to exercise. Otherwise, women with uncomplicated pregnancies should be physically active during pregnancy.

Precautions

A few things to remember when you are physically active:

• Avoid environments with excessive heat and dress to stay cool
• Stay hydrated
• Limit excessive time lying on your back
• Ensure you are continuously breathing throughout movement
• Avoid ballistic movements
• Don’t stretch too much

Further, you should stop exercising if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Abdominal pain
• Regular painful contractions
• Amniotic fluid leakage
• Dyspnea before exertion (shortness of breath)
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Muscle weakness affecting balance
• Calf pain or swelling

Have any questions? Feel free to drop us a line via e-mail, we’re happy to help!

— Megan Plouffe, Kinesiologist