Exercising throughout pregnancy has many benefits, including but not limited to: decreased aches/pains, optimized maternal and infant health, improved ease with labor and delivery, etc. However, there are lots of myths circulating in regards to what you can and cannot do during pregnancy.
This blog post breaks down 4 of these common myths and explains why they are false so you can keep on doing the workouts you love!
Common myths:
You CAN’T lay down on your back.
This myth arises from the fact that prolonged lying on your back while pregnant can sometimes compress your blood vessels and lead to symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, low blood pressure, etc. The key word here is prolonged. Performing two to three sets of an exercise on your back is likely not going to be long enough to cause any issues. If, however, you start to experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you either want to decrease the amount of time you are spending on your back or make some modifications (ex. Lean on a pillow, stool, or bench so you are at more of an incline vs. straight on your back).
You CAN’T do any heavy lifting.
As long as you are properly engaging your postural muscles and not experiencing any pain, there is no specific weight limit to what you can/cannot lift. The key with lifting weights during pregnancy (or anytime, really) is to listen to your body. If you need to go down in weight and take more breaks, do it! If not, keep on working towards your lifting goals!
You CAN’T run because it’s too much "jostling" for the baby.
Your baby is well protected and nestled snugly in your uterus. It is completely false the notion that running causes harm to your baby; in fact, regularly participating in aerobic exercises such as running can improve blood flow to your baby at rest and thus optimize his/her cardiovascular system.
You CAN’T do core work.
The key with core work during pregnancy is all about form. It is true that as you get further along in your pregnancy you will have to make modifications to your core exercises to prevent abdominal coning. However, as long as you are engaging your core properly and not experiencing any coning or doming, you are good to go! Also, not only CAN you do core work, you SHOULD do core work during pregnancy (barring any contraindications from your OB). Regularly strengthening your core can decrease back and pelvic pain during pregnancy as well as assist with regaining that strength postpartum.
I hope this post gave you greater clarity in regards to exercising during pregnancy as well as increased confidence with your workouts! Although we debunked these myths for the general population, always go with what your OBGYN advises given your specific pregnancy considerations.
If you’re wanting a more tailored exercise approach during pregnancy, schedule an appointment with me today! I love working with moms/future mamas to help you keep doing the activities you love!