The Best Pregnancy Exercises for a Strong Pregnancy

Congratulations, you have a baby on the way, but are you curious what the best pregnancy exercises are?! You have a clear understanding of what might be on the market for a Midwife or OBGYN, hitting the stores for some maternity clothes, and maybe even starting to plan out what the nursery will look like! What you might be still searching for is the best pregnancy exercises for a strong pregnancy that will set you up for success. If you’re ready to optimize your strength during pregnancy, labor, and delivery- look no further because after reading below you will understand the best pregnancy exercises to workout safely and confidently through each trimester!

First trimester (0-13 weeks) 

Many of the times people don’t realize that they are pregnant until they are later on in the first trimester and still they have a healthy pregnancy and baby. This means that you are able to continue with your usual exercise routine, such as running, weight lifting, pilates, or cycling, as long as it is comfortable. Currently, there are no restrictions on heart rate for exercise during pregnancy! The only major exercise consideration to keep in mind at this is to keep your core body temperature below 102 degrees Fahrenheit. This means prolonged exercise on hot sunny days or hot yoga is off the table for expecting mamas! 

Second Trimester (14-26 weeks)

The same recommendations that suggested in the first trimester remain the during the second trimester. This is the time that you continue to want to work on your lower body, glutes, and abdominal strength to prevent diastasis recti, reduce your risk of low back pain as pregnancy progresses, and set yourself up for success for labor and delivery. However, starting at 20 weeks you wanted to avoid being on your stomach and avoid prolonged time on your back to protect against decreased blood flow back to your heart. Here are a few examples of exercises that allow you to build your strength without stressing the pelvic floor or abdomen, while allowing you to continue working towards your goals: 

1. Bird Dog

2. Standing Farmer’s Carries

3. Squats

4. Deadlifts

Third Trimester (27 week-40+ weeks) 

Now is the time to start preparing the body to align and relax for labor and delivery. So this would not be the right time to start a brand new membership at a CrossFit gym or any new and intense workouts. The aim is to release tension in some of the uterine ligaments, mobilize the thoracic spine and pelvis, and open the top of the pelvis to allow the baby to descend into the pelvis. Some of these exercises include yoga and deep breathing, full body squats with a weight on one side of the body, and a deep squat stretch with knees wide. 

Being mindful of engaging your core is also very important at this point in pregnancy! Try to “lift the baby up and in” to make sure that the TA is firing. This helps to protect your back and pelvic floor from excessive intra abdominal pressure during workouts.

Conclusion: 

Let’s face it. It can be daunting when thinking about how to exercise throughout pregnancy. By sticking to the recommendations listed above and listening to your body, you’re well on your way to having a successful pregnancy. However, if you still aren’t confident in your ability to exercise while pregnant, then working with a specialized personal trainer or pelvic floor physical therapist might be the right choice for you! 

Interested in learning more about exercise throughout your pregnancy? Click here to learn more about improving and preventing diastasis recti throughout your pregnancy.