Many women who come to my Pregnancy Power-UP® strength class for the first time are apologetic.
“I haven’t really done any exercise since I found out I was pregnant”, they say, sadly.
I tell them to OWN IT! The first three months of growing a baby are usually EXHAUSTING.
Your hormones change course, from trying to get you pregnant to stopping you from trying more. In a short space of time, you grow some insane things that will stay with another person for the rest of their lives. Like a thyroid. A spleen. Perhaps testicles.
That takes energy.
In the first trimester, take it easy if that’s what your body wants you to do. If a walk makes you feel good, walk. If you need to rest, rest. Usually, the body speaks LOUD AND CLEAR at this stage. There’s no advantage to fighting it.
I respect and love my body, which I show by getting regular massages, prioritising nourishment and sleep, and modifying my activities. Running comes and goes, as do pull-ups and I’m currently on a squat ban. I’m reluctant to reduce my overall levels of activity because if you don’t use it, you lose it.
What if you feel like exercise in the first trimester?
What if you love exercise, and it makes you feel human and more like yourself? Is it safe?
The NHS makes what I consider to be sensible recommendations about avoiding certain activities throughout pregnancy. These are: contact sports or activities with a high risk of a fall (these might cause a trauma to the abdomen); scuba diving (because of the pressure changes); exercising at altitude (low oxygen) or extreme heat.
Specifically in the first trimester, a 2014 review of literature (Hegaard et al, published in Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology) illustrated that research is inconclusive, difficult to compare and somewhat conflicting; but overall, there is insufficient evidence to determine a relationship between first trimester pregnancy exercise and miscarriage.
Then in 2018, Margie H Davenport et all published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluding that
Although the evidence in this field is of ‘very low’ quality, it suggests that prenatal exercise is not associated with increased odds of miscarriage or perinatal mortality. In plain terms, this suggests that generally speaking exercise is ‘safe’ with respect to miscarriage and perinatal mortality.
Here’s the thing about the first trimester. It’s when most miscarriages happen. Almost always because the embryo wasn’t viable and the pregnancy was not meant to be. Almost never because of something the woman did. Your body won’t let go of an embryo just because you took a spin class or stayed on the settee.
And honestly, if exercise caused miscarriage, I’m quite certain the US Supreme Court would ban pregnant women from gyms, right?
What exercise can you do in the first trimester?
Most of the action in the first trimester is in your uterus and your hormones. You might not ‘look’ pregnant at all. Later in pregnancy you’ll need to accommodate your changing body but in the first trimester, not so much.
This usually means you can keep doing what you enjoy doing, at an intensity that leaves you feeling good. Running, strength training, cardio, jumping, classes – if you feel good doing them, there’s no reason to stop.
You don’t need to monitor your heart rate. Make sure you stay hydrated and don’t overheat.
What about the adage “don’t take up anything new in pregnancy”?
I believe that depends on what it is! If you’re starting a new activity, you’re probably doing it with a coach or someone who’s going to teach you. Ask their advice.
For instance, I believe all pregnant women will benefit from strength training, whether or not they’ve done it before. Which is why I modify strength work for second and third trimester in my Pregnancy Power-UP® classes.
Conclusion
If you feel like exercising in the first trimester, do it – avoiding bumps and falls, altitude, extreme heat and pressure changes.
If you don’t, take it easy and treat yourself with kindness and grace. That said, you might feel better for some gentle walking.
Most of women start to feel better in the second trimester, when some energy comes back and they feel more confident after seeing baby on a scan.
There’s no need to worry that you’ll have lost your fitness by then – it’ll feel different, and you might have to modify your movements to accommodate your changing body, but you’ll still be smashing it.
You can join me for Pregnancy Power-Up® in your second and third trimester at 0930 on Sundays. Booking Page here >>> Pregnancy Power-Up®