Can you get fit during pregnancy?

Your body is doing amazing things to grow your baby during pregnancy. It’s experiencing all sorts of changes, some visible to you, some less so. Your body probably feels very different to how it did pre pregnancy as it copes with these changes - you might feel like you have very little energy and be feeling all sorts of aches and pains as your posture changes and your ligaments relax, preparing for birth.

There is so much advice available to say you shouldn’t start a new exercise routine when you discover you're pregnant and with all of these changes going on, I can totally see why you wouldn’t be motivated to start a new movement routine right now. But there are SO many amazing benefits of moving your body (in the right way) throughout this time.

I’m not talking about going from never having had a running routine to suddenly running marathon distances or from never having lifted a barbell to joining your local CrossFit club and hoping to keep up with the regulars. That type of exercise is likely to hinder your pregnancy and won’t train you in the right way for a strong pregnancy, delivery and journey back to exercise once your little one is here. It’s also worth noting that there may be specific reasons that you shouldn’t workout during your pregnancy so make sure you check with your midwife that there aren’t any contraindications that will stop you from exercising during this time.

Easing yourself into a movement routine, starting at a point that supports your current fitness level and focusing on all the areas that go through the biggest degree of change throughout pregnancy is the best way you can get fit during pregnancy. It’s all about creating the strongest (and safest) possible foundation that will help you feel confident about increasing the intensity of your workouts and getting fitter throughout your pregnancy. You’ll notice a lot of the aches and pains that might put you off starting a workout routine actually start to disappear as you work to strengthen your body in all the right ways to support your changing posture.

Pregnancy can be an overwhelming and anxiety-inducing time. Moving your body can be a really practical way to help you shift some of those feelings and give you the opportunity to work on clearing some headspace. Setting this habit up during your pregnancy will make it a little easier to continue to make this a priority once your little one is here.

For all of its physical and mental health benefits, getting fit during your pregnancy can totally transform the experience for you, leaving you feeling calmer, stronger, more confident and with fewer aches and pains.

Our Bump & Beyond Movement Series is a pre and postnatal programme that welcomes you at whatever fitness level you’re currently at and helps you build a great foundation to support you throughout your pregnancy. Discover the full collection of classes here and join me for a complimentary 1:1 session when you subscribe to the monthly membership so we can tailor the programme to your needs.