Is It Safe To Do Strength Training During Pregnancy?

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Is It Safe to Do Strength Training During Pregnancy?

November 22, 2022 by Dr. Lori Gore-Green

Many fitness enthusiasts wonder how their workouts will change once they become pregnant. If you are not currently in a regular strength training program, it is strongly advised to wait until after giving birth. It is not a good idea to start an extreme program during pregnancy. If you are already taking part in regular exercise, it is still necessary to modify your routine to accommodate your growing body. For some people, such as serious weightlifters, it is advised to avoid lifting heavy objects as their pregnancy progresses.

Before starting a fitness regimen while pregnant, your doctor should clear it first. You must follow best practices when it comes to working out while pregnant. You can also consult a pre-natal fitness professional for tips and suggestions.

There are several advantages to maintaining a strength training program throughout pregnancy.

In addition to staying fit, lifting weights can also help prepare your body for parenthood.

According to Andrea Chisholm, a board-certified OB-GYN in Wyoming, strength training can

assist with posture changes, maintain endurance, and protect the lower back. This is an essential part of labor.

One of the benefits of strength training while pregnant is improving the strength of your back muscles. The growing belly and enlarged breasts can stress the back muscles, leading to lower back pain. Doing so can help strengthen the back muscles and increase the strength of your core.

According to studies, strength training can help improve labor outcomes by decreasing the likelihood of a C-section and shortening the early stages of labor. It can also help lower the length of hospital stay.

Although strength training can help improve labor outcomes, it is also not a good idea to start worrying about going into early labor as it can still lead to premature delivery.

One of the most important advantages of strength training while pregnant is helping you maintain a healthy weight. Although it is important to gain weight to support your baby’s development, too much can lead to health problems, such as gestational diabetes.

Getting too little weight gain can also lead to the development of a child being too small. This can cause issues such as low birth weight and illness.

A regular exercise program during pregnancy can help prevent excess weight gain. It can also help lower the risk of preeclampsia.

Although strength training can lower the risk of gestational diabetes, it can still increase the risk of developing this condition later in life. Usually, high blood sugar levels during pregnancy can return to normal. However, if this happens later in life, it can lead to type 2 diabetes. In addition, gestational diabetes can enhance the risks of developing other conditions, such as impaired glucose tolerance and obesity.

One of the toughest lines of defense against gestational diabetes is incorporating resistance training into your regular exercise program. Doing so can help prevent the development of this condition and protect the baby from macrosomia, which can occur when a newborn weighs over eight pounds.

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, Women's Health Tagged With: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, health, Women's Health

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