Do I really have to wait another mont... - Pregnancy and Par...

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Do I really have to wait another month or two until i`m seen by a midwife and understand whether I can continue exercising as usual?

mariyana81 profile image
18 Replies

I am very active and workout everyday, HIIT, Spinning, running, crossfit. I am supposed to be in week six and already finding it hard to be worried everytime i workout (although i scaled it down a lot). I need to continue my normal life otherwise I will get insane. I dont want to feel guilty if something happen. I thought I will have checkup by week 8 and now i understand it might be week 12.

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mariyana81 profile image
mariyana81
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18 Replies
bluebug profile image
bluebug

Every fitness instructor has been trained to deal with how to modify their exercise during pregnancy or to tell you you can't be in the class, so if you aren't sure ask them.

However if you want to keep your condition private choose one who has had children - they will have mentioned their children at some point in your classes with them - and have a quick discussion on what to do and avoid. Lots of instructors either teach or do more than one form of exercise so should be able to give you general advice if you are early to the class and they are as well.

If you do any Les Mills classes the official website has some basic guidelines for pregnant women.

Also be aware that some exercise advice from midwives isn't relevant for people who do a lot of exercise already. So I was given absolutely no advice at booking on what I should and shouldn't do exercise wise - and I use to play a contact sport until recently However due to the people I've exercised with and been instructed by since a teen I knew stuff anyway.

PeteratCastle profile image
PeteratCastle in reply to bluebug

Sorry but I really have to disagree with that first bit; most fitness instructors are nowhere near qualified to do anything postnatal. And most classes are not at all good for someone who recently gave birth and might still have issues

I wrote about the checkup a while ago

castlepersonaltraining.com/...

bluebug profile image
bluebug in reply to PeteratCastle

She's talking antenatal not postnatal.

There is a big difference.

PeteratCastle profile image
PeteratCastle in reply to bluebug

Sorry, I'm an idiot

bluebug profile image
bluebug in reply to PeteratCastle

No - just means when anyone asks for postnatal exercises posters on this thread know there are people out there.

Listen to your body. As you are so active it shouldn’t be a problem, but the hormone relaxin will be being released in your body (more and more as your pregnancy progresses) it relaxes your ligaments to help with birth but it affects the whole body. I was relatively active (not as active as it sounds you are) before my first pregnancy and managed to pull a ligament in my leg walking down a step when I was around 16 weeks. Second pregnancy I was dancing around carrying my toddler (I know stupid thing to do) and pulled the same ligament (doh) about 20 weeks. Carry on exercising, let your instructors know in confidence as they need to know and do what feels right to you. Enjoy!

jenna01 profile image
jenna01

I was told to carry on as normal (I’m also active, cycle to work every day, horse riding and pole dancing as well as gym workouts and body balance) but to listen to your body. If something starts to feel wrong just stop and don’t push through as you normally would! I had to stop Pole at around 12 weeks because the spinning and inverting made me feel queasy and lightheaded but still do everything else! Just be aware that as your pregnancy progresses your joints become looser and more injury prone so seek advice from your instructors in ways to modify. Everyone is different though - this is just what I have done and what I have been told by my instructors who know me and have also had babies themselves - everyone is different!

roxannacar profile image
roxannacar in reply to jenna01

I probably wouldn't do horse riding or contact sports whilst pregnant... it's not the riding bit rather the falling/getting kicked by a horse ...

jenna01 profile image
jenna01 in reply to roxannacar

I wouldn’t do contact sports either but with everything else it’s modifying what you do - like with pole if I’d carried on it’d be doing moves that don’t press on the stomach (there are many styles and aspects to it!). I have ridden for 28 years so it’s not something I will consider stopping until I have to but that’s a personal choice taking on board all the known risks.

in reply to jenna01

Fellow pole dancer! I carried on until I was 7 months, and then logistically it became impossible to get to class.

Have you had your little one yet? Mine is a week shy of 6 months and I've been back since 6 weeks, how about you?

jenna01 profile image
jenna01 in reply to

Yay it’s not just me! I’m currently 16 weeks and now the nausea is gone I’m tempted to go back for flow classes or privates but I’ve lost all my upper body strength now 😩 I’m definitely planning to go back as soon as I can afterwards though! I miss it already. Was it tricky to get back into?

in reply to jenna01

I found it really hard, not because of lack of strength or ability, but because I was starting at a new studio for the first time and the coach insisted on starting me back pretty much as a beginner in order for me to build myself back up gradually. Whilst I appreciated the slow start, it really did grate when I saw ladies doing stuff that I used to do! I'm still no where near where I was, but I am finding I am able to do the intermediate level skills that we are learning as a class with little difficulty so the muscle memory is still there!

If you need a midwife to tell you what you can do with exersice your probably going to waste their time, you can Google what is safe to do in pregnancy through NHS choices website after 13 weeks pole dancing is not good s baby is no longer protected in uterus same with horse riding anything considered as extreme sports is also a no go use your own initiative and do some research and then if your still unsure don't do it

jessicagrace2942 profile image
jessicagrace2942

I was told that if you do regular exercise before pregnancy that doing this during is not that risky. Obviously you are not going to be doing as aggressive workouts however exercise is encouraged throughout. Your body will tell you what you can manage. If you are anything like i was you will be too tired to work out haha

If you are concerned then call your doctors and request the midwife calls you before your appointment.

Good luck

Kate91 profile image
Kate91

If you are in the uk you should have booked in with a midwife by now who will then have arranged for the hospital to send you a scan date for around 12 weeks. If you have booked in with a midwife you should be able to simply ring her and ask advise on things in between your appointments. If you havent booked in with one you need to ring the local hospital and speak to midwifery and ask them to put you in touch with your local community midwife

roxannacar profile image
roxannacar in reply to Kate91

That's depends ... with my first my booking was on the 12 week ultrasound day after!

Kate91 profile image
Kate91 in reply to roxannacar

It depends on how busy your area is but as a standard they try to get women bookedin around 8 to 10 weeks if possible as most areas dont manage to scans that quickly. They are some tests that should be done by 10 weeks so they try to see you before then for blood tests.

the link below shows as a standard the appointment times for the nhs

nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy...

Georgina_D profile image
Georgina_D

Keep doing what you are already doing. If it was bad then your body wouldn't have let u get pregnant!

You will slow down naturally as the pregnancy progresses.

Stop if you feel dizzy and don't start a new retime or increase intensity in pregnancy x

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