Training with a baby bump: what to know

You can train throughout pregnancy — what matters is adjusting the training load and choosing the right ways to move. Your body changes, your center of gravity shifts and some exercises become uncomfortable, but movement itself doesn’t have to disappear.

Why does training with a baby bump matter?

An expectant mother should stay active throughout pregnancy — for both mental and physical well-being. Regular movement helps keep your mood stable, eases back and pelvic pain and prepares your body for birth. Studies show that good muscle fitness considerably shortens the pushing stage of labor.

As the fetus grows, the load on the abdominal, back and pelvic floor muscles increases — these muscles have to support the uterus and cope with the weight of the other organs resting on the pelvis. The abdominal muscles stretch as the uterus grows. Strong muscles make both birth and recovery from it easier.

A simple truth: you shouldn’t compare yourself with other pregnant women, or even with your own previous pregnancies. Every body has its own pace.

Heart rate and training with a baby bump

A healthy expectant woman can train successfully until the middle of pregnancy exactly as she did before, without having to monitor her heart rate very closely. Only after the 24th week of pregnancy should your heart rate not rise above the aerobic threshold — that is about 60–70% of your maximum, or for many women somewhere between 140 and 150.

If you don’t have a heart rate monitor, go by how you feel: if the movement goes well and you can keep it up for a long time without discomfort, your heart rate has probably not risen above the aerobic threshold. A feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, on the other hand, is a sign that you should make the exercise easier.

Increased body weight raises the training load by itself. If your belly weighs 10 kilos, the weight on your legs when you move is also 10 kilos greater — you don’t need any extra load.

Honestly, the baby’s position in the womb is quite safe. It can be compared to a tennis ball placed inside a water-filled balloon — even if you squeeze the balloon a little, nothing happens to the tennis ball. You can keep doing familiar exercises throughout pregnancy, as long as you reduce the load and adapt the exercises to your needs.

Which types of training to favor with a baby bump?

Pregnant women do well in classes with no jarring movements, where everyone can choose their own training load. Spinning, bodypump, pilates, yoga and water aerobics are good examples — you can train together with others and regulate the pace yourself. An expectant woman should definitely ask her trainer about suitable ways to move.

A few practical adjustments:

• In spinning, raise the bike’s handlebars higher than normal and set the saddle slightly back — this gives your belly more room and the position is more comfortable.
• For regular squats in bodypump or at the gym, keep your feet slightly wider apart and turn your toes slightly outward — the weight is distributed evenly across both legs.
• In lunge squats, hold the bar in front of you like a walking stick — it’s easier to control your balance that way.
• For exercises lying on your back, turn the bodypump step bench into an incline bench — this way you aren’t lying flat and your back has better support.

The pelvic floor muscles need regular training during pregnancy. Training the abdominal muscles directly is not advisable, because the abdominal cavity is already under pressure and the strain is directed onto the pelvic floor muscles.

Gentle yoga poses, pilates and bodybalance help you get to know your body. In these classes you learn to listen to, control and relax your body through breathing. Balance exercises also help you adapt to your changed center of gravity and strengthen your leg muscles.

• The Indian squat strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, relaxes the lower back, stretches the calves and opens the pelvis.
• The triangle pose opens the pelvis and stretches the sides.

Favor these types of training

• Walking
• Swimming
• Cross-country skiing
• Cycling or spinning
• Lighter gym or bodypump training
• Pilates, bodybalance or lighter yoga training
• Belly dancing

Put these on hold

• Horseback riding
• Downhill skiing
• Self-defense sports
• Running
• Boxing
• Stretches taken to the extreme

FAQ: training with a baby bump

Is training with a baby bump safe?

Yes, in most cases moderate movement during pregnancy is completely safe and even recommended. The key is to pay attention to how you feel, reduce the training load and choose suitable types of training. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor.

When should training with a baby bump become gentler?

After week 24 of pregnancy, it’s worth monitoring your heart rate more closely: it shouldn’t rise above 60–70% of your maximum threshold, or about 140–150 beats per minute. Before that point, you can train at roughly the same volume as before pregnancy.

Is training the abdominal muscles forbidden during pregnancy?

Direct abdominal muscle training isn’t recommended, because the abdominal cavity is already under enough pressure. Instead, it’s worth focusing on the pelvic floor and back muscles, which strong squats, yoga and Pilates train effectively.

Author: Rosin

Source: WHO – physical activity.

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