Can I Still Run and Exercise While Pregnant?

You lead an active lifestyle, and you’ve found it’s an important piece of your overall physical and mental wellness puzzle. But now you’re pregnant and wondering whether you need to shelve your exercise and/or running regimen for the time being.

In most cases, the team of obstetric specialists at Capital Women’s Care wants women to do what they can to stay healthy during pregnancy, and exercising and running are excellent ways to do just that.

Your pregnancy is unique

Between 2010 and 2019 in the United States, 5 to 6 million women were pregnant each year, and each of those pregnancies had its own unique circumstances. 

For our part, we treat each pregnancy on a case-by-case basis, which includes exercise recommendations. To give you an idea about what we mean, even if you’re one of the 30,000 to 50,000 pregnancies each year that’s considered high-risk, exercise isn’t off the table.

So, the first step is to sit down with one of our team members to figure out how exercise and running can fit into your pregnancy.

Benefits of exercising during pregnancy

If you get the greenlight to exercise during your pregnancy, staying active offers a wide range of benefits. 

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, exercising during pregnancy can lead to:

• Less back pain
• Reduced risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia
• Fewer issues with constipation 
• A healthier amount of weight gain
• Easier post-pregnancy weight loss
• Improved cardiovascular health

So, if you’re able to get up and move, please do.

General rules of thumb for exercising or running during pregnancy

Now let’s get into some guidelines for exercising during pregnancy, because it won’t be business as usual, especially as you progress through your pregnancy. For example, those crunches you love to do will become increasingly impossible as your belly grows.

So, please keep the following in mind:

• Drink lots of water
• Stay with your usual routine, at first
• Invest in good sports bras for your growing breasts
• Listen to your body and stop when it’s uncomfortable
• Wear loose-fitting clothes
• Avoid exercises on your back, as the fetus can compress veins

As your baby grows, you’ll need to get more creative. For example, your run may turn into more of a power walk as your belly gets bigger. Or, if your joints are starting to feel the pressure, opt for less concussive activities, such as cycling or water activities.

There are myriad classes you can take — in person or online — that target pregnant women in every trimester. From pilates to yoga, and more, perhaps you can view your pregnancy as a time to try something new.

Of course, during your prenatal care appointments, we track your health and provide you with exercise guidelines along the way.

To figure out the best exercise regimen for your pregnancy, contact one of our three offices in Frederick and Mount Airy, Maryland, to schedule an appointment with a pregnancy expert.