Exercise in the 2nd trimester

Exercise during pregnancy is an important aspect of maintaining health and wellness. Exercise will help to decrease complications during labor and delivery, improve endurance after the baby is born and decrease the baby blues during the postpartum period. In fact, exercise during pregnancy months doesn’t seem to have too much of a downside. This is a time in life when women should be celebrating the changes to their bodies, encouraging wellness in themselves and future generations through good nutrition and exercise and carefully addressing their ever changing needs.

The second trimester are the glory days of pregnancy. Most women have gotten over any issues with morning sickness and still aren’t as large and uncomfortable as they will be in the third trimester. This is the time to get into a rhythm of regular exercise in the 2nd trimester that can be carried over to the third trimester when exercise may be more challenging and less easy.

Yoga is one option that may be acceptable or even enjoyable. There are yoga classes at the gym or yoga tapes for your DVD player if you enjoy a more private exercise moment. Prenatal yoga classes are often a forum for meeting other pregnant women that fosters a sense of community and is a major benefit to the new mothers. Make sure you find a prenatal class with an experienced teacher. Many women try yoga for the first time during pregnancy so you won’t be the only one. (1)

The practice of yoga encourages stretches and movements that may not be ‘natural’ in your everyday life. Couple this with increasing hormonal levels that make tendons and ligaments more lax, and it is important to use a DVD or instructor who is familiar with the needs of a pregnant body.

Exercise in the 2nd trimester is also an ideal time to shift the way that you do other exercises. For instance, sit ups should only be done on a 45 degree incline with knees bent; weights are ok if they aren’t intense; the exercise bike or Gazelle is great because it’s non-weight bearing but still good aerobic exercise and it is important not to overheat yourself. Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated. You are drinking for two people now! Pace your workouts and rest during the workout if you need to. This isn’t a sign of weakness or losing conditioning – just a sign that your body is already working 24/7 to grow your new child and you are asking it to do even more.

There are other ways to modify sit ups so that you can continue to work your abdominal muscles while not stressing the abs that run vertically over your belly. The goal is to strengthen the muscles needed in labor and delivery, not flatten the stomach – which is impossible while your little one is growing. Start in the quadruped position (on your hands and knees); exhale as you tighten your abs and pull your belly button toward your spine.

In the second modification you will be working the oblique muscles by lying on your side with your knees bent to 45 degrees. Lift your rib cage toward your hip and squeeze in the waist; inhale as you lower. You should combine any modifications of abdominal exercises with pelvic floor or Kegel exercises to get the maximum benefit. Traditional crunches are a no – no since lying on your back will cause your heavier uterus to compress the artery feeding your lower body and decrease the amount of oxygen your baby is receiving.

Exercises that you may have been doing prior to becoming pregnant can also be continued. For instance, if you were already running marathons or 10K races then continuing to run through the pregnancy will work well with your body. Pregnant women find they must decrease the intensity and distance of their runs but will continue to benefit from the time they spend running. (2,3)

However, this isn’t the time to start a running routine. If you haven’t been running before you got pregnant then it is very wise to put it off until after you are done breast feeding your new little one. Other exercises that you can use during pregnancy include walking, swimming, running in the pool, water aerobics and an exercise bike. Avoid exercises that require you change positions quickly (basketball) or use balance (outdoor bikes) because your center of gravity begins to shift quickly now leaving you at risk for falling. (4)

Exercise in the 2nd trimester has some challenges because of your enlarging stomach but it continues to be important to stretch and strengthen your muscles to ensure a strong and healthy delivery. This is definitely NOT the time to slack off and exercise your TV muscles – get out there and just do it!

(1) BabyCenter: Great Pregnancy Exercise: Prenatal Yoga

(2) BabyCenter: Exercise During Pregnancy

(3) American Fitness Professionals and Associates: Guidelines for Exercise Training During Pregnancy

(4) American Pregnancy Association: Top Recommended Exercises during Pregnancy