It is important to be active during pregnancy. Finding ways to be active during your pregnancy is vital for both your health and the health of your baby. If you’re under lockdown, you may have noticed that your workout routine has suffered. Or maybe you have some more time on your hands and want to establish some new healthy habits!

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What Sports Are Safe During Pregnancy

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pregnant women or those in the postpartum period should aim to exercise at least 150 minutes a week. This can be split into five 30-minute sessions of low to moderate-intensity moves such as brisk walking.

Engaging in low-impact and moderate-intensity sports like walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and prenatal yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. These activities help maintain fitness, promote relaxation, and support your overall well-being while minimising the risk of injury to you and your baby.

Let’s discuss some of the most common sports pregnant women do and find out what’s safe and what can wait until the baby’s out.

Is It Safe To Do Cardio Exercises While Pregnant?

According to Dr Brittany Robles, an OB-gynaecologist and a certified fitness trainer, it is safe to do cardio during pregnancy as long as you don’t have any contraindications to exercise.

Cardio is beneficial during pregnancy because it helps maintain a healthy weight, allows women to maintain an active lifestyle and promotes good blood circulation in the lower body that reduces the risk of blood clots. It also helps women avoid pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

However, the amount of cardio exercises you should do while pregnant depends on certain factors such as your pre-pregnancy activity level, your cardiovascular fitness level and how far along you are in your pregnancy.

Image Source: iStock

How long can you do cardio during pregnancy?

According to Dr Robles, as long as you do not have any pregnancy complications, you can do traditional cardio (running) up until the end of your 2nd trimester, which is about 20 to 24 weeks. Running may be difficult during the third trimester as it can have a strong impact on your joints and abdomen.

Aside from running, some of the recommended cardio exercises to do while pregnant are brisk walking, swimming, stationary cycling, resistance training circuits and dancing (just avoid any moves that put you at risk of falling on your belly).

Moreover, Dr Robles gives the following reminders to pregnant women while doing cardio exercises:

Avoid exhaustion (stop when your starting to run out of breath. You should be able to engage in conversation while exercising)
Avoid overheating (stay hydrated)
Avoid pain or discomfort in your bones and joints (especially since you have increased levels of the hormone relaxin).

More importantly, always consult your doctor first before starting any fitness routine during your pregnancy.

Walking During Pregnancy

Walking is considered one of the safest exercises to do while pregnant because it is a low-risk activity that works your cardiovascular system without putting too much pressure on your muscles and joints. It also helps pregnant women maintain a healthy weight and avoid unwanted pregnancy symptoms such as constipation and back pain.

However, every pregnancy is different. While walking is a recommended activity for most pregnant women, some women should ask their doctors first before starting a daily walking exercise routine.

Seek advice from your gynaecologist before walking if you have any of the following:

heart or lung diseases
cerclage
risk for preterm labour with multiples
placenta previa after 26 weeks
ruptured membranes
preeclampsia or high blood pressure
severe anaemia
have been advised to be on bed rest during your pregnancy

Moreover, even if you were allowed to exercise or go walking during pregnancy, you should stop immediately and contact your doctor if you are feeling dizzy or faint, extra tired, having shortness of breath or have spotting after your exercise.

While walking is considered low-risk during pregnancy, it’s important to not overdo it and listen to your body.

Prenatal Pilates

Pilates is a whole-body training regimen that is ideal for the pregnant body’s ever-changing needs. Pilates can help at every stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

An Active Girls Guide to Exercising and Playing Sports During Pregnancy

Image from iStock

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned exerciser, a competent instructor can tailor the workout to your specific needs while still challenging you safely.

Pilates balances strength, mobility, and flexibility to support your body’s structure, with a strong emphasis on your breath. Prenatal Pilates prepares you for labour and delivery, lays the groundwork for recovery, promotes pelvic floor health, and aids in the prevention or management of diastasis recti.

Weightlifting During Pregnancy

Resistance exercise, including weight lifting, is considered safe during pregnancy by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The following are the advantages of weight training during pregnancy:

Improves back muscle strength
Less difficult labour
Improved weight management
Reduces the chance of gestational diabetes
Improved mood
Body image enhancement
Reduced risk of preeclampsia
Improved weight control

If you don’t currently have a weight-lifting regimen, it’s simple to get started with exercises that target numerous muscle groups and allow you to use weights or your own body weight.

Tips for Lifting Weights Safely While Pregnant

Three to four times each week, lift mild to moderate weights. For most healthy pregnant women, this is considered a safe range.
Practice moves that are safe to do.
Work out your entire body rather than focusing on certain muscle areas. This aids in the relief of pain in a specific place following an exercise.
Concentrate on higher repetitions with less weight than usual.
Throughout the workout, maintain a strong upper back and appropriate breathing.
Concentrate on exercises that aid in postural alignment.

Experts agree that weightlifting is safe during pregnancy, as long as you consult with your healthcare physician first and are not suffering from any pregnancy-related health issues. However, there are some precautions you should take before beginning any workout plan, including weight training, while pregnant. These are some examples:

Avoid lying on your stomach or back.
Watch out for the abdominal area.
Work with lighter weights.
Avoid lifting weights higher than your head.
Avoid strenuous exercises.

Is Bowling Safe During Pregnancy?

If you bowled regularly prior to pregnancy, you should be fine bowling while pregnant. Bowling is a low-impact social activity that many people enjoy.

It is beneficial for pregnant women to maintain normal activities and routines, therefore bowling can be a safe hobby while pregnant. Even though it is low impact, some lifting and balancing are required, therefore appropriate body mechanics can help prevent discomfort or injury.

If you have preeclampsia, heart illness, placenta previa, or premature labour, or if you are carrying twins or multiples, you should avoid bowling until you consult with your doctor about the optimal level of exercise for your condition and stage of pregnancy.

Can I Do Sports In The First Month Of Pregnancy?

In most cases, you can continue playing sports during pregnancy in the first month, but it’s essential to do so with caution. Listen to your body, adjust your routine to accommodate your changing needs, and consider consulting your healthcare provider to ensure your chosen activities are safe and appropriate for your pregnancy.

What sports should be avoided in early pregnancy?

In the early stages of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid sports with a high risk of falls, contact sports, and those that involve excessive jumping or sudden changes in direction. Activities such as horseback riding, skiing, intense martial arts, and competitive team sports can pose risks to the developing fetus and should be avoided.

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or continuing any exercise routine during pregnancy to ensure it’s appropriate for your specific situation.

Sports During Pregnancy: Which Ones Are Safe and Which Ones are a No-Go?


Trimester	Safe Activities	Activities to Avoid
First Trimester	– Walking: A low-impact activity that’s gentle on the joints. – Swimming: Excellent for overall fitness and gentle on the body.	– Contact Sports: Sports involving a risk of falling or physical contact, like soccer or basketball.
Second Trimester	– Prenatal Yoga: Great for flexibility, relaxation, and maintaining muscle tone. – Stationary Cycling: Provides a good cardiovascular workout without the risk of falling.	– High-Impact Aerobics: Activities with a high risk of sudden movements or jumping.
Third Trimester	– Prenatal Pilates: Focuses on core strength and stability. – Low-Impact Aerobics: Keep it moderate to avoid strain on joints.	– Activities on Your Back: As the pregnancy progresses, lying on your back for extended periods can compress blood vessels.

Remember, individual experiences may vary, and it’s crucial to consult with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing any exercise routine during pregnancy.

Sports to Avoid During Pregnancy

When selecting your activities, be cautious and consult with your clinician. Avoid doing the following sports during pregnancy:

Any sport that involves a lot of jerky, bouncing motions that could lead to a fall, such as horseback riding, downhill skiing, off-road cycling, gymnastics, or skating.
Any sport where you might get hit in the stomach, such as ice hockey, boxing, soccer, or basketball.
Any exercise requiring you to lie flat on your back (after the first trimester), such as sit-ups. When you lie on your back, your uterus presses against a major vein that returns blood to your heart. Lying on your back might lower your blood pressure and restrict the blood supply to your baby.
Activities that can lead you to hit the water hard, such as water skiing, surfing, or diving.
Scuba diving or skydiving. Decompression sickness can occur as a result of scuba diving. This is the point at which harmful gas bubbles grow in your baby’s body.
Exercising at a high altitude (above 6,000 feet), unless you reside at a high altitude.
Activities that may raise your body temperature to dangerous levels, such as Bikram yoga (also known as hot yoga) or exercising outside on hot, humid days.

Don’t Ignore These Warning Signs While Playing Sports

Low to moderate-impact cardiovascular exercises are safe and excellent forms of exercise when you’re pregnant. That being said, remember that any physical activity can carry risks if you overdo it.

According to Healthline, here are some warning signs that you shouldn’t ignore when exercising while pregnant:

chest pain
headache
bleeding from your vagina
regular contractions of your uterus
rapid heartbeat different from what you usually experience when exercising
painful contractions
dizziness
fainting
fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina
calf swelling or pain
shortness of breath different from what you usually experience when exercising
muscle weakness
changes in foetal movement
pain in your hips, pelvis, or abdominal area

If you experience any of these symptoms, stop what you’re doing immediately and call your doctor. Do not attempt to restart any physical activity unless your doctor says it’s okay to resume.

As we have emphasised in this article, be sure to get clearance from your doctor before starting any sort of workout routine. If you have concerns about activities you can and cannot do during pregnancy, do not hesitate to consult your gynaecologist before doing it.

healthline.com, marchofdimes.org, postpartumtrainer.com

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