Exercise during Pregnancy: First Trimester
The first trimester is a time where we don’t think we have to modify or adjust much exercise at all. The intensity can stay the same, the exercises can pretty much stay the same, and overall you’re fine to do pretty much whatever you want to, right? As you can imagine, the answer isn’t quite that simple and there’s also SO MUCH information out there... In this blog I’m going to cut through all the overwhelm out there and give you some considerations for exercise in the first trimester, including things you may want to start doing and ways to know if you should or need to dial back on intensity or volume of exercise during this trimester.
But, first, I want to share a bit of my experiences with exercise in the first trimester…
I remember when I read in my pregnancy app “make sure you stay active and eat plenty of healthy food.... It’ll make you feel better and help you lose the baby weight faster after baby!” while in the throes of morning sickness and extreme fatigue when all I wanted to do was sleep and whine. Cue the eyeroll. I was literally like 8-10 weeks pregnant when this popped up on my feed. I was just trying to survive, not a damn bit concerned about my weight or working out. So I stayed in bed, rested as much as I could with two other kids running around, and let my “regular” workout routine fall to the wayside.
However, during my second pregnancy these WERE concerns of mine. I continued to push myself to workout 5-6 times a week. I was even doing a 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge during my first trimester. After each workout I would push myself to get my 10,000 steps in a day, attend my regular classes, and parent my toddler. At the end of the day I would collapse in a heap on the couch, finally feeling justified in allowing myself to succumb to the never-ending fatigue and sickness that often accompanies the first trimester. Like I had “earned it.”
So you can see I’ve had two wildly different experiences here. One thing was the same in both, I really did feel pressured to maintain my regular routine despite how crappy I felt.The messages out there that told me to push through, that it would make me “feel better” and that it would “be worth it in the end” crept in and I’d complain to my husband that I was just lazy, I felt bad for missing my workouts and “letting that go.”
There’s also the other camp of “better safe than sorry”, who don’t want to push it with fitness because they worry about miscarriage. I completely understand that concern. And though I am well aware that my miscarriage had nothing to do with what I did or didn’t do, there was still that concern going into this pregnancy.
Whatever camp you’re in, I’m here to guide you to make the best decision for your body right now… and give you permission to listen to your body- and show you how to actually do that as well.
Should you push through morning sickness, fatigue, and exhaustion?
But the real question here is “should you push yourself through fatigue, exhaustion, and morning sickness?” And, honestly, I can’t answer that question for you. I think there’s a time and place for getting yourself up and out for a walk or to the gym. That can most certainly help you feel better, if only for a time. That being said, there’s also a time and a place for letting your body rest and for NOT pushing yourself to workout or maintain your regular routine.
Neither one is wrong. What is wrong is the pressure newly pregnant moms often feel to start “getting it right” right away.
If working out is still on your radar, but you’re feeling less than enthused- here are some things you can do to stay moving in a way that feels good:
Keep the intensity low to moderate- don’t push yourself to go all out
Get outside for a leisure walk at a slow to moderate pace- fresh air can help in many ways
Reduce weights- decreasing your load can help with the intensity of the workout while still keeping you moving, if that’s your goal during the first trimester
Decrease workout time- rather than forcing an hour, choose 20 minutes instead
Choosing these options right now doesn’t mean it will always be that way. You can always get back into your fitness routine when you feel up to it.
What if you’re feeling okay, will higher intensities or load put you or the baby at risk?
If you’re feeling completely fine and want to continue your routine as normal, even if that includes higher intensities or loads, it is likely fine unless of course your doctor has given you other recommendations. I’ll discuss more below regarding signs that your body may not be happy with what you’re doing, but in terms of harming yourself or the baby, as long as you aren’t doing something radical, any exercise during the first trimester that feels good to you is fine for the both of you.
In terms of miscarriage, I’ve been told by several doctors and nurses that it likely doesn’t have anything to do with what you do or don’t do. Miscarriage is an unfortunate and sad situation that happens to more people than we really think it does. Personally, I understand that concern. This was very much on my mind both times I miscarried. After my second loss, the one in which I took boxing classes, I had the concern that it was the exercise I’d done. And even though I knew that it didn’t contribute at all to my early miscarriage, it was a thought that often popped into my head.
“What if I hadn’t been doing that… would I have had a different outcome?” And I can’t completely say it didn’t impact the way I exercised during my first trimester of this pregnancy. Know that it is fine for you to continue exercising in a way that feels good and right for your body and it is also fine to honor your feelings and not exercise if that feels better for you.
What if you want to start working out? Is is safe and where do you start?
There used to be a recommendation that if you aren’t already active, pregnancy is not the time to start. Since then, those recommendations have been updated and it is totally safe for people to start exercising during pregnancy, even if you haven’t been active previously. The current recommendation is to start gradually… which is what I would recommend to anyone starting out anyway.
I mean you wouldn’t go from not exercising at all straight to running a marathon, right?
If you want to start exercising during your first trimester (we’ll cover second and third in future blogs), start slow. Start with walking or whatever feels good to your body at an intensity and routine you can manage. I’d also suggest seeking out the guidance of a pregnancy-specific training program that will help you start slowly and progress you safely through exercise during your pregnancy.
What are the signs that you need to pull back or adjust your routine?
Here are some signs that your workouts may not be serving you right now and you may need to take a step back or talk with your doctor:
Pain- any pain may be a sign that you need to adjust your intensity, load, or the exercise itself. This can include pelvic, back, hip, or round ligament pain before, during or after exercise.
Peeing- If you’re noticing leaking during or after your workouts, this is a sign that you need to adjust. What you’re doing or the intensity at which you’re doing it may not be jiving with the hormone levels raging through your body right now.
Prolapse- Any feelings of bulging, heaviness, or dragging in the vagina during or after your workouts can also be a sign that you need to start adjusting those workouts earlier than you may have thought.
Bleeding- If you begin bleeding or are spotting and notice an increase of bleeding, especially if accompanied by cramping, now is the time to give your doctor a call. Spotting and some bleeding can be perfectly normal in the first trimester, but always err on the side of caution and contact your doctor.
Fatigue/Exhaustion- if you notice an increase in fatigue or exhaustion after your workouts, this is likely a sign that the intensity needs to be adjusted. Your workouts should always leave you feeling better afterwards, if they aren't, it's time to adjust.
Like I said, exercise during the first trimester is often regarded as a no big deal kinda situation but there are still some really unique and important considerations to make during this phase of pregnancy. After all, you are still growing an entire human person. This is a time where the adjustments aren’t necessarily physical, but they are there nonetheless. Let me know in the comments if these tips were helpful. I love to hear your feedback and what kind of information resonates with you.
Stay tuned for exercise recommendations for the second and third trimester coming soon. If you’re looking for more info right now, sign up to grab my FREE 3-video series all about what you should know about exercise during pregnancy and postpartum!