A mom writes in asking for advice about weight lifting while pregnant. This mom-to-be says that she recently found out she was pregnant after just starting a weight lifting routine. She intends to check with her doctor, but she is wondering if any other moms have tips or advice when it comes to lifting weights while pregnant.
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A member of the community asks:
“Can you weight lift while pregnant?
My question is… is it okay to continue weight lifting while pregnant? I had just started getting into a routine when I found out I was pregnant. I’m still going to ask my doctor what they recommend but I’m wondering if anyone else worked out/weight lifted while pregnant before? If so do you have any tips? Thank you!”
– Mamas Uncut Community Member
Community Advice for This Mom Who Wants to Know if It Is Safe to Lift Weights While Pregnant
To see what advice the Mamas Uncut Facebook community has for this mom in need, read the comments of the post embedded below.
Advice Summary
The community offered this mom in need a lot of great advice. Read some of their responses below.
“Keep doing the same activities as you were prior. But make sure the pregnancy is healthy.”
“Definitely ask your doctor. Every person is different.”
“Generally as long as you did it before pregnancy and your pregnancy is healthy you can continue. You just may need to scale back on the amount of weight or reps you were doing prior to pregnancy, just so you don’t strain yourself.”
“I was weight lifting before and during my pregnancy.”
“If you did it before you can continue through pregnancy, just be conscious that your ligaments and joints are more flexible during pregnancy.”
“I would ask your dr. It kind of depends on you and your body and how your pregnancy is going. I would assume if you were lifting weights prior to pregnancy that you would be able to continue but I had a friend that worked out prior to pregnancy and was put on bed rest during her pregnancy. It’s always just best to consult a dr and see what they say. I was told not to lift over 20lbs.”
“It’s perfectly okay to lift weights. Of course like everyone else said, ask your doctor just in case, because every person is different and there may be factors that prevent you from doing so. But as long as you don’t do very heavy weights it should be okay. Think of light weights, high reps. (I used to work at a gym, have read and take personal training classes, and was pregnant while lifting as well. Just make sure it’s not too heavy, your form is perfect, and your body doesn’t feel too stressed!) Many of our personal trainers worked out, lifted weights, and taught classes until just days before giving birth!”
More Information on Weight Lifting While Pregnant
We definitely encourage you to check with your doctor. He or she will be able to give you the right information, tailored just for you, your body, and your pregnancy.
Many of our community responses underlined the fact that if you lifted weights before you became pregnant, you are probably OK to do so now. This is generally true. Parents.com suggests that weight training is actually one of the best ways to combat certain pregnancy aches and pains, though they recommend avoiding weight machines with a pad that presses into your belly and overhead lifting, which can increase the curve in your lower spine and cause complications.
So yes: Check with your doctor. And perhaps talk with a trainer or gym employee with experience helping pregnant women work out. But the short answer is that, yes, it is possible to safely lift weights while pregnant. Learn more about staying healthy and preparing for childbirth.
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