#7 When can I start exercising?

I was asked this by a patient recently  Most moms-to-be know that they should be doing some form of exercise during pregnancy, but sometimes, it’s not so clear when to start.  Good news! You can start right away!  If you are healthy and your pregnancy is normal, it is safe to continue or start a regular exercise program. Physical activity does not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or pre-term labor.  Doctors recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week which can be walking, yoga, prenatal water exercise, or some low-impact aerobics, just to name a few.  You can break up the time however it works best for you.  Start with short bouts of 10 mins or more, monitoring your heart rate and working at an intensity that would allow you to talk or sing.  If you were not a runner before pregnancy, now is not the time to start but if you were a runner or elite athlete just before pregnancy, you can likely continue this exercise throughout most of your pregnancy.  Always check with your doctor though; some conditions during pregnancy such as anemia or high blood pressure, can making exercising more risky.

For more useful information, check out

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy

If you have further questions or want to chat to see if physical therapy is right for you, shoot me an email anytime!  I want to help you have a happy, healthy pregnancy!