There is an endless debate on the forums for expectant mothers – is it possible to play sports during pregnancy? What do professionals think about this – in the material AiF-Petersburg.

Sports in an interesting position. Pregnancy fitness expert

There is no unity of views on sports in an “interesting position” even among physicians. Some believe that competent loads will not only not harm the expectant mother, but will also help to give birth easier. Others prescribe a woman who is carrying a child, complete rest.

And, as practice shows, more often gynecologists try to play it safe. Therefore, training with a tummy is rarely seen in the gym.

Does milk spoil?

Who is right? Unfortunately, in Russia, large-scale studies on this subject have not been conducted. However, the Canadian doctors nevertheless conducted an analysis of scientific data on the topic, taking as a basis a 36-year period of observation of women in labor. This made it possible to draw conclusions about the effect of sports activities – both aerobic and strength – during pregnancy on the woman in labor, the fetus and the newborn. The goal was to form recommendations for medical professionals.

The results were published in the professional journal J Obstet Gynaecol Can. These conclusions and recommendations are adopted by the Canadian Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

So what conclusion did the researchers come to?

“If a woman is healthy, scientists recommend that she regularly engage in aerobic and strength exercises during pregnancy, because proper sports do not harm the body of a woman and the fetus,” said Valery Gatslev, expert in medical and wellness tourism, fitness trainer, leading consultant of the Health project on mail.ru, who translated the article. – The purpose of aerobic training is to maintain or achieve good physical fitness, but not to achieve peak individual endurance or prepare for competition. Pregnant women should choose physical activities that minimize the risk of falling or injury.”

In addition, the Aesculapius disproved the conventional wisdom that “milk spoils” from playing sports during breastfeeding. According to the study, training during this period has neither a positive nor a negative effect on the composition of breast milk and the growth of the child.

How to train

But how can these recommendations be applied in practice? What exercises can be performed by pregnant women, and which ones are better to refrain from? Here is what Valery Gatslev advises.

Tip 1.

A pregnant woman in any case should get approval from the gynecologist who is being observed. And only then can she start or continue to exercise during pregnancy!

Tip 2.

The recommended exercises in the interesting position are moderate to low intensity aerobic workouts.Determine the intensity by heart rate – no more than 70% of the maximum for trained women, up to 60% for beginners. Muscles can be trained using a cross-trainer or a ski machine.

But jumping and lunging is better to temporarily exclude.

Tip 3.

Pregnant women often ask questions about weight training. It’s better to play it safe and avoid exercises that involve straining – that is, everything on the press, squats with a barbell on the shoulders and scissor squats with a barbell on the shoulders, bench press, squats on the Smith machine and Hack machine, deadlifts, bent over rows, even with small weights.
Other resistance exercises are allowed, but they must be done with a light weight that a woman can perform at least 20 repetitions without much effort. The pace is slow.

It is preferable to train in the power endurance mode on simulators, with a load on all muscle groups, 20-25 repetitions in 1-3 sets, excluding simulators for deadlifts and squats. For the muscles of the legs, isolated exercises are suitable – extension of the lower leg while sitting, flexion of the lower leg while sitting / lying down, adduction and abduction of the hips while sitting with little resistance. For the press – imitation of the rotation of the hoop, the rotation of the body.

Tip 4.

Watch your breath! It should be free, without delay and straining. In the exercises, try to maintain the rhythm: inhale for a count of 1-2, exhale for 1-2-3-4, the main effort in the exercise is on the exhale.

Reference

There are a few more general rules for pregnant women:

In the first 3-4 months of pregnancy, be especially careful with the choice of load. It should be minimal – the risk of miscarriage and complications is high.