A Beginner’s Guide to Prenatal Workouts

If you already have an exercise routine, keeping it up while pregnant has lots of benefits. While many use this time to slow down, there’s no real reason to give up fitness just because you’re expecting. However, prenatal workouts have to be approached differently, especially as your body changes. 

I’m proud to say I exercised four days a week with just a few exceptions, every week of my pregnancy. It’s made me feel really accomplished, gotten me out of the house, and helped me feel better during a very emotional time. While I’ve had to modify a lot in the last weeks of pregnancy, I’ve learned so much throughout this process about what my body is capable of. 

Here’s what I’ve learned, as well as what two of the amazing instructors I’ve worked with suggest, when it comes to prenatal workouts. 

pregnant person doing plank on exercise ball

Consult your doctor

It’s a smart idea to tell your doctor about your pregnancy workout plans. They can also help guide you in the right direction, especially because the baby’s safety is the most important thing.

Don’t keep your pregnancy a secret

This is a hard one, but you absolutely need to tell your instructor as soon as you know you’re pregnant. Even in your first trimester, there may be modifications they suggest you make — or, if something happens and you pass out, they need to be able to share this information with medical professionals. 

Don’t try anything you haven’t done before (kind of…)

Many professionals don’t recommend starting a new routine while pregnant, but there are some exceptions to this rule. While it certainly isn’t the time to try CrossFit if you’ve never done it before or train for a marathon, you can mix things up a little. For example, if you’re already into Pilates, doing barre and yoga are definitely on the menu. This also helps prevent boredom. 

Give yourself some grace and trust your instincts

Instead of setting challenging fitness goals, just show up and move your body as best you can. Some days you might kill it and other days, you may not be able to keep up, especially in the third trimester. 

Vanessa Dunn, Pilates instructor and author of the Mantra Moves Journal, tells me, “Extend a little extra care, grace, and patience not just to the baby but you as well. Any knowledgeable instructor should be able to direct you safely, but you know your body best. Trust your instincts.” 

In other words, if you need to slow down, use less weight, or modify in some way. Don’t wait for the instructor to tell you what to do — just do what you need to do.

If there are prenatal fitness classes in your area, you may want to try those. Although, if you already have an established fitness community, you may just want to stay where you are. 

Looking for the best pregnancy workouts? Try Pilates

According to Dunn, one of the best exercises to do while pregnant is Pilates. “Movement and exercise are extremely beneficial during pregnancy, especially Pilates,” she says. “With much focus directed to the trunk muscles, alignment, and posture in Pilates, it is a great way to help you to navigate the changes your body will undergo.”

However, your focus will change a bit, especially as your belly grows. “During pregnancy, abdominal exercises should focus on the transverse abdominals, which are the deep core muscles, as well as the obliques,” notes Dunn. “The rectus abdominals, the superficial abs, also known as the six-pack abs, should take a back seat. Due to your growing belly and baby the trunk muscles will be stretched to the max, particularly the rectus abdominals.”

Furthermore, if you practice Pilates the wrong way, it can lead to abdominal separation or diastasis recti, which can make recovering from birth more challenging. “There is a connective tissue called the linea alba that connects the right and left side of rectus that runs directly down the middle of the abdomen,” explains Dunn. “When performing exercises like Chest Lift or the Hundred, there is additional pressure and stress put on the lines alba. This can lead to the separation of the rectus muscle. Although a mild case of diastasis recti is normal during pregnancy, you do not want to increase the chances or severity.”

You should also avoid being on your back too much during the second and third trimesters. “The weight of the baby can compress the inferior vena cava vein, which restricts the blood flow to the baby and may make mama dizzy,” says Dunn.

She also recommends using a pregnancy wedge, but you can also create your own of sorts using the jump board. “Another great option is to perform leg work on your side instead of laying flat on your back, or try using your forearms to prop yourself up,” says Dunn.

Barre it up

Barre is another great type of exercise to do during pregnancy. Kiara Burns, prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist, tells me, “Barre is an amazing prenatal workout because it uses light weights to strengthen your muscles and gets your heart rate up with smaller, low impact movements and higher number of repetitions. The modifications you will need to make as you get further along in your pregnancy are also seamlessly integrated into barre classes. For example, if everyone else in the class is on their backs and that is no longer comfortable for you, you can feel free to choose a side-lying position or come to your four-point kneel.”

However, after 20 weeks, while additional modifications may be necessary, barre is still very much doable. “You will want to avoid planks, crunches, anything where you’re lifting both legs in the air,” says Burns. “It puts a lot of strain on your abdominals and they’re already rapidly adjusting to helping house your baby, so listen to them!”

Try the talk test

Not sure if you’re exercising too hard? Burns suggests trying the talk test. “It is a simple and fantastic way to measure your rate of perceived exertion while exercising,” she says. “Basically, as long as you can carry on a conversation easily while exercising, you are not overexerting yourself!”

Endurance Move

About Amanda Lauren

Originally from New York City, Amanda Lauren currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two dogs Milo and Lulu. Rarely seen in an actual gym, she is a group fitness enthusiast who enjoys Pilates (both East Coast and West Coast styles), spin, barre, power plates, yoga and her newest obsession, versa climbing. She will try any group fitness class at least once. When Amanda isn’t working out or trying to find the perfect pair of pink sneakers, she blogs about her adventures in fitness as well as fashion, lifestyle and beauty on ItsAmandaLauren.com.