Dani Mears is an NHS physiotherapist and a fitness expert for Kettler GB. Married to rugby star Lee Mears, she has a three-year-old son. Here she gives us her advice on how to exercise whilst you’re pregnant.

Exercising during pregnancy is just as important as keeping active when you’re not pregnant. It can help reduce tiredness, improve circulation and as an added bonus it will also make it easier to regain your pre-pregnancy fitness levels after the birth.

An important thing to remember is that exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to be beneficial, and you must never exercise in order to lose weight whilst pregnant, as this may harm your baby.
 
You must be careful when exercising, as you’re more prone to injury during pregnancy because of the ‘relaxin’ in your body. Relaxin is a hormone that’s released into the body to accommodate for a growing baby; it makes ligaments more supple and allows more movements of the joints.
 
You also need to be aware that many women suffer from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). This is when the joint at the front of your pelvis can loosen during pregnancy die to hormones.
 
Some exercises can predispose you to SPD. So if you start to get this, you need to cut down on the exercise.
 
It’s also essential to ensure you don’t get too hot when exercising, as it’s more difficult to regulate your body temperature when you’re pregnant.
 
If you’re new to exercise:
 
-          Don’t suddenly start vigorous exercise like jogging or aerobics

-          More appropriate exercises are pregnancy yoga, swimming, aqua aerobics or using a cross trainer or exercise bike which support the joints

-          Be aware when swimming that you may find it difficult to do a breaststroke kick with your legs because it can irritate the joint at the front of your pelvis

-          Toning exercises rather than cardiovascular exercises are best. Yoga can be excellent for pregnant women. Make sure you inform your instructor that you’re pregnant or attend specialist pregnancy yoga classes as there will be certain moves that should be avoided

-          You can do light upper body weights but avoid lunges and sit-ups

If you already have an exercise regime:
 
-          Normally, if you’re actively involved in contact sports it is deemed safe to continue until you reach 12 weeks. 

-          If you’re already fit and looking to continue your exercise programme during pregnancy, you may need to adapt it. For example, if you’re body is used to jogging then you can carry this on, but take down the intensity. You should also do a flatter run so you reduce the amount of hills.

Whether you are starting exercise because you’re pregnant or continuing with a fitness regime, it’s important to listen to your body. If you have any concerns or questions about exercise then you can discuss them with your midwife.

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