Exercising during pregnancy and after childbirth is a concern for many mothers. Which movements should be avoided? Can exercise be harmful? And how soon can I start exercising after giving birth? Personal trainer and maternity exercise expert Mira Piirainen explains the benefits of exercise during pregnancy and gives tips on how to exercise during and after pregnancy.

What are the benefits of exercise during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, exercise is particularly important for your mind and your health. Good physical fitness helps your body cope with the stresses of pregnancy and speeds up your recovery from childbirth. Exercise also eases possible joint pains, maintains and improves circulatory fitness, reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, prevents constipation during pregnancy and increases the hormone that makes you feel good.

During pregnancy, expectant mothers are advised to continue exercising as long as possible as the pregnancy progresses. Most people can continue with their previous activities, such as jogging, group exercise classes or gym training, as normal. Even if you have not previously exercised regularly, taking up exercise during pregnancy is possible and good for both the mother-to-be and the baby growing in your belly.

Is it bad to exercise during pregnancy?

Moving is not harmful for your baby, quite the opposite. When the mother is well, the baby is well.

What movements should you avoid in particular when pregnant?

In general, you can do what you were doing before pregnancy, as long as you listen to your own endurance and ease up on movements that put a lot of pressure on the abdominal area or cause jolts or rapid changes of direction. In terms of the core, the abdominal muscles undergo the biggest changes during pregnancy, so doing too many core exercises can be detrimental to abdominal muscle function and recovery.

During pregnancy, it would be advisable to avoid sports with, for example, the possibility of being hit in the abdominal area, the risk of falling/falling, fast turns or the risk of collision. Scuba diving, horse riding, martial arts and gymnastics are examples of sports that are no longer recommended when pregnancy becomes apparent. Prolonged lying on the back should also be avoided if it causes discomfort or a tight feeling in the chest (supination syndrome). If there is no sensation, you can lie on your back.

How soon after giving birth can you start moving?

Childbirth is a big strain on your body and you need to give yourself enough time to recover from it. There is no general time limit, but you can start moving lightly when you feel you have recovered enough from the birth. Be gentle with yourself and your body.

It's always a good idea to start with a bit of moderation, i.e. first improve your basic fitness with light exercise and gradually increase the duration. So start with walks and gradually add variety to your workouts. If you are breastfeeding, this should also be taken into account, as in breastfeeding mothers, hormonal changes affect the loosening of joints and connective tissues and the effect can last for months after breastfeeding has stopped.

What kind of exercise should you focus on after giving birth?

Training your pelvic floor muscles and improving your basic fitness should be the primary focus after childbirth, as well as your general fitness. Physical and mental well-being go hand in hand, and sleep quality cannot be overemphasised.

Exercise that puts a strain on the pelvic floor should be put on hold for a while. Jogging, running and heavy strength training are some of the activities that can put a strain on the pelvic floor. There is no specific time limit for a break, but the whole picture is important (what kind of birth it was, how the mother is coping, amount of sleep, breastfeeding).

Planks, lunges, straight abdominal exercises, push-ups, chin-ups, exercises with high loads, mid-body exercises with a wide range of motion (e.g. on a jump ball), sports with jumps/jumps/quick changes of direction, long-duration exercises (e.g. long runs) should be left behind. Their time will come and it takes some patience to wait.

Can exercise speed up recovery from childbirth?

Regular exercise speeds up physical recovery after childbirth. When you're fitter, you'll recover faster. Exercise also affects your sleep quality and mood.

Greetings to mothers and soon-to-be mothers

Remember, you are not alone! Find out who the maternal exercise professionals are in your centre and feel free to pick up the phone to book an appointment. Talking face-to-face with a professional will ease your worries and in many cases give you permission to be kinder to your body than you could be on your own. You and your body are important - take care of them!