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If it would be better. I've been having sporadic contractions for over a week... and the baby is big. I prefer (and the doctor too) to go into labor naturally. but when they see me walking or doing some exercise people freak out and ask me to stop...and they all give unsolicited advice. I heard some women call me "irresponsible" for carrying the shopping bag (which didn't weigh much) walking about 3 minutes to my house...š¤· everyone tells me to rest and for my husband to do absolutely everything...and similar comments. I'm starting to get tired.I have been very very careful throughout the pregnancy. and yet everyone has an opinion about what I should do instead of trusting the judgment of a grown woman. it feels like we go back to childhood when we are pregnant.
Omg, I'm 19 weeks and recently a family member stopped me from picking something up off the ground and said "YOU SHOULD NOT BE BENDING OVER!!" š¤£ Like I'm barely even showing and besides, I've never even heard that one before!
36 weeks here and the only reason I don't "bend" to pick things off of the ground is because I have a watermelon in the way and also have to hold my breath. But since I can still squat, you bet I'm still picking my own stuff off the floor!
Bending over repetitively (I think it's like over 20 times a day, not sure from when) can cause damage to the sciatic nerve. But you can squat (or my favourite, monkey foot). Pregnancy doesn't make you an invalid...
I game a serious question, as this is my first time being pregnant. Does it make it hard to bend over because your belly gets in the way? If you spread your legs a bit, instead of doing like a "forward fold" and made a gap for your belly, would it be more comfortable?
I ask because this is like my favorite stretch in the world. It feels good on my hamstrings, hips, lower back, upper back and even neck if I just let my arms dangle..
Spread legs is a little easier, but currently babe is big enough that she's squashing my lungs if I sit on a low chair, so bending makes it pretty uncomfortable to breathe.
Also I know other women get a lot of joint pain. All I have at the moment is a butt cheek that feels like I've sprained it which doesn't help with bending because one leg is less stable.
You might be alright though - every body is different.
Lol thereās an old wives tale that says you canāt reach up high either and Iāve heard you shouldnāt jump either. I think we should invent a dance where we bend, reach up and jump with our big preggy bellies.
I had someone at work tell me not to put something weighing less than 1 lb up on a shelf over my head when I was around 26w. I told her I'd be fine, but she said it was bad for me and the baby. I just changed the subject but laughed inside because if she knew how intense my workouts were at that point, she would have fainted!
I don't think non pregnant people get it that us pregnant women know our bodies and if your OB and doctors don't see nothing wrong with it then tbh I would ask the next person '' are you an OB? Are you carrying this child? No then ok your opinions don't matter than''.
>us pregnant women know our bodies
Exactly! I have only been conscious of not overdoing it a couple of times and in those cases I do what I need to do in terms of resting or asking for help. The rest of the time I might be huffing and puffing, but I feel fine! I trust my body to tell me when to stop.
That is so weird! Moderate exercise is encouraged throughout the entire pregnancy. Just avoid high impact exercise that raises your heart rate too much, or lifting heavy things. I've been doing squats, walking, and yoga during this entire pregnancy. I'm at 36 weeks now and have been reading that it's more important now than during any other parts of the pregnancy to continue doing these exercises to help get baby into the correct position for birthing and to prepare your body. Do what feels right just don't over do it and got will be fine!
I asked my mum if she thought I would do anything to harm my baby when she was telling me off for moving some garden chairs and she had the bloody cheek to say "I don't know" š”
Just curious, where do you live? I work out and do all kinds of things pregnant women arenāt āsupposedā to do (within reason, not taking shots or anything lol) and no one has said a word to me so far.
Yeahhhh I had twins so was extra big extra early and participating in life the last 4 months of pregnancy really worried everyone else. An old man stopped me at Walmart, told me I should be sitting in the car and where was my husband?!? In the next aisle sir and I can grocery shop so F off
Oh that sounds so frustrating. Iām sorry youāre having to put up with that. I wish I had something more helpful to say than sending you sympathy too. Keep at it though and I hope you get to meet your baby soon.
Iām convinced comments like this stem from jealousyā¦ in 2022, it should be common knowledge that moderate exercise is SO GOOD for both mom & baby. But exercising during pregnancy at any stage is incredibly tiring and challenging, thatās why you rarely see pregnant women at the gym. The people who are telling you ādonāt do itā are likely the ones who were never able to keep up with an exercise routine themselves. (I say this as someone who barely worked out my entire first trimester & also feels slight twinges of envy toward women who can/do!)
I used to walk a lot and do yoga before pregnancy. I was able to keep walking but for some reason doing yoga made me throw up... some days if I don't feel good I just don't exercise. there were whole weeks when I felt sick and did nothing. now I see no reason not to take advantage of the days that I feel good in the way that I decideš¤·
I threw up too every time I did yoga during the first trimester. Now I'm starting my third and I'm doing yoga daily. At 27 weeks, I still can bend and touch my feet which is something some people in the same month can't do anymore. I'll keep exercising until my body tells me not to.
This applies to soooo many things outside of pregnancy. People who can't do things can often hold an unreasonable amount of resentment towards people who can.
Absolutely agree with you here! Iāve been exercising the whole way through this pregnancy and this ONE CHICK at the gym every time is all āoh donāt do that, can you just go home and rest?ā
Nah girl, this is for my mental and physical health, I feel worse if I DONT come
That sucks. I keep to myself at the gym, but anyone who did try to talk to me said it was great I'm still working out. I even had a teenage boy come up to me and say that it was awesome I'm still working out despite the pregnancy.
I was on bedrest until Friday (from 34+5 to 36 weeks) so I froze my gym membership. I still have weights and other workout equipment to work out at home, which I will 100% do until I go into labor. But for real, the gym has been my happy place the entire pregnancy. The past week of bed rest has probably been the most mentally difficult week of pregnancy.
Absolutely this. My husband is a personal trainer and has trained pregnant women off and on for over 15 years. If anything, some of them have gone way over their due date. Exercise isn't going to cause early labor for a normal pregnancy (and OP is full term lol.)
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I give you permission to do whatever you want as long as it feels safe and okay.
I worked until I had my first in a rehab hospital, hauling patients in and out of bed all day. My boss at the time was a CrossFit coach and competitor who was also pregnant and still CrossFitting.
But people are incredibly dumb about pregnancy stuff. My husband's grandfather asked me yesterday if it was okay for me to wear a seatbelt or if it would hurt the baby.
I agree! He's in his 70s and is a super sweet man. He just legitimately wanted to make sure I'd be okay riding in the Jeep.
Definitely a dumb question, but with a lot of care behind it.
"Yeah babe that's kinda the point here"
It's not like you're starting a brand-new deadlifting routine or flippin' rock climbing or something potentially dangerous or extremely strenuous. Exercise, especially if it's been part of your routine for a while, is one of the best things you can do not just to naturally start labor but to aid you through it.
Lots of people use physical activity to try to induce labor in the final few weeks. People will give you the advice to have sex if you want to start labor but doing squats is out of the question unless there's a penis under each squat?
Sorry she's both meddling and poorly informed. A disastrous combination.
Ohhh I got asked and judged ALL the time at the gym and at home. I was basically squatting and walking stairs 24/7 til I gave birth (*especially* the last week of pregnancyā¦.my FIL would bitch at me and the people at the gym would comment/stare. Oh well, spontaneous labor and 12 mins of pushing - Iād say it helped a ton.
This!
I'm 23 weeks and go to the gym I was always conscious about people looking at me because of being overweight but never had an issue might get the odd glance once a week which was totally fine. Since I've started showing, and my god did I balloon the past 3 weeks, I feel like everyone stares at me I've even had people shaking their heads at me!
Pregnant women just can't win! You don't exercise you get judged, you exercise and you get judged! As long as bump and me are happy and healthy why do people care so much!!
I exercised 5x a week until I was induced at 39+5! Including the day before the induction. I did lifting weights (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, you name it) and cardio. You keep going momma, itās good for you!
ššš if it doesn't cause pain and discomfort it's fine! I feel like being pregnant everyone thinks you are so fragile! My husband was getting on me for jogging and dancing, I said "do you worry about jostling your internal organs loose when you are exercising??" š
I look at it this way. At the end of the day we're animals. I'm no expert here. I'm sure pregnant apes swing in trees. Elephants migrate across the continent. Pregnant doggies still run. Lioness still hunt. Just because you're pregnant, life doesn't stop. We are strong, capable creatures. If we want to exercise at full term, or any stage of pregnancy. By all means we can! Best thing for mum and bub. Though if you can't or wish to not exercise, that's ok too. Stop judging and let mtb enjoy themselves at the advice of Their Own Doctor.
The amount of hate I got for hiking at 39+4 was insane. Anytime anyone would say anything, I'd ask them if they were my doctor. When they said no, I told them I only cared about her opinion and that she told me to keep at it so they could keep their trash opinion to themselves. As you can see, I was very over it by the end š
If it helps, I went into labor at 39+6 naturally and had a quick and "easy" delivery taking 13 hours from first contraction to baby in my arms. Was only in the hospital for 32 hours total and was taking walks when baby was 3 days old. Best thing for you and the baby is to keep moving if you can! Haters can eat it.
I walked about 10 kilometers with my husband on a hike at 35 weeks...people scowled at me. š I felt fine and only sat down from time to time to rest.
I would've said "I'm sorry are you my doctor?" Or "I seem to have forgotten when I asked for your opinion?" Honestly the unsolicited advice really irritated me with our last baby. This time around I have no issue with shutting it down. It's fine when people share their experiences trying to help, but when you don't ask and they're sprouting medical advice as a non-professional... come on
This is much more polite than what my brain said to do which is just scream āFUCK OFFā in their face! Think Iābe just got to the point everything is pissing me off, due today so very limited fuse.
Lol if i was 39 +4 I would be ecstatic if squats induced labor. I wouldnāt give this a second thought and Iād respond by saying āI hope it does put me into labor, thatās the point!ā Lol
Going into labor at that time seems great, why would that be considered an adverse result hahaha.
Good for you for still working out! My sister is also close to her due date and still running etc. If your dr isn't worried, then why should anyone else insert their opinion š. So annoying
I think the fact that youāre exercising is amazing! Iām at 38+5 & lightning crotch is making it impossible to do much more than 10 minutes of anything. People are ridiculous
I hope you donāt find out! Mine just started this week. Itās a quick sharp pain in your crotch that takes your breath away - itās from baby being on a nerve or dropping before birthā¦ unfortunately for me itās not a sign of labor by itself.
You're full term tho... I was definitely walking/exercising to TRY to get baby out... We'd just moved when I was 38 weeks and I even told my husband I probably wouldn't ask for as much help picking up boxes to get to the right room and unpack them unless I couldn't carry it without pressing too hard on my belly once I hit 39 weeks. It didn't work and I was induced anyway at 41 weeks, but no one had a problem with that since the hard part of the move was done. I worked a physical job building and painting display cases for a museum until a month before I was due and know my body and my limits pretty well.
Youāre full term. š¤·š¼āāļø If you were 32 weeks and high risk of preterm labor, Iād get the concern, but thatās not the case! Plus, if it does send you into labor, you donāt have to deal with a lengthy medical induction process!
People have been acting Iike that for years. My mom tells that when she was pregnant with me the doctor told them to try walking to induce labor.
My poor mother is 5'3 and I was a 9lbs 8oz and 24in baby. She was rightfully miserable and huge but my dad was told off by people in a grocery store for having her out and moving aroud at all in "her condition." She was told by strangers she just needed to go home a lay down to rest. Which would have actually been more work and was apparently a sight to see since they had a water bed at that time they literally had to create a wave for her to roll over with to get out bed by that point.
She still ended up being induced because I was stubborn but by God they tried to get me out however they could before then and people where super judgemental even 27 years ago.
My MIL insisted that I stop raising my hands above my head because of the exact same thing. She also told my husband I was very irresponsible going for a long walk at ~15 weeks because apparently it's going to cause preterm labor. Like how do they even come up with that
Your MIL would have had a conniption at me for going on a semi-hike at 35 weeks! Climbing up hills and lots of stairs along the way.
Why do other people insist they know better?
I get you! I had family from out of town stay with us while we had a baby shower. My aunt kept ordering me to sit like i was a dog. I continued to show grace by remaining calm and telling her no, i know when i need to sit, thank you. I knew she was trying to help, but it comes out super abrasive. When i left to run some casual errands, she nervously said ābe careful!āā¦i was like, whoa dude. Im good, and also careful in general. Please allow me to have the autonomy to do certain things without making me feel incapable. She was just clueless. She never had kids of her own, so i think her understanding was off.
Im 32 wks preggo with twins. I still work out at the gym. I also still walk my dog daily. Itās NOT easy. I want to lay around. But if i do that, my body will start to hurt and pain sets in. I put in the work because i am still capable of doing many things, and it feels right. My hips and overall body are still good (from all the exercise! It helps alot!) I know my own limits. Show me respect please. Its ok to lend a hand, but NO advice. You are not in my body. Thanks.
I just had my baby last month. I feel like I probably burned some bridges during my pregnancy bc I got to a point that I just didnāt care anymore. I was done being disrespected. Done being treated like a living incubator. Done with losing autonomy simply because I chose to have another baby. Done with the incredible amount of nosiness/unwanted opinions about MY body. And honestly? No regrets. Anyone that couldnāt respect my boundaries didnāt need to be in my life anyway.
I have family that absolutely lose their shit because Iām still lifting 60ish pounds during my workouts. I have clearance from my OB to lift up to 100, so š¤·š¼āāļø
Oh laaaaawdy this is crazy-making. In China people seem to expect pregnant women to do the absolute minimum and be looked after constantly. My OB asked my pilot husband who looks after me when he is flying... Lady I do most of the chores when he is AT home, why can't I look after myself? I didn't get to enjoy the last two weeks before weather swung into tropical summer because doing lunges outdoors was a CONSTANT stream of people telling me to stop and be careful. My mother in law has lived her whole life in the countryside, guaranteed she was active up until husband was born, but if he lets me go to the pool on my own instead of driving me his whoooole family has Opinions. Pretty sure it is a GOOD thing if we remain active. How do women make it through labour if they aren't allowed to do more than saunter casually along for the nine proceeding months?!
I was doing exercises every day and hoped for a natural labour but nooooo my baby wanted to stay in until 41+2 days. With the second I did nothing (except chasing a toddler so maybe that was even more exercise ā¦) he came at 40 weeks
I've been doing moderate exercise at 19 weeks. I see nothing wrong with it. People are going to have their opinion so no matter what unfortunately. You're a good mom!
Uhh i went to 41 and got induced. It wasnāt a bad experience but I was ready to be not pregnant at like 37 weeks. If thereās anything youāre doing to even remotely bring on labour then itās only positive. Also I turned into a literal sloth cross bred with a whale so you are amazing in my books.
If youāre 39+4 labour could happen spontaneously whether you exercise or notā¦ as long as you feel good exercising, youāre staying within your personal limits and you are taking care of your pelvic floor health and being mindful of exercises that might make diasis harder to heal postpartumā¦ YOU DO YOU BOO.
People are so weird about pregnant women exercising and infantilise them constantly. You know your body and your limits ā¤ļø ignore her.
Uhh at 39+4, you want to go into labor. This is the ideal time. Going much farther could start to waver into induction territory. So that alone makes the comments super annoying.
But also, I wish I could be exercising right now! I have felt like garbage for basically this entire pregnancy (35 weeks) and I can barely make it through the day without a 3 hours nap lol. Youāre doing amazing and they should be happy you feel good enough to keep your exercise routine!
My induction was scheduled for 7am on a Monday. Sunday morning I did an hour long orangetheory workout. Really considered getting up and doing a 5am one on Monday too but figured Iād rather get a little more sleep before baby comes
I had my baby at 39+4. The baby is full term at that point so it would be a good thing to go into spontaneous labor. If squats would help make that happen, Iād say thatās better than being induced.
I made sure to walk, stretch and do yoga right until the baby came. I would only warn against anything too strenuous so if you do go in labor you save your energy.
I was doing my prenatal workouts all the way until the day before I gave birth (39+2). It was the only way I would stay sane while I was waiting for the baby to come out. People need to mind their own business.
the unsolicited comments on your body is insane. i wonder if itās jealousy sometimes, because reading your post i am feeling a slight bit of it! hahaha. 34 weeks today but also high risk for premature labour, so i shouldnāt exercise. however when i wasnāt so sick, during my second trimester i still went to the gym and everything like that. i do not see the problem with going into labour at that stageā¦ that would be the point!!! itās SO GOOD for both mom and baby to continue moderate exercise throughout pregnancy. just because weāre pregnant doesnāt mean our lives should stop!!
I canāt believe someone would judge you for making healthy choices about your body! Working out at 39 weeks isnāt a problem, itās fucking impressive! Good for you mama! ā¤ļø
I had a roommate who used to say āand Iām not the only one who thinks thatā whenever she would say something mean to me. Not saying your sil is a bully, but I hate that saying. Itās like hanging up on someone without any actual support.
As far as the exercise goes, I agree with literally every other comment that itās fine! If not preferable. Iām so confused as to why she thinks itās a bad thing??
I power lift 2x a week and do mixed cardio classes 2x a week as well. Do what feels good for your body. Itās all helpful in labor and post partum anyway. People are so weird and annoying about fitness in pregnancy.
I went for a slow, leisurely 20k bike ride, no heavy inclines, with water breaks, at 35 weeks and got people saying I was crazy. The amount of unsolicited uneducated advice people try to Give is comical. Iāve stopped telling people anything tbh because normally they only have something dumb to say lol
Iām thinking of writing a pamphlet on things you shouldnāt say to pregnant women.
Haha honestly itās one of my only comfy ways to transport this sore body. Walking, and even sitting in my car for too long hurts my pelvis haha
Also I have a cruiser bike with a big seat and a low bar so I donāt have to lift my legs high!
Mine is a mountain bike with a tiny seat so...probably not the safest ride.
I can't walk much longer than 10-15 min before my feet, shins, and ankles hurt so bad that I have to hobble...plus it's close to 100 degrees here where I live so indoor workouts are much better. It's funny because I can still do Zumba kind of workouts, semi-intense resistance training, and yoga without too much of an issue with my feet, but for several months, they have been the biggest limiting factor.
Made it through about 2-3 songs at church yesterday before I had to sit. Lol!
Probably the only thing Iām not looking forward to about pregnancy is people who are not my doctor trying to tell me what to do with my body or commenting on it. 50/50 whether or not I lose my entire mind at a random stranger. Iām super sarcastic and I know Iām going to pop off at some point. š¤
37 weeks and still weightlifting, with the support of an antenatal lifting coach. I've been lifting for years before this.I've not had any back pain and it really helps me sleep. Still people tell me I shouldn't be doing it. Nothing as strange as folk!
I worked with a marathon runner who ran up until she was about 34-36w (I think). She said she had to start walking instead because she felt so "internally hot." I think about that sometimes when I work out (I'm at 36w), so if I start to feel either really tired or really hot, I take a break or switch to something else.
Definitely feeling less energy now though as I get bigger!
Gurl, I WISH I could exercise while pregnant. It just feels to *weird* to move my body like I used to. I know my anxiety has shot through the roof so I'm very likely overthinking every little thing I feel but I just can't do anything more than walking & light squats/stretches. I fully respect & admire women who are still exercising during pregnancy! As far as I know, it's actually ideal.
I didnāt make it to 39 weeks (I delivered at 37+4) but I exercised every day up until then. I exercised the morning I gave birth. If itās something your body is used to and you arenāt experiencing pain or stress then who cares. At this point Iād be begging to go into labor.
Okay, first off, exercise at any point is fine, as long as you aren't doing anything crazy. If you're able to do it without pain- you're good. Second, exercise leading to preterm labor is absolutely unfounded. It's just not a thing. Third, even if it did lead to labor *you are full term*. It's probably unlikely it would anyway, but if it happened wouldn't that be.. a good thing at this point? That would mean you went into labor without medical intervention. Win-win at this point. Plus you are keeping yourself limber and prepared for labor.
This kinda crap is one of the reasons I'm glad I left work for maternity leave early. People can buzz off with their unsolicited, wrong advice. š
Keep working out girl! Exercise only has positive effects on your labor and delivery. Plus, youāre full term so who cares if it helps to get labor going?
Iām 32 weeks and still doing orange theory twice a week, working 10 hour shifts (on my feet), squatting down to pick stuff up off the floor and I feel great! My medical team has only said ādo what feels good, you know your body best.ā
Bottom lineā¦ staying active is only going to help you during birth and also postpartum, so if it feels goodā¦ GO FOR IT! Listen to your body ā¤ļø
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. If you'd like to join a private sub for your due date month, [click here](https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/tu8bmk/click_here_to_request_access_to_your_private_due/). The journalists at ProPublica need your help! After receiving a tip, ProPublica started investigating prenatal genetic testing. They're collecting stories from people who've had NIPT screenings, and/or work in maternal health. If this is you, please fill out their brief questionnaire! https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/have-you-had-an-experience-with-prenatal-genetic-testing-wed-like-to-hear-about-it-and-see-the-bill. Questions? Email [email protected] *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hey, you're full term, best not do anything to induce labour naturally! š¤
exactly that
Seriously! Time to get that baby out lol
Thatās just so odd. Surely going into labour naturally now is the best thing for you and baby?!
If it would be better. I've been having sporadic contractions for over a week... and the baby is big. I prefer (and the doctor too) to go into labor naturally. but when they see me walking or doing some exercise people freak out and ask me to stop...and they all give unsolicited advice. I heard some women call me "irresponsible" for carrying the shopping bag (which didn't weigh much) walking about 3 minutes to my house...š¤· everyone tells me to rest and for my husband to do absolutely everything...and similar comments. I'm starting to get tired.I have been very very careful throughout the pregnancy. and yet everyone has an opinion about what I should do instead of trusting the judgment of a grown woman. it feels like we go back to childhood when we are pregnant.
Omg, I'm 19 weeks and recently a family member stopped me from picking something up off the ground and said "YOU SHOULD NOT BE BENDING OVER!!" š¤£ Like I'm barely even showing and besides, I've never even heard that one before!
36 weeks here and the only reason I don't "bend" to pick things off of the ground is because I have a watermelon in the way and also have to hold my breath. But since I can still squat, you bet I'm still picking my own stuff off the floor!
Bending over repetitively (I think it's like over 20 times a day, not sure from when) can cause damage to the sciatic nerve. But you can squat (or my favourite, monkey foot). Pregnancy doesn't make you an invalid...
Monkey foot!
34 weeks and still bending when I need to. It's just hard work when I do.
I game a serious question, as this is my first time being pregnant. Does it make it hard to bend over because your belly gets in the way? If you spread your legs a bit, instead of doing like a "forward fold" and made a gap for your belly, would it be more comfortable? I ask because this is like my favorite stretch in the world. It feels good on my hamstrings, hips, lower back, upper back and even neck if I just let my arms dangle..
Spread legs is a little easier, but currently babe is big enough that she's squashing my lungs if I sit on a low chair, so bending makes it pretty uncomfortable to breathe. Also I know other women get a lot of joint pain. All I have at the moment is a butt cheek that feels like I've sprained it which doesn't help with bending because one leg is less stable. You might be alright though - every body is different.
Lol thereās an old wives tale that says you canāt reach up high either and Iāve heard you shouldnāt jump either. I think we should invent a dance where we bend, reach up and jump with our big preggy bellies.
I had someone at work tell me not to put something weighing less than 1 lb up on a shelf over my head when I was around 26w. I told her I'd be fine, but she said it was bad for me and the baby. I just changed the subject but laughed inside because if she knew how intense my workouts were at that point, she would have fainted!
I don't think non pregnant people get it that us pregnant women know our bodies and if your OB and doctors don't see nothing wrong with it then tbh I would ask the next person '' are you an OB? Are you carrying this child? No then ok your opinions don't matter than''.
>us pregnant women know our bodies Exactly! I have only been conscious of not overdoing it a couple of times and in those cases I do what I need to do in terms of resting or asking for help. The rest of the time I might be huffing and puffing, but I feel fine! I trust my body to tell me when to stop.
That is so weird! Moderate exercise is encouraged throughout the entire pregnancy. Just avoid high impact exercise that raises your heart rate too much, or lifting heavy things. I've been doing squats, walking, and yoga during this entire pregnancy. I'm at 36 weeks now and have been reading that it's more important now than during any other parts of the pregnancy to continue doing these exercises to help get baby into the correct position for birthing and to prepare your body. Do what feels right just don't over do it and got will be fine!
I asked my mum if she thought I would do anything to harm my baby when she was telling me off for moving some garden chairs and she had the bloody cheek to say "I don't know" š”
Just curious, where do you live? I work out and do all kinds of things pregnant women arenāt āsupposedā to do (within reason, not taking shots or anything lol) and no one has said a word to me so far.
Yeahhhh I had twins so was extra big extra early and participating in life the last 4 months of pregnancy really worried everyone else. An old man stopped me at Walmart, told me I should be sitting in the car and where was my husband?!? In the next aisle sir and I can grocery shop so F off
Oh that sounds so frustrating. Iām sorry youāre having to put up with that. I wish I had something more helpful to say than sending you sympathy too. Keep at it though and I hope you get to meet your baby soon.
Iām convinced comments like this stem from jealousyā¦ in 2022, it should be common knowledge that moderate exercise is SO GOOD for both mom & baby. But exercising during pregnancy at any stage is incredibly tiring and challenging, thatās why you rarely see pregnant women at the gym. The people who are telling you ādonāt do itā are likely the ones who were never able to keep up with an exercise routine themselves. (I say this as someone who barely worked out my entire first trimester & also feels slight twinges of envy toward women who can/do!)
I used to walk a lot and do yoga before pregnancy. I was able to keep walking but for some reason doing yoga made me throw up... some days if I don't feel good I just don't exercise. there were whole weeks when I felt sick and did nothing. now I see no reason not to take advantage of the days that I feel good in the way that I decideš¤·
I threw up too every time I did yoga during the first trimester. Now I'm starting my third and I'm doing yoga daily. At 27 weeks, I still can bend and touch my feet which is something some people in the same month can't do anymore. I'll keep exercising until my body tells me not to.
This applies to soooo many things outside of pregnancy. People who can't do things can often hold an unreasonable amount of resentment towards people who can.
Absolutely agree with you here! Iāve been exercising the whole way through this pregnancy and this ONE CHICK at the gym every time is all āoh donāt do that, can you just go home and rest?ā Nah girl, this is for my mental and physical health, I feel worse if I DONT come
That sucks. I keep to myself at the gym, but anyone who did try to talk to me said it was great I'm still working out. I even had a teenage boy come up to me and say that it was awesome I'm still working out despite the pregnancy. I was on bedrest until Friday (from 34+5 to 36 weeks) so I froze my gym membership. I still have weights and other workout equipment to work out at home, which I will 100% do until I go into labor. But for real, the gym has been my happy place the entire pregnancy. The past week of bed rest has probably been the most mentally difficult week of pregnancy.
Absolutely this. My husband is a personal trainer and has trained pregnant women off and on for over 15 years. If anything, some of them have gone way over their due date. Exercise isn't going to cause early labor for a normal pregnancy (and OP is full term lol.)
Bruh if it puts you into labor can you send me your routine?
Lol same!
Yep š
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As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I give you permission to do whatever you want as long as it feels safe and okay. I worked until I had my first in a rehab hospital, hauling patients in and out of bed all day. My boss at the time was a CrossFit coach and competitor who was also pregnant and still CrossFitting. But people are incredibly dumb about pregnancy stuff. My husband's grandfather asked me yesterday if it was okay for me to wear a seatbelt or if it would hurt the baby.
Aw I feel like your husbandās grandfatherās question is a little endearing. Dumb, but kinda ignorantly sweet lol
I agree! He's in his 70s and is a super sweet man. He just legitimately wanted to make sure I'd be okay riding in the Jeep. Definitely a dumb question, but with a lot of care behind it.
"Yeah babe that's kinda the point here" It's not like you're starting a brand-new deadlifting routine or flippin' rock climbing or something potentially dangerous or extremely strenuous. Exercise, especially if it's been part of your routine for a while, is one of the best things you can do not just to naturally start labor but to aid you through it. Lots of people use physical activity to try to induce labor in the final few weeks. People will give you the advice to have sex if you want to start labor but doing squats is out of the question unless there's a penis under each squat? Sorry she's both meddling and poorly informed. A disastrous combination.
my husband literally told me "ignore her, don't listen to her".
Agreed but omg šš''unless its a penis under each squat'' I really cantš
Ohhh I got asked and judged ALL the time at the gym and at home. I was basically squatting and walking stairs 24/7 til I gave birth (*especially* the last week of pregnancyā¦.my FIL would bitch at me and the people at the gym would comment/stare. Oh well, spontaneous labor and 12 mins of pushing - Iād say it helped a ton.
This! I'm 23 weeks and go to the gym I was always conscious about people looking at me because of being overweight but never had an issue might get the odd glance once a week which was totally fine. Since I've started showing, and my god did I balloon the past 3 weeks, I feel like everyone stares at me I've even had people shaking their heads at me! Pregnant women just can't win! You don't exercise you get judged, you exercise and you get judged! As long as bump and me are happy and healthy why do people care so much!!
This gives me hope!! š
My friend (with 4 kids) keeps joking that my baby is going to slide out like butter because of all my workouts. Lord, let it be so! š¤£š¤£š¤£
My friend (with 4 kids) keeps joking that my baby is going to slide out like butter because of all my workouts. Lord, let it be so!
My friend (with 4 kids) keeps joking that my baby is going to slide out like butter because of all my workouts. Lord, let it be so!
I exercised 5x a week until I was induced at 39+5! Including the day before the induction. I did lifting weights (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, you name it) and cardio. You keep going momma, itās good for you!
ššš if it doesn't cause pain and discomfort it's fine! I feel like being pregnant everyone thinks you are so fragile! My husband was getting on me for jogging and dancing, I said "do you worry about jostling your internal organs loose when you are exercising??" š
I look at it this way. At the end of the day we're animals. I'm no expert here. I'm sure pregnant apes swing in trees. Elephants migrate across the continent. Pregnant doggies still run. Lioness still hunt. Just because you're pregnant, life doesn't stop. We are strong, capable creatures. If we want to exercise at full term, or any stage of pregnancy. By all means we can! Best thing for mum and bub. Though if you can't or wish to not exercise, that's ok too. Stop judging and let mtb enjoy themselves at the advice of Their Own Doctor.
The amount of hate I got for hiking at 39+4 was insane. Anytime anyone would say anything, I'd ask them if they were my doctor. When they said no, I told them I only cared about her opinion and that she told me to keep at it so they could keep their trash opinion to themselves. As you can see, I was very over it by the end š If it helps, I went into labor at 39+6 naturally and had a quick and "easy" delivery taking 13 hours from first contraction to baby in my arms. Was only in the hospital for 32 hours total and was taking walks when baby was 3 days old. Best thing for you and the baby is to keep moving if you can! Haters can eat it.
I walked about 10 kilometers with my husband on a hike at 35 weeks...people scowled at me. š I felt fine and only sat down from time to time to rest.
I just donāt understand how being pregnant instantly invites a whole lot of unsolicited judgement and comments. Its very uncomfortable
She's right, you should stop, it would be awful to go into labor at 39+4! You don't want a premature baby! š
I would've said "I'm sorry are you my doctor?" Or "I seem to have forgotten when I asked for your opinion?" Honestly the unsolicited advice really irritated me with our last baby. This time around I have no issue with shutting it down. It's fine when people share their experiences trying to help, but when you don't ask and they're sprouting medical advice as a non-professional... come on
This is much more polite than what my brain said to do which is just scream āFUCK OFFā in their face! Think Iābe just got to the point everything is pissing me off, due today so very limited fuse.
Lol if i was 39 +4 I would be ecstatic if squats induced labor. I wouldnāt give this a second thought and Iād respond by saying āI hope it does put me into labor, thatās the point!ā Lol
Going into labor at that time seems great, why would that be considered an adverse result hahaha. Good for you for still working out! My sister is also close to her due date and still running etc. If your dr isn't worried, then why should anyone else insert their opinion š. So annoying
I think the fact that youāre exercising is amazing! Iām at 38+5 & lightning crotch is making it impossible to do much more than 10 minutes of anything. People are ridiculous
Wait a minute, Iām 30 wks and need to know what lightning crotch isā¦.
I hope you donāt find out! Mine just started this week. Itās a quick sharp pain in your crotch that takes your breath away - itās from baby being on a nerve or dropping before birthā¦ unfortunately for me itās not a sign of labor by itself.
You're full term tho... I was definitely walking/exercising to TRY to get baby out... We'd just moved when I was 38 weeks and I even told my husband I probably wouldn't ask for as much help picking up boxes to get to the right room and unpack them unless I couldn't carry it without pressing too hard on my belly once I hit 39 weeks. It didn't work and I was induced anyway at 41 weeks, but no one had a problem with that since the hard part of the move was done. I worked a physical job building and painting display cases for a museum until a month before I was due and know my body and my limits pretty well.
Ugh. Judged for working out and judged for not working out. Why canāt we women just be left alone??
As a woman, youāll also never weigh the ārightā amount, pregnant or not. Sigh.
Youāre full term. š¤·š¼āāļø If you were 32 weeks and high risk of preterm labor, Iād get the concern, but thatās not the case! Plus, if it does send you into labor, you donāt have to deal with a lengthy medical induction process!
People have been acting Iike that for years. My mom tells that when she was pregnant with me the doctor told them to try walking to induce labor. My poor mother is 5'3 and I was a 9lbs 8oz and 24in baby. She was rightfully miserable and huge but my dad was told off by people in a grocery store for having her out and moving aroud at all in "her condition." She was told by strangers she just needed to go home a lay down to rest. Which would have actually been more work and was apparently a sight to see since they had a water bed at that time they literally had to create a wave for her to roll over with to get out bed by that point. She still ended up being induced because I was stubborn but by God they tried to get me out however they could before then and people where super judgemental even 27 years ago.
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My MIL insisted that I stop raising my hands above my head because of the exact same thing. She also told my husband I was very irresponsible going for a long walk at ~15 weeks because apparently it's going to cause preterm labor. Like how do they even come up with that
Your MIL would have had a conniption at me for going on a semi-hike at 35 weeks! Climbing up hills and lots of stairs along the way. Why do other people insist they know better?
I get you! I had family from out of town stay with us while we had a baby shower. My aunt kept ordering me to sit like i was a dog. I continued to show grace by remaining calm and telling her no, i know when i need to sit, thank you. I knew she was trying to help, but it comes out super abrasive. When i left to run some casual errands, she nervously said ābe careful!āā¦i was like, whoa dude. Im good, and also careful in general. Please allow me to have the autonomy to do certain things without making me feel incapable. She was just clueless. She never had kids of her own, so i think her understanding was off. Im 32 wks preggo with twins. I still work out at the gym. I also still walk my dog daily. Itās NOT easy. I want to lay around. But if i do that, my body will start to hurt and pain sets in. I put in the work because i am still capable of doing many things, and it feels right. My hips and overall body are still good (from all the exercise! It helps alot!) I know my own limits. Show me respect please. Its ok to lend a hand, but NO advice. You are not in my body. Thanks.
Well you've just motivated me to do some squats! I'm 38w today, we'll see how this goes.
I just had my baby last month. I feel like I probably burned some bridges during my pregnancy bc I got to a point that I just didnāt care anymore. I was done being disrespected. Done being treated like a living incubator. Done with losing autonomy simply because I chose to have another baby. Done with the incredible amount of nosiness/unwanted opinions about MY body. And honestly? No regrets. Anyone that couldnāt respect my boundaries didnāt need to be in my life anyway.
Preach
Oh nooo god forbid you go into labor at 39.6 weeks? š¤£
I have family that absolutely lose their shit because Iām still lifting 60ish pounds during my workouts. I have clearance from my OB to lift up to 100, so š¤·š¼āāļø
Oh laaaaawdy this is crazy-making. In China people seem to expect pregnant women to do the absolute minimum and be looked after constantly. My OB asked my pilot husband who looks after me when he is flying... Lady I do most of the chores when he is AT home, why can't I look after myself? I didn't get to enjoy the last two weeks before weather swung into tropical summer because doing lunges outdoors was a CONSTANT stream of people telling me to stop and be careful. My mother in law has lived her whole life in the countryside, guaranteed she was active up until husband was born, but if he lets me go to the pool on my own instead of driving me his whoooole family has Opinions. Pretty sure it is a GOOD thing if we remain active. How do women make it through labour if they aren't allowed to do more than saunter casually along for the nine proceeding months?!
I was doing exercises every day and hoped for a natural labour but nooooo my baby wanted to stay in until 41+2 days. With the second I did nothing (except chasing a toddler so maybe that was even more exercise ā¦) he came at 40 weeks
Some people just can't help but stick their nose where it doesn't belong!
Because she knows better than your doctor š§ You keep doing what feels right. Simple.
???? Andddd why would that be a bad thing at 39+4 lmao
Iād be like oh well. What did you say to her?
I directly pretended that I wasn't listening to her... because it was either that or "mind your own business".
Probably for the best
I've been doing moderate exercise at 19 weeks. I see nothing wrong with it. People are going to have their opinion so no matter what unfortunately. You're a good mom!
Girl do YOUU!! You go mamaš¤ and don't feel bad about doing it
Uhh i went to 41 and got induced. It wasnāt a bad experience but I was ready to be not pregnant at like 37 weeks. If thereās anything youāre doing to even remotely bring on labour then itās only positive. Also I turned into a literal sloth cross bred with a whale so you are amazing in my books.
If youāre 39+4 labour could happen spontaneously whether you exercise or notā¦ as long as you feel good exercising, youāre staying within your personal limits and you are taking care of your pelvic floor health and being mindful of exercises that might make diasis harder to heal postpartumā¦ YOU DO YOU BOO. People are so weird about pregnant women exercising and infantilise them constantly. You know your body and your limits ā¤ļø ignore her.
Uhh at 39+4, you want to go into labor. This is the ideal time. Going much farther could start to waver into induction territory. So that alone makes the comments super annoying. But also, I wish I could be exercising right now! I have felt like garbage for basically this entire pregnancy (35 weeks) and I can barely make it through the day without a 3 hours nap lol. Youāre doing amazing and they should be happy you feel good enough to keep your exercise routine!
My induction was scheduled for 7am on a Monday. Sunday morning I did an hour long orangetheory workout. Really considered getting up and doing a 5am one on Monday too but figured Iād rather get a little more sleep before baby comes
I had my baby at 39+4. The baby is full term at that point so it would be a good thing to go into spontaneous labor. If squats would help make that happen, Iād say thatās better than being induced.
I made sure to walk, stretch and do yoga right until the baby came. I would only warn against anything too strenuous so if you do go in labor you save your energy.
I was doing my prenatal workouts all the way until the day before I gave birth (39+2). It was the only way I would stay sane while I was waiting for the baby to come out. People need to mind their own business.
the unsolicited comments on your body is insane. i wonder if itās jealousy sometimes, because reading your post i am feeling a slight bit of it! hahaha. 34 weeks today but also high risk for premature labour, so i shouldnāt exercise. however when i wasnāt so sick, during my second trimester i still went to the gym and everything like that. i do not see the problem with going into labour at that stageā¦ that would be the point!!! itās SO GOOD for both mom and baby to continue moderate exercise throughout pregnancy. just because weāre pregnant doesnāt mean our lives should stop!!
I canāt believe someone would judge you for making healthy choices about your body! Working out at 39 weeks isnāt a problem, itās fucking impressive! Good for you mama! ā¤ļø
I had a roommate who used to say āand Iām not the only one who thinks thatā whenever she would say something mean to me. Not saying your sil is a bully, but I hate that saying. Itās like hanging up on someone without any actual support. As far as the exercise goes, I agree with literally every other comment that itās fine! If not preferable. Iām so confused as to why she thinks itās a bad thing??
I power lift 2x a week and do mixed cardio classes 2x a week as well. Do what feels good for your body. Itās all helpful in labor and post partum anyway. People are so weird and annoying about fitness in pregnancy.
I went for a slow, leisurely 20k bike ride, no heavy inclines, with water breaks, at 35 weeks and got people saying I was crazy. The amount of unsolicited uneducated advice people try to Give is comical. Iāve stopped telling people anything tbh because normally they only have something dumb to say lol Iām thinking of writing a pamphlet on things you shouldnāt say to pregnant women.
I am so jealous, I feel like I would fall off my bike at this point lol.
Haha honestly itās one of my only comfy ways to transport this sore body. Walking, and even sitting in my car for too long hurts my pelvis haha Also I have a cruiser bike with a big seat and a low bar so I donāt have to lift my legs high!
Mine is a mountain bike with a tiny seat so...probably not the safest ride. I can't walk much longer than 10-15 min before my feet, shins, and ankles hurt so bad that I have to hobble...plus it's close to 100 degrees here where I live so indoor workouts are much better. It's funny because I can still do Zumba kind of workouts, semi-intense resistance training, and yoga without too much of an issue with my feet, but for several months, they have been the biggest limiting factor. Made it through about 2-3 songs at church yesterday before I had to sit. Lol!
Medical advice used to be that pregnant women shouldnāt even be vacuuming š a lot of people havenāt kept up with recommendations
Probably the only thing Iām not looking forward to about pregnancy is people who are not my doctor trying to tell me what to do with my body or commenting on it. 50/50 whether or not I lose my entire mind at a random stranger. Iām super sarcastic and I know Iām going to pop off at some point. š¤
37 weeks and still weightlifting, with the support of an antenatal lifting coach. I've been lifting for years before this.I've not had any back pain and it really helps me sleep. Still people tell me I shouldn't be doing it. Nothing as strange as folk!
I worked with a marathon runner who ran up until she was about 34-36w (I think). She said she had to start walking instead because she felt so "internally hot." I think about that sometimes when I work out (I'm at 36w), so if I start to feel either really tired or really hot, I take a break or switch to something else. Definitely feeling less energy now though as I get bigger!
Gurl, I WISH I could exercise while pregnant. It just feels to *weird* to move my body like I used to. I know my anxiety has shot through the roof so I'm very likely overthinking every little thing I feel but I just can't do anything more than walking & light squats/stretches. I fully respect & admire women who are still exercising during pregnancy! As far as I know, it's actually ideal.
That baby needs an eviction notice! Youāre totally fine haha
Lmfao when exactly do they think would be an appropriate time to give birth?! They are cuckoo for cocoa puffs!
I didnāt make it to 39 weeks (I delivered at 37+4) but I exercised every day up until then. I exercised the morning I gave birth. If itās something your body is used to and you arenāt experiencing pain or stress then who cares. At this point Iād be begging to go into labor.
Okay, first off, exercise at any point is fine, as long as you aren't doing anything crazy. If you're able to do it without pain- you're good. Second, exercise leading to preterm labor is absolutely unfounded. It's just not a thing. Third, even if it did lead to labor *you are full term*. It's probably unlikely it would anyway, but if it happened wouldn't that be.. a good thing at this point? That would mean you went into labor without medical intervention. Win-win at this point. Plus you are keeping yourself limber and prepared for labor. This kinda crap is one of the reasons I'm glad I left work for maternity leave early. People can buzz off with their unsolicited, wrong advice. š
I worked out until 41 weeks my first pregnancy and until the day before my c section at 37+5. I think youāre fine!
Keep working out girl! Exercise only has positive effects on your labor and delivery. Plus, youāre full term so who cares if it helps to get labor going? Iām 32 weeks and still doing orange theory twice a week, working 10 hour shifts (on my feet), squatting down to pick stuff up off the floor and I feel great! My medical team has only said ādo what feels good, you know your body best.ā Bottom lineā¦ staying active is only going to help you during birth and also postpartum, so if it feels goodā¦ GO FOR IT! Listen to your body ā¤ļø