Exercise while pregnant?

[thanka2]

I just hope that i can shed the weight i ballooned after my delivery last year. I walk alot, but maybe not as much as you.

Good luck. And keep your good posts coming.

Thanks for the well wishes and for liking my posts. :grouphug:

Well, I never did get down to my pre-pregnancy weight after my son was born and before I got pregnant this time. Not even very close to my pre-pregnancy weight but thankfully, I carry weight well so I look deceptively thinner than I actually am.

But, I have to say, if anything, pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood has done two things (among others) for me:

1. Made me aware of my own mortality/falibility. Yes, things sag. Yes, things stretch (and can't go back to their original shape). Yes, things get wider. I guess we all know it but now I know this experientially. Nothing like life to teach you things. :haha:

2. Made me less vain (not that I was exceedingly caught up in appearance before): So what if I'm packing around a few extra pounds? Sure, I'd love to be 128 pounds and have the figure I had when I was a competitive swimmer.

But, time keeps marching on and the likelihood that I'm going back to those days is pretty slim (pun intended). Might as well learn to love the me that I am now. Of course, I can work toward being thinner and fitter but honestly, there are bigger fish to fry in my life now.

This is quite an interesting site revolving around these issues:

Shape of a Mother

 

[rebekah]

I believe the issue is with heart rate. normally you want to reach a higher heart rate for cardio, but in this case you want to keep it (research this to confirm) i believe below 140. The idea is that above that rate you may not get enough blood to the placenta and therefore the baby. Keep it simple and go slowly and exercise is considered beneficial Also remember that if you are planning on breastfeeding dieting is not recommended, just eating healthy, well balanced meals. for some, breastfeeding melts the weight off but this is not the case for all, so don't expect magic.

 

[thanka2]

Yoga and aquanatal don't burn many calories so they won't stop you putting on weight even though they are undoubtedly good for toning and preparation for labour.

When I had my most recent personal freakout over my pregnancy weight gain I read a ton of stuff on exercise and pregnancy and actually, you don't want to be burning a lot of calories when you're pregnant as the acidic buildup in your body can be unhealthy for your baby. Toned muscles burn calories naturally.

Don't forget though that if you breastfeed this will help you burn more calories and lose any extra pounds. Also if you have a natural birth you can probably hit the gym again quite soon afterwards.

If you think pregnancy made you overeat, look out, breastfeeding is a major calorie suck and you may feel like you're ALWAYS starving. So, inevitably there are two things that I've heard happen to breastfeeding friends--either everything goes smoothly and they really benefit from the extra calorie burn and shed weight fast or the opposite (which is my own personal journey and that of several friends as well) they gain a lot of weight after the baby is born.

You have to remember also that a new baby puts a lot of strain on your body and emotions so if you have any tendency to overeat (or eat junk food) when you're tired (exhausted is more accurate because that's the level dealing with a newborn takes you to) or stressed then you're going to have to really guard against that. Also, if you're a comfort eater--maybe missing home and the absence of family after the baby is born not eating wisely can be an issue. And this doesn't even touch on if you deal with PPD (PND) or not--that's an entirely different thing which can also affect things.

I was so excited to hear that breastfeeding helps with calorie burn but I think you can't take too much solace in that as the truth is, for many women, post-pregnancy weight loss is work--and a lot of it--maybe even more difficult than it was pre-pregnancy (thanks hormones!) But, take it easy and look at it as a long-term process of health rather than a crazy "get thin quick" scheme that you may have been able to pull off previously but doesn't work so well under new circumstances.

 

[thanka2]

Also remember that if you are planning on breastfeeding dieting is not recommended, just eating healthy, well balanced meals. for some, breastfeeding melts the weight off but this is not the case for all, so don't expect magic.

Exactly.

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[Portia]

I believe the issue is with heart rate. normally you want to reach a higher heart rate for cardio, but in this case you want to keep it (research this to confirm) i believe below 140. The idea is that above that rate you may not get enough blood to the placenta and therefore the baby.

The 140 heartrate recommendation has been out of date since 1994 when it was removed from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' recommendation. The issue is supposed to be the core temperature and whether you are still able to talk while exercising. Here are a few links that explain in more detail:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-during-pregnancy/AN01560
http://www.examiner.com/pregnancy-h...-fitness-101-debunking-the-140-heartrate-myth

 

[taysty]

I'm one of those breastfeeding mummy that doesnt shed weight but gain even more i think. And what make this even "better" is the fact that the majority OP believe or had seen mummies losing weight when breastfeed. When they look at me, they just couldnt believe their eyes. To be more exagerating, they popped their eyes out. Needless to say, they keep on reminding me the fact that "i'm the minority". Well... thanks but no thanks...

Anyway, i will keep on pumping breastmilk till my bub is 6 months. Less than 2 months to go.

I'll see how it goes.

@ Thanka

Lucky you that you carry weight well. Not for me. Haha.

 

[Liquorice]

Gracey, were there specific issues as well as the fertility treatment that caused your doctor to recommend no exercise? I had fertility treatment but exercised a lot - went to the gym at least three times a week for cardio & weights and hiked with my dogs at the weekends - up until week 37.

 

[Gracey]

Hi everyone,
Thanks much for all the helpful comments!
Well, the whole situation has turned on its head because now I've had some spotting / discharge.
I had a tiny spot of blood earlier on that my new doctor (I'm no longer seeing the conservative one) said was probably no big deal. Though he did give me an HcG shot just to be sure. It stopped and we both relaxed.

Then, last night, I had some pinkish-brown discharge. I called doctor #2 again, who had me go in for a scan this morning. Baby looks fine, but he's a little concerned. So I'm back on the HcG shots twice a week, and back on progesterone. I've had a little bit more tonight, too. I just don't know what to think.

So... looks like all my plans to restart exercise have been pushed back. Which is a bummer, because I was reasonably active before all this baby-making stuff, and now I feel like a slug.

Thanka -- My apologies. I didn't mean to sound like I was poking fun of weight gain. Every woman is different. Honestly, I'd rather have weight gain and a healthy pregnancy, than no weight gain and these "scares."

While I have you all here -- any of you guys have similar pinkish-brownish light spotting? Is it serious? I'm 12 weeks tomorrow.