Weightlifting during pregnancy is a hotly debated topic. Lifting restrictions have been passed around for years, with numbers ranging from 10 pounds to 35 pounds, neither of which are TRULY practical for the mom who has a toddler at home, much less anyone living a functional daily life. Where does this restriction come from, and what should you REALLY be doing?
Historically in the medical field, when we don't have an answer to something related to pregnancy, we err on the side of caution. This is understandable, as no one wants to be the cause of something dire happening to Mom or baby. Over the past several years, the data we have about exercise in pregnancy has DRASTICALLY increased. So much so, that we now have multiple studies showing that exercise in pregnancy is not only safe, but is BENEFICIAL to both mom AND baby. This article from the International Journal of Women's Health summarizes the benefits specifically of resistance training in pregnancy, including reduces risk for postpartum hemmorhage, improved mental and physical energy, reduced gestational diabetes risk, reduced maternal blood pressure, and decreased maternal weight gain, as well as highlighted the LACK of support for things like resistance training causing increased risk for cesarean delivery (it doesn't), micro or macrosomia (it doesn't), or is unsafe for baby from a heart rate and blood flow perspective (it isn't).
When we have evidence, we can no longer lean on the "well we just aren't sure" excuse, and it is our job as healthcare professionals to do better. In this case, doing better means having a solid understanding of the evidence, how it applies to the person in front of you, and confidence in the recommendations you are making that you will be optimizing both mom and baby's health, rather than limiting it.
Looking into the research specifically, the majority of the body of evidence we have currently supports moderate intensity exericse. The key here is that moderate intensity is RELATIVE. For the woman who has a 250 pound backsquat, a 35# lifting restriction is FAR from a moderate load. For someone who does not or has not exercised previously, 35# may be a more significant load to them. That does not mean the second person should NOT be exercising-in fact, the ACOG recommends exercise in pregnancy across the board, barring specific red flag high risk conditions-but that they should begin exercising with guidance to help them increase their capacity.
Think about what is ACTUALLY happening in pregnancy. Our bodies are growing, expanding, and getting heavier. We no longer have to support our own body, but the body of another (albeit small) human, plus a whole organ, plus all the fluid that it takes to support that human in utero. In short, our body is experiencing a higher load or demand every single day, just to exist. WHY would we want to be WEAKER for that? WHY would we encourage women to STOP exercising and lose their strength, and then expect their body to somehow magically tolerate the increased demand being put through it? It truly makes no sense when we zoom out and look at it this way!
Pregnancy itself is also not an automatic "modify your movement" situation. Some women may find they have to modify a movement sooner than others. For example, one woman may find at 20 weeks her belly is interfering with her ability to perform a deadlift while hitting the points of performance for that movement due to her belly being in the way. Another women may be able to go up to 30 weeks before needing to modify-either moving to a sumo stance or elevating the surface and pulling from blocks. One person may find they can continue engaging their core well and feel solid with overhead pressing with a barbell up until 36 weeks. Another woman may opt for dumbbells in week 20 because she can modify her position to allow her to recruit her core more effectively. The answer to "when should I stop doing ______" in pregnancy is variable.
When it comes to resistance training in exercise, it's time to put the blanket lifting restrictions to rest. We should not be scaring women away from movement, when we know the best thing for them and baby in pregnancy IS exercise!
All that to say, every single person's story is different. While we encourage exercise and strength training in some capacity for all the above listed benefits, if someone is truly not wanting to, that is also okay. We need to respect their own views, and while we can educate them on the research that is out there, and how to move through this season with resistance training on board, we should always always be coming alongside them and their own specific goals, views, and beliefs, as well.
Did you continue resistance training in pregnancy? What guidance did you receive along the way? We would love to hear from you!
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