The best pregnancy exercises

What are the benefits of exercise during pregnancy?

There are lots of good reasons to keep active when you're pregnant.

Exercise improves your muscle tone, strength and endurance, which may make it easier for you to adapt to the changes that pregnancy brings, prepare for labour and birth, and get back in shape after your baby is born (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, Harding 2017, Nascimento et al 2012, NHS 2017, OTIS 2018, RANZCOG 2016).

Regular exercise will also help you carry the weight you gain in pregnancy, boost your mood and energy levels, improve sleep, and reduce aches and pains (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, Harding 2017, NHS 2017, OTIS 2018, RANZCOG 2016). And it may help you have a shorter labour and increase your chances of giving birth vaginally (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, Harding 2017, NHS 2017, OTIS 2018, RANZCOG 2016, Takami et al 2018).

Some research suggests that exercise during pregnancy may also lower your risk of developing gestational diabetes (GD) and pre-eclampsia (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, Harding 2016, RANZCOG 2016). If you’ve been diagnosed with GD, regular exercise can help you manage the condition (ACOG 2015, Harding 2017, Hinman et al 2015). It may also lower your risk of premature birth (Takami et al 2018).

Being active will also give you the chance to meet other mums-to-be, if you opt for a class.

How much exercise should I do during pregnancy?

Talk to your doctor or midwife before starting any new exercise in pregnancy.

If your pregnancy is uncomplicated, he’ll probably encourage you to get active. But if you’ve got any pre-existing conditions, or you develop particular complications, he may ask you to modify, reduce or stop your exercise routine.

Once your doctor or midwife gives you the green light to exercise, aim for a total of at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, most, if not all, days of the week (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, DH 2017, Harding 2017, NHS 2017, RANZCOG 2016).

Doing three 10-minute sessions in a day is just as good as one 30-minute session, if that’s more manageable for you.

If you didn’t get much exercise before you became pregnant, start slowly with 15 minutes a day, and gradually build up to 30 minutes (NHS 2017, POGP 2017).

Slowly wind down your regime towards the end of your pregnancy, as your growing bump makes it more difficult to exercise.

What kind of exercise should I do during pregnancy?

The ideal exercise in pregnancy will get your heart pumping and keep you supple, without causing physical stress.

Many activities, such as running and weight training, are fine in the beginning if you were doing them before you got pregnant, but you may need to modify your workout as you grow bigger (ACOG 2015, Harding 2017, RANZCOG 2016).

If you haven't exercised much before, talk to your doctor or midwife about the best exercises for you. It's best to avoid some exercises during pregnancy, such as running, if your body isn't already used to them (RANZCOG 2016).

In general, you'll really feel the benefit if you do a combination of:

• aerobic exercise, which works your heart and lungs
• muscle-strengthening exercise, which improves your strength, flexibility and posture
  (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, Harding 2017, RANZCOG 2016)

Try to find something that you enjoy, as you'll be more likely to stick to it in the longer term.

Build activity into your daily life, too. For example, taking the stairs instead of the lift, and doing housework or gardening, counts as exercise (Harding 2017).

It’s best to avoid the following activities:

• sports where there's a risk of hitting your bump, being thrown off balance, or slipping and falling, such as football, squash, gymnastics, rollerblading, horse riding and skiing (Artal 2019, Harding 2017, NHS 2017, OTIS 2018, RANZCOG 2016)
• high-impact workouts that put lots of stress on your joints and pelvic floor muscles, such as high-impact aerobics and activities involving jumping (Artal 2019, POGP 2017)
• poses or exercises that involve lying flat on your back after your first trimester (ACOG 2015, Artal 2019, NHS 2017, RANZCOG 2016)
• scuba diving (Artal 2019, Harding 2017, NHS 2017, OTIS 2018)

Whatever exercise you do, don’t work so hard so that you overheat, feel exhausted, or are too short of breath to carry on a normal conversation while you work out (NHS 2017).

What are the best aerobic exercises during pregnancy?

The following types of exercise are generally safe in pregnancy, although you may need to modify or slow down some of them as your pregnancy progresses.

Walking
Brisk walking keeps you fit without jarring your knees and ankles, and gives your heart a workout. You can do it almost anywhere, and the only equipment you need is a good pair of supportive shoes.

Walking is safe throughout pregnancy, and can be built into your daily routine. Walk to the shops rather than drive, take the bus only part of the way, or do a brisk few laps of the park or footpaths in your lunch hour.

To keep yourself motivated, you could download an app that tracks the number of steps you take. You may be surprised by how much you move just running errands throughout the day!

Swimming
Swimming is an ideal, and safe, form of exercise during pregnancy (Artal 2019, Harding 2016, Nascimento et al 2012). It exercises your arms and legs, works your heart and lungs, and lets you feel weightless no matter how big your bump gets (POGP 2018).

Exercising in water is gentle on your joints and supports your bump. Swimming can also help ease lower back pain and reduce swelling (POGP 2018).

If you enjoy group activity, you could join an aquanatal class or aqua aerobics class.

Aerobics
Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and tones your body. It's safe as long as you keep the exercises low-impact, to protect your joints.

If you sign up for an antenatal aerobics class, you’ll meet other mums-to-be and feel reassured that each movement is safe for you and your baby (POGP 2017). Going along to a class also gives you a regular time to exercise.

If group exercise isn't your thing, look for DVDs or online videos designed specially for pregnant women.

Dance
Get your heart pumping by rocking out to your favourite tunes in the comfort of your own lounge room or at a group dance class. Avoid routines involving leaps, jumps, twirls and sudden changes of direction, because you may lose your balance.

If you join a dance class, make sure your instructor is experienced at teaching dance to pregnant women, and can adapt the moves to your stage of pregnancy.

Running
Jogging is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to work your heart and build endurance during pregnancy. You can vary the distance as your energy levels allow.

The intensity of your run depends on whether or not you’re an experienced runner (RANZCOG 2016). If you were only an occasional jogger before you got pregnant, get the go-ahead from your doctor or midwife first and then start at a slow pace on shorter routes, before gradually building up to 30-minute jogs.

If you didn't do much or any jogging before, it's best not to start during pregnancy, so try choosing another form of exercise instead (RANZCOG 2016).

Cycling
Cycling is another good aerobic option (Artal 2019, OTIS 2018). Some doctors and midwives recommend avoiding cycling on roads after the second trimester, because of the risk of falling or being knocked off. It can also be hard to keep your balance and twist around to see in all directions as your bump gets bigger.

But using a stationery exercise bike is safe (POGP 2017, RANZCOG 2016). So drag yours out of storage, borrow a friend's or join a spin class.

Which are the best strengthening exercises during pregnancy?

Yoga
Pregnancy yoga helps maintain your muscle tone and flexibility, and improve your posture (Harding 2017, Nascimento et al 2012). It’s kinder to your joints than more vigorous types of exercise.

The exercises you learn may help you with relaxation and breathing in labour, too.

But you should also do some aerobic activity, such as swimming or brisk walking, a few times a week, to give your heart a workout.

Make sure your yoga teacher is experienced in providing advice for pregnant women. It’s best to go along to a pregnancy yoga class, rather than start with an online video or DVD. That way, your instructor can check that you're holding the poses in a way that's safe for you and your baby.

Avoid hot (Bikram) yoga, as overheating can be dangerous during pregnancy.

Pilates
Pilates exercises strengthen your tummy and pelvic floor muscles, a part of your body known as the stable core. It targets the muscles that can weaken during pregnancy, in a way that supports, rather than strains, them. You’ll also learn some breathing exercises that can help you to relax.

Choose an antenatal Pilates class, if there's one in your area. Avoid hot Pilates, as overheating isn't safe for you or your baby.

Stretching
Stretching helps keep your body supple and relaxed, and prevent muscle strain. Don't overdo it, though. Think about gently opening and extending your body, rather than pushing yourself.

Add stretching to your aerobic exercises to get a complete workout. It's a great way to warm up before a session, and cool down afterwards.

Weight training
As long as you use good technique (meaning slow, controlled movements), using light weights is a great way to tone and strengthen your muscles (POGP 2013).

Building strength during pregnancy will help prepare you for all the baby lifting you’ll be doing soon!

Pelvic floor exercises
Exercising your pelvic floor is really important during and after pregnancy. If you have weak pelvic floor muscles, you may leak small amounts of wee when you exercise (POGP 2013), cough or sneeze (stress incontinence). You can prevent this from happening by doing pelvic floor exercises every day.

If you do start experiencing stress incontinence, see a physiotherapist.

More about exercising during pregnancy

• Tips for a safe workout during pregnancy
• Exercising during pregnancy: danger signs
• When not to exercise
• Pregnancy yoga videos