Should i avoid lifting during pregnancy

Keep within your existing comfort zone or consider reducing your weights to decrease the risk of over-exerting yourself. Top tip: Take care when exercising with free weights. A glancing blow to your body is painful at the best of times, but accidentally hitting your baby bump could be detrimental to your health and the foetus.

Pregnant Woman Lifting in Third Trimester. The same precautions and changes from your second trimester should be carried through to your final 12 weeks.

You may also need or want to further reduce the intensity of your training sessions. You should generally get some tailored advice from your personal trainer or gym instructor about adjusting your regular routine to be safer and more comfortable. You may also want to reduce or avoid any exercises that involve lifting weights above your head during this trimester.

Are you an aspiring personal trainer? Sign up to receive free emails and track your baby's development. Track my baby. Most popular in Pregnancy. See all in Community. See all in Getting Pregnant.

See all in Pregnancy. See all in Preschooler. See all in Life as a Parent. See all in Video. You might also like You might also like. How to get the best from your GP. Is it true that morning sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy? Guide to exercising in pregnancy. But the same studies also show that taking a defined rest period every four hours and having time off during the month decrease the incidence of pre-term birth in women, especially if the job requires manual labor.

What about standing, lifting or exertion in high-risk pregnancies? If a woman has a history of previous pre-term birth, multiple miscarriages, known abnormalities of her uterus or cervix such as an incompetent or shortened cervix or has underlying heart or lung problems, she should limit her activity. And if, in her current pregnancy she had has bleeding especially after the second trimester , has been diagnosed with a small-for-gestation pregnancy, low levels of amniotic fluid oligohydramnios , multiple gestations twins or more or had an episode of early contractions, she is advised to restrict these activities.

Recent reviews [Cochrane reviews] did not find enough evidence to support hospitalization or bed rest for pregnant women with multiple pregnancies, bed rest at home or hospitalization to prevent pre-term birth for singleton pregnancies in women who are high-risk for preterm labor or bed rest in the hospital for women with poor fetal growth. What about heat? Is it true that pregnant women should stay out of hot tubs, saunas and Jacuzzis?

So avoid hot tubs, Jacuzzis and saunas in early pregnancy. Also, exercise can cause a pregnant woman to become overheated over degrees Fahrenheit. A good rule to follow: Drink one glass of water every 20 minutes during a workout. What about getting an X-ray? But multiple X-rays or any X-rays that are less than essential should be postponed until after delivery. What about video display terminals? Is it all right for a pregnant woman to sit in front of a computer, especially for prolonged periods of time?

So far there is no scientific evidence that a pregnant woman needs to limit her time in front of a computer screen. The effect of the latter on pregnancy is not known. However, because ligaments are loosened and there is more fluid retention in pregnancy, prolonged use of the keyboard and incorrect positioning are more likely to cause carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnant women. One study did show that cosmetologists had a higher rate of miscarriage, so if a pregnant woman is a hairdresser and chronically exposed to chemicals, she should wear gloves and perhaps reduce this part of her job during the first trimester.

Inorganic pigments may contain not just lead but also chromium, cadmium, cobalt, nickel and mercury. Lead is of chief concern because it easily crosses the placenta, and a high level in pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, decreased infant IQ and stillbirth. So if you paint pictures or walls, check labels and avoid paints that contain lead.