Prenatal Exercise | Knocked-Up Fitness

Can I Lay On My Back While Pregnant?

April 18, 2013 Leave a Comment

I know this is a BIG question that comes up a lot, about laying on your back during pregnancy.

While, yes, some women should avoid laying on their backs into their 2^nd & 3^rd trimesters, most are perfectly ok too for short periods of time. Your doctor should tell you if you can’t, mostly would be more high risk pregnancies, you are probably not exercising anyways.

I have to defend my reasoning for throwing in a couple of back exercises in my Prenatal DVD’s. For the average healthy fit pregnant female you CAN lay on your back for short periods of time here & there. Try keeping it to no longer then 5-10 minutes at a time. Your body will tell you if it’s time to get up, such as you’ll feel nauseous, dizzy, etc. For myself and many of my clients we all love the short relief you can get from just a couple minutes on your back doing some hip exercises. Which can feel great on your low back by the way.

Even my Ob Gyn supports it for most women! “You are absolutely right in the advice you give. Short periods on your back are generally fine. It is only a problem if a pregnant uterus inhibits return of blood to the heart. If so, a patient may feel nausea, etc. Once they adjust their position, the symptoms resolve. There are no long term harmful effects to mom or baby.” – Dr. Gigi Kroll

Note: Once into your 2^nd & 3^rd trimesters roll to your side & use your arms to help you get up to avoid overusing your rectus abdominals. I’m finding this can really help minimize ab separation.

If there’s ever an exercise you’re just not comfortable doing when pregnant the simple answer is “don’t do it”, sorry to be blunt but that’s that.

If you’re up for an exercise lying on your back I LOVE these hip rolls, trying keeping your range of motion in your back as long as you can. This can help those low back aches & pains. Movement is an amazing thing for the body, especially during pregnancy! I can’t tell you the amount of times my pregnant clients come in not feeling that fab but leave feeling amazing! Or my mom’s who workout with my Prenatal DVD workouts.

Focus on articulating one vertebrae at a time up & down, moving slowly. You should feel your glutes, hamstrings, and deep core muscles working here.

Repeat 5-10 reps then roll to your side to get up or move onto some side lying leg exercises.

Mermaid Stretch – A Favorite!

April 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

I LOVE’d this stretch when I was pregnant! Wait I take that back, I still LOVE the mermaid stretch & so do my clients.

You can also do it without the band, it feels soooo good to open up the front of your hips which can get really tight during pregnancy. Breath into your hips & belly to feel a great hip flexor & psoas stretch too!

A great stretch for all you runners, although unless your a diehard & must run during pregnancy save it until after baby :-)

Filed Under: 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, After Baby, Prenatal Exercise Tagged With: 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, After Baby, Exercise Band, Hips, Prenatal Stretch, Psoas, running

Knocked Up Fitness 3rd Trimester Live Hangout

March 19, 2013 Leave a Comment

Have questions about exercising & staying fit during your 3rd trimester? Check out last weeks 3rd trimester hangout hosted by myself & Pregnancy Magazine! We also had some great guests with us: Erin Whitehead from Fit Bottomed Mamas, Jessica from The Leaky Boob, Kate from Pure Yoga, Molly from M Fitness and Lara Salahi from the Boston Globe.

Filed Under: 3rd Trimester, Prenatal Exercise Tagged With: 3rd Trimester, google+, hangout, knocked-up fitness, Pregnancy Magazine, Prenatal Fitness, Real moms

Prenatal & Postnatal Exercise: Squats with Rotation

February 21, 2013 2 Comments

Another one of my clients favorites! These squats feel amazing both during pregnancy & after baby, plus if you don’t have an exercise ball you can use some light weights (1-5lbs) or nothing at all.

It’s a FULL BODY exercise!

*Always check with your doctor to get the “ok” to exercise*

Prenatal & Postnatal Squats with Rotation

1) Stand with your feet farther apart then your shoulders, slightly laterally rotated your legs out. Note: be sure you are rotating from your hips & not just your feet. I see this common mistake a lot! It’s your hips I’m having you work on opening (they get really tight for most during pregnancy).

2) Squat down towards the ground, still looking out in front of you (avoid looking at the ground). Be sure it’s your butt you are getting towards the ground & not your back. Avoid overusing your back. This exercise is to keep your booty lifted & your hips good & mobile (hey we all want & need that right?!)

As your pregnancy progress your range of motion (ROM) will become less & that is “OK”. Focus on feeling this exercise in your butt!

After Baby your ROM will be less in the beginning & as you get stronger & your hips get their mobility back you will be back to increase your ROM! Yippeee! Plus a great exercise if you have some abdominal separation (Diastasis Recti).

3) As you stand up straight, rotate towards one side. Be sure your front leg stays stationary & your back leg rotates with you.; pivoting on your toe. Then reach your arms up & away from you.

Think about “Lifting tall” with your core while you stand tall.

4) Rotate back to the center & repeat alternating sides.

Try doing 10-20 sets of this Squats with Rotation exercise. An added bonus: for most it’ll get your heart rate up too!

Work It Momma!
E

P.S. You’ll find this exercise in my Prenatal DVD’s!

Filed Under: 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Exercise, Postnatal, Prenatal Exercise Tagged With: 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, After Baby, Butt, Core, Diastasis Recti, Postnatal Exercise, prenatal exercise, squats

Prenatal & Postnatal Exercise: Forward Rolls

February 19, 2013 1 Comment

This exercise is AMAZING during pregnancy to help relieve back aches while also strengthening your core muscles & helping stretch out tight abdominal muscles.

After baby I love this exercise for stretching out your tight back but also to help turn back on your abs!

*Be sure your Doctor has given you the “ok” to exercise before beginning any exercise program.

(exercise is featured in my Knocked-Up Fitness Prenatal Pilates-Infused Workout DVD set)

1) Kneeling with your knees shoulder-width apart & the ball close to you.

2) Slowly articulate your spine forward by tucking your chin first then rolling the ball out.

3) “Hug your baby” as you roll the ball out so you can feel your deep core muscles working.

4) Once all the way out, arch your back but keep gently pressing your arms into the ball.

5) Pregnant mommas – think about breathing into your belly here so you can gently stretch your ab muscles (which become very tight as you hit growth spurts during your 3rd trimester)

After baby – keep your abs tight the entire time & when you are half way down or up add 20 pulses. Think about scooping your belly in & up. You should feel your abs working & your low back stretching.

6) “Hug your baby” or (scoop your belly in & up), as you slowly roll back up, articulating your spine back up straight.

I hope you love this exercise as much as my clients & I do!

Enjoy,

Filed Under: 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Postnatal, Prenatal Exercise Tagged With: 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, After Baby, Core, Exercise Ball, Forward Rolls, Low Back, Postnatal Exericise, Pregnancy Aches, prenatal exercise

Heart Rate vs. The Talk Test

February 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Q: What should my heart rate be when working out during pregnancy?

A: Out with the old & in with the new! The problem with the old standard of staying under a heat rate of 140 beats per minute is that for some a heart rate of 140 beats per/min may be too intense, yet not challenging enough for others. Especially if you were very active before pregnancy most can work out at a good intensity during*.

The NEW: Use The Talk Test. During pregnancy when you are working out you should still be able to carry on a light conversation, meaning at least a couple word sentences. If you are very breathy & can hardly speak, you are working out too hard.

Always listen to you body!

*If your doctor has given you the OK to workout with no limitations then get your booty-moving momma!