{"id":3828,"date":"2024-01-22T08:26:53","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T08:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andreasphysioblog.com\/?p=3828"},"modified":"2025-04-22T06:17:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T06:17:55","slug":"physical-activity-during-my-wifes-pregnancy-the-dad-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andreasphysioblog.com\/?p=3828","title":{"rendered":"Physical activity during my wife’s pregnancy – the dad perspective."},"content":{"rendered":"

Physical\u00a0 activity during my wife’s pregnancy\u00a0 – the dad perspective.\u00a0<\/b><\/h1>\n

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With my new title as \u201cDad\/far\/Papi\u201d and speculating on how to kickstart my own training routine again, I reflected back on some of the notes I took in my wife’s pregnancy. Having a pregnant wife is a time of happiness and excitement, but for us also a period of apprehension and concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n

As many other pregnant women (couples) before us, my wife and I had several conversations about whether my wife should continue to exercise while pregnant and to what extent the intensity should be. Many of these conversations were initiated by comments, things we read, and our own expectations. During my wife’s pregnancy, and even before conceiving, we received many doubtable and unsolicited advice from different areas. Luckily for this post I wrote them all down.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the one hand, many people have emphasized how important being active is during pregnancy and that it is associated with pre-, peri-, and postpartum health benefits for both mother and child. However, on the other hand, as many people told us, take it easy and rest.<\/span><\/p>\n

My wife felt left in the middle between doing nothing and overdoing it, especially in the first trimester where we have been told to take it easy. As a physio it made me wonder. What is it about all that advice? Is exercise really important? Or dangerous? Or both?<\/span><\/p>\n

Both family, friends and social media were constant sources of information and opinion about exercise, nutrition, and gestational weight gain comments.<\/span><\/p>\n

I do recognise that there are many good social media platforms for advice that offer social support, and the feeling of being connected with other women who are going through the same experience. I\u2019m also aware that it has been shown that these SoMe platforms can have potential to positively influence attitudes and practice of exercise and other health behaviors. For example, my wife has been very happy to use apps and Facebook groups with moms from all over the world to ask questions and share experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the same sources could also be barriers to being physically active, engaging in exercises and having healthy nutritional habits during pregnancy if they are communicated with negative attitudes and concerns about the risks of harm to the pregnant or the baby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To begin with, my wife read so much information that it almost led us into paranoia about nutrition and exercise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Especially on Instagram, there were so many \u201cinfluencers\u201d claiming things without declaring if their posts were sponsored or linked to other sorts of advertising or marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n

We were often told that special considerations had to be taken when IVF treatment was done. There were so many comments about if my wife did exercise it could lead to losing the baby. We should consider that the fertilized egg was like an apple that could fall down from the tree if she was jumping, dancing or running. So the zumba in front of the TV stopped really quick. We were also told not to move because the placenta was low, and she had a small hematoma in her first trimester. Therefore it was best to rest. Especially this word REST, it was often presented as my wife should be lying in her bed without moving. And she is a preschool teacher. Impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also meet concerns about strength training as lifting could cause stress to the pelvic floor which could increase Urinary Incontinence (UI).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, a recent cross-sectional survey (<\/span>Wikander, 2021<\/span><\/a>) among 480 competitive women powerlifters showed that the prevalence of UI was only at the upper limit experienced by women in the general population (listen more to that study in this <\/span>Podcast<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, according to a study by <\/span>Marcin et al., 2017<\/span><\/a>, up to 45% of women may experience urine incontinence during the postpartum period. They also reported that frequent pelvic floor exercises were found to decrease the UI throughout pregnancy and after giving birth. This was even associated with reported higher scores in quality of life. Instead of rest, the message should be pelvic floor exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weight gain during pregnancy.<\/b><\/h1>\n

It is encouraged to have a\u00a0 healthy weight gain during pregnancy. We often meet a general belief that exercise may contribute to concerns about controlled weight gain during pregnancy (<\/span>B\u00f8 2016<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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On average, women who exercise while pregnant can have potential benefits. A<\/span> systematic review <\/span><\/a>\u200b\u200b(<\/span>Hay-Smith et al., 2009<\/span><\/a>) on exercise programmes summarized effects on other things like baby size, preterm birth, etc. The overall conclusion was that we don\u2019t know much as the included studies are small with low methodological. However, exercise doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on anything. No change in pre-term birth, or gestational age, or rate of Caesarean section, or foetal growth. So yes, no reason to start exercising in pregnancy, however also no reason to stop exercising. Same conclusion was found among 1657 pregnant Australia womens (<\/span>Beetham, et al, 2022<\/span><\/a>). There was no association of Physical Therapy in any trimester with infant birth weight, prematurity, gestational diabetes, hypertension or antenatal depression. However, there was a tiny difference in reduced incidence of antenatal anxiety for those women who did low to moderate physical activity during pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

So again, my conclusion above is to not freak out if you do exercise or if you don’t. However, we were told to rest, as we had a low placenta. This advice could in my opinion have been modified.<\/span><\/p>\n

Swimming and pregnancy\u00a0<\/b><\/h1>\n

At around 30-31 weeks, my wife and I went on a postponed honey\/babymoon to Bali. However, even before traveling we were told to have precautions if going to the pool or sea because of infection or risk of falling. Furthermore, we were told to avoid boats because of balance or sea sickness. So no snorkeling on our babymoon. Again this advice of no swimming was contradictory as we were also told swimming is good because of its buoyant effects was recommended as the best exercise during pregnancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if we were thinking of swimming we were advised against using the spa or heated jacuzzi because of the heated temperature and the jacuzzi massage jets could trigger an early delivery. So no snorkeling, spa, no jacuzzi experience on our babymoon. That made it easier to choose a cheaper hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recommendations for Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy:<\/b><\/h1>\n

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As a Danish citizen I often double check statements with our own national health guideline. According to recent Danish guidelines on Physical activity during pregnancy it is good for both the \u201cpregnant mom\u201d and baby, and that the pregnant women can experience the same benefits of being active as a non pregnant woman. Physical activity does not increase the risk of early birth or cesarean delivery and are given less chance of having a baby over 4 kg when given birth. Further, there are less complications to the newborn baby in physically active women. In addition, physical activity showed a lower prevalence of low back symptoms (not pelvic related) among pregnant women. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.sst.dk\/da\/viden\/forebyggelse\/fysisk-aktivitet\/anbefalinger-om-fysisk-aktivitet\/gravide<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This recommendation is in line with this observational study (<\/span>De Sousa, 2019<\/span><\/a>) which found that sedentary pregnant women have up to 30% more chance of higher back and pelvic pain intensities regardless of the gestational trimester and weight gain.<\/span><\/p>\n

The danish guidelines highlighted the importantes to stay active during pregnancy with 30 minutes low-intensity exercises (where you get easy exhausted) like walking or swimming and gradually move up to moderate-intensity\u00a0activity if you have been use to physical active before pregnancy. If you were not physically active before pregnancy then start slowly and increase accordingly. Strength training of your big muscle group should be included in your training such as legs, glutes, core and arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The guidelines advise to alter between being active and being at rest. Be aware of not sitting down too long, but also take breaks, especially if you walk a lot during the day like a teacher.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you find the recommendations difficult I recommend you to find a physical therapist, midwife or pelvic floor specialist in your area. However, I took a look into some of the different training interventions that are commonly used.<\/span><\/p>\n