Swimming during pregnancy?

babyllama

Early pregnancy and thinking about when gyms etc. reopen. I'm very active, run 10km 3 times a week and workout every day. I can swim, however I haven't actually swam in 4/5 years. I know you can't take up anything new in pregnancy but I was wondering has anyone got back into swimming while pregnant? My doc. says it's ok to run and keep up my regular routine, but I am just very anxious when running in case I fall or something!!!
Thanks.

Alfxn

babyllama wrote: »

Early pregnancy and thinking about when gyms etc. reopen. I'm very active, run 10km 3 times a week and workout every day. I can swim, however I haven't actually swam in 4/5 years. I know you can't take up anything new in pregnancy but I was wondering has anyone got back into swimming while pregnant? My doc. says it's ok to run and keep up my regular routine, but I am just very anxious when running in case I fall or something!!!
Thanks.

I'm not going to claim to be a pregnancy fitness expert but swimming is very low impact exercise and seems like it would be an ideal, safe way to keep fit during pregnancy. Just start off slow and see how you feel, and you could build up over a few sessions. I've heard it's lovely in late pregnancy too as the water lightens some of the "weight" of the bump so you feel so much less uncomfortable while you're in there.

GingerLily

I wanted to start back swimming for my second trimester but the the lockdown but and gyms closed!
I'd say you should be fine as long as you keep your pace to something your comfortable with.

I find brisk walking especially on hills great for keeping me fit, really helped my sciatica which flared up at week 24!

Mildred22

Ive heard it’s fine and plan to start again when pools reopen! One tip I was told was no breast stroke, someone mentioned it caused a lot of pain in there hips!

Minier81

I was similar OP, in that I was an occasional swimmer before pregnant. I swam twice or three times a week in pregnancy. I found especially over the summer (2018 the hottest summer ever) swimming was the only thing that made me feel human as I was heavily pregnant then. Low impact and relaxing exercise.

Just make sure you take it easy and build up slowly. Even start with a 10 minute swim and gradually do more if all feels ok. You sound very fit so I don't think you'll have any trouble. I did do breaststroke mainly but only do what feels comfortable.

karlitob

babyllama wrote: »

Early pregnancy and thinking about when gyms etc. reopen. I'm very active, run 10km 3 times a week and workout every day. I can swim, however I haven't actually swam in 4/5 years. I know you can't take up anything new in pregnancy but I was wondering has anyone got back into swimming while pregnant? My doc. says it's ok to run and keep up my regular routine, but I am just very anxious when running in case I fall or something!!!
Thanks.

I’ve treated quite a number of women who were in car accidents/falls etc during pregnancy. Never failed to amaze how protected the little one is inside there.

Easy to say ‘don’t worry’. Listen to your doc - that’s what they’re there for. The goal is to exercise as much as you to the recommended guidelines - however you do it is up to you.

And get the vaccine!!!

Sarah1916

You should be fine considering how fit you are.
I would just be wary about the doctors advice re. running when pregnant. From a pure pregnancy and babys health point of view it is fine but if you were to ask any physio the same question, running after the first trimester can cause a lot of excess pressure on your pelvic floor and lead to long-term problems.
I like to keep fit too and I was advised to go to a womens physio in early pregnancy to get a check up and some advice etc. and it was the best thing I ever done.

My doc is great but he has never once asked me post baby whether I have any leaks, pelvic floor weakness/issues, diastis recti etc. A womens physio is who will give proper advice about that side of things.

karlitob

Sarah1916 wrote: »

You should be fine considering how fit you are.
I would just be wary about the doctors advice re. running when pregnant. From a pure pregnancy and babys health point of view it is fine but if you were to ask any physio the same question, running after the first trimester can cause a lot of excess pressure on your pelvic floor and lead to long-term problems.
I like to keep fit too and I was advised to go to a womens physio in early pregnancy to get a check up and some advice etc. and it was the best thing I ever done.

My doc is great but he has never once asked me post baby whether I have any leaks, pelvic floor weakness/issues, diastis recti etc. A womens physio is who will give proper advice about that side of things.

I’m a physio (men’s health rather than women’s). And running *may* cause inc pressure on your pelvic floor. But that does not mean it *will* lead to long term problem. Let’s not scaremonger!!!

The advice is the same - the goal is to be healthy, the question is how - mental health, physical exercise, good diet and good sleep. There’s many forms of exercise and it’s up to the person to decide what’s best for them based on where their body is at at that point in time. Obviously you can run at 1 week but not at 40 weeks. The individual is best placed on when running will wane - frequency, intensity, time and type. And when something else can start up. This is the advice to any person - so if you’re 65 with relapse remitting MS or 21 and pregnant - I would find out what challenges you have, where your body is at the moment, where your head is at the moment, explore the options together and let the person decide.

What I wouldn’t say is - ‘hey, preggo! Don’t run after 12 weeks and 1 day - someone on the internet said you’d have long term pelvic floor problems!!!!! 12 weeks is fine but 12 weeks and 1 day isn’t.’


The advice on getting a consult with a women’s health physio is good. Leaks are problems that respond well to simple treatments. Things take time to improve post partum but they can be helped along quicker and more effectively by a women’s health physio. I always recommend miltown physio in Dublin.

Sarah1916

karlitob wrote: »

I’m a physio (men’s health rather than women’s). And running *may* cause inc pressure on your pelvic floor. But that does not mean it *will* lead to long term problem. Let’s not scaremonger!!!

The advice is the same - the goal is to be healthy, the question is how - mental health, physical exercise, good diet and good sleep. There’s many forms of exercise and it’s up to the person to decide what’s best for them based on where their body is at at that point in time. Obviously you can run at 1 week but not at 40 weeks. The individual is best placed on when running will wane - frequency, intensity, time and type. And when something else can start up. This is the advice to any person - so if you’re 65 with relapse remitting MS or 21 and pregnant - I would find out what challenges you have, where your body is at the moment, where your head is at the moment, explore the options together and let the person decide.

What I wouldn’t say is - ‘hey, preggo! Don’t run after 12 weeks and 1 day - someone on the internet said you’d have long term pelvic floor problems!!!!! 12 weeks is fine but 12 weeks and 1 day isn’t.’



The advice on getting a consult with a women’s health physio is good. Leaks are problems that respond well to simple treatments. Things take time to improve post partum but they can be helped along quicker and more effectively by a women’s health physio. I always recommend miltown physio in Dublin.

I agree with you that it is not the case for every women - and the reason why I said after the first trimester is that I meant when you start developing a bump and have extra pressure 'down below'.
Just from a lot of research and going to a womens physio (in Milltown physio actually funnily enough) I have listened to their advice in relation to running when pregnant and post-partum. You can do damage in the weeks/months after labour too if not careful. Just because the doc gives the 'all clear' at 6 weeks does not mean women should head off and do a 5km jog. There are a lot of rehabilitation exercises needed first.
Thankfully there are a few trainers out there now who focus on pre and post natal patients and have a wealth of knowledge. There are plenty of instagram pages also belonging to qualified trainers and physios. If the OP has Instagram I would recommend checking some of them out for great advice and Q&A's - Urmamastrength, alma.pelvic.physiotherapy, Fit.mna are 3 pages I would recommend.

I should add that I trained up to my labour in my last pregnancy and plan to do the same this time around but I made sure to get proper advise and I was lucky enough last time to have a dedicated qualified PT. This time unfortunately is all through Zoom, online etc. and getting out for plenty of walks.

babyllama

Thanks for your advice.
Did you find that all the training did help give you a better labour? (you know how they say regular exercise should give you an 'easier' labour)

Sarah1916

I was in labour for 3 days so I am not sure if anyone would call that easy
But I most definitely felt the benefits in my recovery. Within a couple of days I really felt great and got 'back to normal' fairly quickly. I started back with a post natal trainer at the 6 week mark and everything went smoothly for me thank God. I also went back to the womens health physio at the 6 week mark and she was very happy that I had no diastis recti or pelvic floor weakness.

I also must say that I felt very good throughout my whole pregnancy and I can say the same this time. People laugh at me but other than my growing belly I don't feel any different. I am 30 weeks now and am convinced staying fit and active has helped me to feel this good compared to some of my friends who really have a tough time in later pregnancy.

Best of luck in your pregnancy - I hope it goes well for you.

Gatica

If you've been jogging 10km so regularly, then your body obviously is well used to cardio exercise. Swimming is much better on your joints and a lighter exercise, unless you're a great swimmer covering great distance at speed... (think Phelps :rolleyes: ) so going from jogging to swimming should be an easy transition for you. Be mindful of your joints is the main thing as the ligaments do get looser in pregnancy, maybe skip the butterfly

John B Williams

I had a horrifying experience in the past, with my wife. She too tried swimming during her pregnancy, in the mini pool in our courtyard, got stuck halfway, had to pull her out from the water. She had a serious catch on the hip and quadriceps. Rushed her to a hip & pelvic treatment center, thankfully she was alright in a couple of weeks. But she had to undergo pelvic physiotherapy for around 4 weeks to regain the overall range of motion.

Gatica

sounds awful! though I'd say that's not a very frequent occurrence, otherwise pregnancy books wouldn't advocate it so much.

Don't think there are specialised emergency hip and pelvic treatment centres here unfortunately, but glad your wife was seen to so promptly...