In most cases, staying active during pregnancy is recommended, as it can have great benefits for both the mom and the baby. That said, expectant women should still listen to their bodies when exercising to avoid overexertion, which can pose various risks.
This pregnant woman was doing well in this department, listening to her body and skipping workouts when she was too exhausted. Sadly, her partner wasn’t at all understanding about it and continued to push her to exercise even when she felt unwell, which pushed her over the edge.
When exercising, pregnant women should listen to their bodies to avoid certain risks
Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)
This woman tried doing so, but her boyfriend insisted that she fights through her exhaustion and hit the gym
Image credits: throwawayy82670
Image credits: Gustavo Fring / Pexels (not the actual photo)
"There may be days where you feel like you can’t exercise in pregnancy"
Even though there are numerous benefits to exercising during pregnancy, like reducing risks of birth complications and back pain, as well as boosting mood and confidence, working out in the first trimester can be especially tough (for some even longer, or until the end of pregnancy).
Typically, in early pregnancy, symptoms like nausea, dizziness and fatigue exhaust expectant women to the point where they can’t get out of bed, let alone think about hitting the gym. During such times, women should not beat themselves up about it.
"There are going to be some days when you just need to survive and that's okay," says practising midwife Pip Davies. "Even if the first trimester for you is a complete write off, it’s not too late. When things do get easier, because for most women, they will, you can pick exercise up then."
At times when expectant women in the third trimester have more energy, they can go on short outdoor walks, especially in the morning, as cool air can help with nausea. Any activity or movement counts when expectant women are nauseous and fatigued – truly.
The most important thing is to listen to one's body, as overdoing exercise can do more damage than good. "There may be days where you feel like you can’t exercise in pregnancy," says Davies. "Sleep can impact how you feel, hormones can impact things. Take every day as it comes and meet your body and its energy needs where they're at that day."
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Practical help and emotional reassurance during early pregnancy
During early pregnancy and beyond, when women go through immense body and life changes, the support of significant others is very important. If a couple is going to be first time parents, the early weeks can be extremely difficult, as the changes that are happening can’t be seen with a naked eye.
During week 5-8, experts at sleepybelly suggest emotional reassurance at this time is crucial and recommends partners do the following:
- Prepare gentle, easy-to-digest meals and keep snacks like crackers or ginger tea handy to help with nausea.
- Take on extra household chores to lighten her load.
- Offer emotional support by listening and being present without trying to fix everything.
- Help track appointments and milestones using a shared calendar or pregnancy app.
- Encourage gentle exercise like walking or prenatal yoga together.
- Create a calm, stress-free environment by managing noise and clutter.
Partner’s supportive and calm-inducing involvement during pregnancy can greatly improve maternal wellbeing, reduce stress and can even lead to better birth outcomes. That’s why every significant other of expectant women should seek to offer practical help and emotional presence that are vital for mother’s and baby’s well-being.
Commenters decided that the woman didn't overreact
