Cynthia: “Can I train until the end of my pregnancy?”

Athletic Cynthia was pleasantly surprised when she heard from a friend about training camp clubs for pregnant women. Now that she was pregnant, Cynthia was afraid her condition would go away because she didn’t know if and how much she could exercise. Which is why she wanted to know if it was okay for her pregnant body and unborn baby to go back to boot camp. “And if so, how long can I do it? Can I, for example, proceed to delivery?”

Obstetrician Selina Hecklebeck says there are a number of important factors to include in this. “First: How athletic were you before pregnancy? And – maybe a little cliched, but important – what does your body indicate?”

In general, it’s always a good idea to keep moving throughout your pregnancy, according to your obstetrician. “We know from experience and research that sport and exercise can reduce complaints, ensure that you are in better shape during childbirth and also recover faster and better after childbirth. You cannot affect everything, but exercise can certainly contribute positively, as long as you continue to Listen to your body and don’t expect things that weren’t there before pregnancy.”

Cynthia was already an athlete and had been exercising a lot before she was pregnant, so according to Hucklebeck she can definitely go to training camp now. “Up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, you can often go on with your usual course, provided you feel well and have no complaints. After that Cynthia can also follow bootcamps, but then I advise her to follow a modified program. Special program Pregnancy training program, this will be taken in Mind. If not, it helps to have someone who knows something about pregnancy training. Pregnancy.”

If you were less athletic than Cynthia before you got pregnant, you shouldn’t suddenly force yourself to exercise more, Hcklebeck warns. “But keep moving. Go swimming, cycling, walking or doing yoga. We don’t recommend running, at least if you didn’t do it before pregnancy. Your pelvic floor softens during pregnancy and when you run. Your joints, including your pelvis, have to take a beating.”

In the fictitious school: a lighter position

And also in the gym: exercise is good, but do not force anything. “Try to do as much as possible with your body weight. Before you got pregnant were you used to training with weights? You can continue to do this, only in a lighter position. Definitely from 12 to 14 weeks. Also try not to actively train the rectus abdominis in this. time. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles give way to make room for the growing uterus. The rectus abdominis muscles must relax to make this space, we call it “diastasis.”

And even if your body signals that you need to move less, that doesn’t always mean the end of your (athletic) exercise, Heckelbecki says. “Involve the appropriate specialist. Pelvic complaints, for example, are very common. If you go to a pelvic physiotherapist on time, he or she can give you tips and exercises to prevent worse, but also more often to continue exercising in a responsible manner.” “

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