It’s a good idea to stay active when you’re pregnant but it can be difficult to know what kind of exercise to do and how often. The KBPT team can help you to stay fit and healthy both before and after you have your baby – many of us are qualified in pre and post-natal training.
Here, one of our clients, Tess, talks about her recent experience.
“I first started training with KBPT about four years ago. I’d never got into going to the gym or doing classes, but I loved my first session with Kate and immediately felt motivated. I think you have to enjoy exercise to keep doing it – luckily, I found the right fit with KBPT.
When I fell pregnant, I was the healthiest I’d ever been. I’d been training with Kate twice a week for three years and I knew she could help me to have a healthy pregnancy and get my body strong so that I was ready for labour.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I did all my PT sessions online while I was pregnant and stayed active in between (e.g. walking my dog). I kept going with my PT until two weeks before giving birth.
Training with someone who knew what I should and shouldn’t do was very reassuring. After the first trimester, we really slowed things down and focused on low-intensity exercise. I could no longer do things like burpees and mountain climbers, for example.
I went back to my PT sessions a couple of months after my baby was born as I really wanted to get moving again. I’m now training twice a week and I’m fitter than ever! It’s also been really good for my mental health as, with a newborn, I don’t get a lot of time to myself.
You can get quite anxious when you’re pregnant but doing my PT sessions gave me something positive to focus on. I knew I was doing everything I could to keep me and my baby healthy.
I always feel safe in Kate’s hands as she specialises in pre and post-natal training. She has really helped to give me peace of mind.”
KBPT’s tips for pre-natal training:
Be realistic – if you weren’t active before you got pregnant, you shouldn’t suddenly start doing strenuous workouts.
Stop high-intensity exercise after the first trimester – do things like swimming, walking and pre-natal yoga classes instead.
Don’t push yourself to exhaustion when you’re training – aim for 6 or 7 out of 10 effort (a good guide is that you should be able to talk during your workout).
Listen to your body – if you have morning sickness or other symptoms, you’ll need to rethink how you exercise.
Make sure you do the correct abdominal exercises (e.g. steer clear of sit-ups).
You can find more pre-natal training tips on the NHS website. It’s always a good idea to speak to your GP before starting to exercise while pregnant.
For further details about KBPT’s pre and post-natal training, contact Kate at kate@kbptpersonaltraining.co.uk
