Weight Lifting When Pregnant: Safety, Benefits And Risks
Learn how much and how often you can lift weights during this crucial phase.
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In This Article
Following a prenatal exercise routine can benefit the health of pregnant women and make the birthing process easier (1). Hence, some women try to lift weights while pregnant to boost their strength. However, while walking, running, and swimming are safe exercises for most mothers, is weightlifting safe while pregnant? Knowing the answer to this question is essential to determine your choice of exercise, which may affect your and your baby’s health.
Keep reading to understand if it is safe to lift weights during pregnancy, its risks, the weight lifting exercises you should and shouldn’t try, and the precautions you should observe.
Safety Of Weight Lifting During Pregnancy
In most cases, physical activities and lifting weights during the initial months of pregnancy (first trimester) are safe and may even benefit the mother and the fetus (2). Exercising with lighter weights could strengthen the muscles and make weight loss after delivery easier. However, it is advised to consult your doctor before beginning weight lifting, even in the first trimester.
Certain conditions may prohibit exercise in pregnancy, especially those that increase your risk of premature labor. You may also be advised against exercising if you have a history of preterm birth, short cervix, low-lying placenta, or have multiple pregnancies (e.g., twins, triplets). Your doctor will advise on the appropriate exercise in pregnancy and guide you on how much weight you can safely lift based on your overall health, pregnancy condition, and experience with weight lifting.
Benefits Of Weight Lifting While Pregnant
Lifting light weights during the early months of pregnancy and moderate exercise may provide you the following benefits (3) (4).
- Minimizes the risks of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia
- Promotes healthy weight gain
- Reduces back pain by strengthening the back and abdomen muscles
- Improves heart health and strengthens blood vessels
- Helps improve posture
Weight Lifting Exercises To Do While Pregnant
Once your healthcare provider permits weight training, there are various types of weight-related exercises that you may consider.
- Lifting lighter weights, such as dumbbells and kettlebells, while in the seated position.
- Resistance weight machines for training. Stick to those that keep you in a neutral, seated position to prevent any strain on your belly.
- Weight lifting exercises that you may perform while standing, without bending your back much or squeezing your tummy.
Exercises To Avoid During Pregnancy
Avoid the following exercises that might increase the risk of preterm birth or induce preterm labor (5).
- Any form of contact sports or abdominal exercises that might increase the risk of hurting or traumatizing your belly.
- Activities that might risk you falling or hurting yourself.
- Hot yoga or hot Pilates might increase your body temperature and overexert you.
- Vigorous exercises that involve a lot of stretching and lifting overhead.
- Heavy lifting activities, such as deadlifts, which require you to bend in the forward direction.
- Push-ups or any other strenuous bodyweight exercise.
- Exercising in weight machines where you need to stay in a position that places constant strain on your back or belly.
Precautions To Take When Lifting Weight In Pregnancy
A few important things that you need to keep in mind while lifting weights during pregnancy are (6):
- Avoid laying straight on your back or belly as this might interfere with the blood flow to the fetus.
- Make sure that you are careful of your abdomen. Avoid any exercise where there is a chance of the weights hitting the abdomen.
- Do not bend your back while lifting objects. It is advised to bend your knees while going down and getting up with the help of support.
- Refrain from lifting heavy weights as this might strain your back and abdomen.
- Do not overexert yourself. Take breaks between exercise sets and drink plenty of water.
- Do not lift weights over your head level as it may strain your back.
- Avoid weight lifting beyond the first trimester since your baby’s weight will increase, making it strenuous to lift extra weights.
- If you are expecting twins or triplets or have anemia or preeclampsia, or any other pregnancy complications, you shouldn’t stress yourself out with lifting.
When To Call A Doctor
You should always be cautious while lifting weights during pregnancy. Consult your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following signs during or after weight lifting (3).
- Bleeding from the vagina
- Dizziness
- Abdominal pain or contractions
- Decreased or no fetal movement
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
These events may often occur due to lifting weights that are too heavy, increasing the risk of preterm birth or miscarriage (7).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When should I stop lifting weights while pregnant?
If you’re pregnant and considering lifting weights as a part of your exercise routine, it is important to take your doctor’s consent. Moreover, experts suggest that you avoid lifting weights while lying on your back after the first trimester. Further, chest-strengthening exercises may be performed on an incline bench in this period (8).
2. Can I bench press while pregnant?
Muscle strengthening exercises, such as a bench press, may be beneficial for pregnant women (9). However, for several reasons, it may not be safe and comfortable. Therefore, you may perform bench press only under the supervision of a trainer and after taking medical advice from your doctor when pregnant.
3. How much weight can I pick up in the first trimester?
Although it depends on several factors (including the woman’s health status and the pregnancy stage), experts recommend against lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds when pregnant (10). In addition, the American Pregnancy Association advocates exercising caution when lifting heavy weights in pregnancy, especially from the floor or over your head. This will help prevent adverse pregnancy complications such as premature labor or hernia (11).
4. Can I do burpees while pregnant?
It is better to avoid high-intensity training exercises, such as squat jumping and burpees, while pregnant. In addition, a recent study revealed that high-impact exercises such as burpees may increase abdominal pressure and cause stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in pregnant women (12).
Lifting light weights during the early months of pregnancy may be safe for most women. You must take your doctor’s approval first and stick to lighter weights, such as light dumbbells and kettlebells. It is best to avoid strenuous weightlifting exercises, such as those that involve barbells. You may explore several other pregnancy-safe exercises, which do not strain your body and are safe for you and your growing baby.
Key Pointers
- Light weight lifting exercises are generally considered safe during the first trimester of pregnancy.
- You may try exercising with dumbbells or kettlebells after consulting your Ob/Gyn to reap various health benefits such as strengthening muscles, reducing the risk of gestational diabetes, and preventing back pain.
- Hot yoga, strenuous abdominal exercises, and deadlifting are some of the exercises considered unsafe during pregnancy.
- Ensure to take the necessary precautions and consult your doctor if you experience symptoms such as vaginal bleeding or decreased fetal movement.
References
- Roger L. Hammer, Jan Perkins, et al., Exercise during the childbearing year.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595006/ - Exercise during pregnancy.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy.aspx - Exercise during pregnancy.
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy - Exercise during pregnancy: safety, benefits, and guidelines.
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/exercise-during-pregnancy/ - Exercising during pregnancy.
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/exercising-during-pregnancy - Pregnancy and exercise.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/pregnancy-and-exercise - Reproductive health and the workplace.
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/physicaldemands.html - Strength training in pregnancy
https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/exercise-in-pregnancy/strength-training-pregnancy#:~:text=Avoid%20lifting%20weights%20while%20lyingfurther%20incline%20from%2020%20weeks. - Fatai Y. O. & Peter-Ajayi O. M.; Benefits Of Physical Fitness And Exercise To Pregnant Women In Ekiti State.
https://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0720/ijsrp-p10387.pdf - Lifting and work restrictions during pregnancy: Talk it over with your doctor
https://utswmed.org/medblog/lifting-during-pregnancy/#:~:text=A%20common%20recommendation%20is%20tothan%2020%20pounds%20during%20pregnancy. - Lifting While Pregnant.
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/lifting-pregnancy/ - Iman Akef Khowailed et al. (2020); Stress Incontinence during Different High-Impact Exercises in Women: A Pilot Survey.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7696460/
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