Exercise Barriers in the First Trimester
The first trimester, as with each trimester, brings about interesting situations in which you must learn to maneuver in order to exercise. Adjusting to the news of the pregnancy and the rapid body changes are the biggest hurdles to overcome in early pregnancy exercise.
For some women, the early stages of pregnancy do not bring many physical changes to their lifestyles, particularly if the pregnancy was planned and you have been “acting pregnant” during the preconception phase. The news of your pregnancy may still come as a shock, even though you were trying to conceive. This shocked phase of pregnancy is real for everyone and can hamper your efforts to exercise. Reminding yourself that pregnancy is a natural process will help with this feeling.
Though they will vary from woman to woman, the physical symptoms of pregnancy — from morning sickness to fatigue — are usually not noticed until about six weeks from the last menstrual period. For those who experience physical symptoms, adjusting to them can be the hardest part of exercising in the early days of pregnancy.
Morning Sickness
The one thing that most women expect from early pregnancy is nausea and vomiting, commonly referred to as morning sickness. Anyone who has been pregnant will tell you that this term is a misnomer, because it can strike at any time of the day or night, sometimes all of the above.
Clearly, morning sickness can get in the way of your feeling well enough to exercise. Try eating a bit of protein, staying well hydrated, and exercising to the point of comfort. Some women say that exercise actually helps them avoid some feelings of nausea.
Essential
Early pregnancy nausea that is extreme, called hyperemesis gravidarum, may be a really good reason not to exercise. If you experience this, you may have trouble ingesting enough calories to gain weight, and dehydration is common. Expending more calories while exercising may not be right at this point, nor is it wise to run the risk of dehydration. Save exercise for later.
Combating nausea and/or vomiting can encompass a lot of friendly advice. Many of the tricks that have worked for other women will help you, but obviously everyone will respond differently. Try some of the things you hear women talking about and ignore the ones that do not fit your beliefs or lifestyle. Here is a small sample of some remedies to try:
Crackers before you get out of bed
Flat sodas or colas
Lemonade or lemon candy
Ginger tea, snaps, or candy
Snack before bed to avoid low blood sugar
Ice water (sipping slowly)
Small, frequent meals
If you find yourself feeling queasy only at certain points of the day or night, try to rearrange your exercise schedule for a time when you are feeling less ill. This might mean switching the type of exercise you do for a while, but again consistency is key in exercising.
Fact
A pregnant exerciser may be concerned about the risks of miscarriage because of the exercise she does during early pregnancy. However, studies have shown that the rate of miscarriage is the same for those who exercise as for those who do not, about 16 to 17 percent in both groups.
Fatigue, Insomnia, and Fear
Fatigue is often talked about among newly pregnant women as one of the most surprising and hardest to deal with physical symptoms. While you might have expected some of the other physical symptoms, the feeling of utter exhaustion is completely unexpected for some women. If you find early pregnancy draining all of your energy, you are not alone. The good news is that there are ways to combat these symptoms.
Exercise is probably one of the better ways to deal with the fatigue of early pregnancy, yet it might not seem like the solution. After all, how will expending even more energy help you with being dead-dog tired? The answer is simple: Exercise helps your body run more efficiently, helps you sleep better at night, and generally improves your physical and mental well-being.
In addition to fatigue, some women suffer from insomnia. This can come in the form of either having difficulty falling asleep or awakening early and being unable to get back to sleep. Avoiding stimulants like caffeine can be a big help in combating excessive wakefulness or insomnia. Also avoid napping during the day. Remember to exercise during the day or very early evening and not just before bedtime. If you exercise just before bed, it may be harder to fall asleep as it does stimulate the body for a period of time, whereas exercise earlier in the day will actually help you sleep better at night.
Another exercise stopper to avoid is fear. Many women are fearful that exercising while pregnant will cause birth defects or other problems with their pregnancy. Some think that a pregnant body is not meant to handle the strain of exercise or the intensity that may come along with exercise. Education is the key to overcoming a fear of exercise while pregnant.
