Recommended activity levels during pregnancy
As a pregnant woman, you should, as far as possible, follow national guidelines, which recommend that all adults be physically active for at least 2.5 to 5 hours per week and limit sedentary time. You should also push yourself enough to feel a little warm and slightly out of breath. You can push yourself more, as long as you do not experience any pain or discomfort.
Varied activity that includes both strength and cardio training is great.
It is also beneficial to move around when performing everyday tasks.
- Take the stairs.
- Leave the car at home and walk or cycle to activities.
- Limit prolonged periods in sedentary positions by taking short breaks to move around.
You can exercise throughout your pregnancy. If you exercised regularly or were physically active before your pregnancy, you should maintain a similar level of activity. If you did little exercise before your pregnancy, you should gradually increase your level of activity in accordance with the recommendations.
A little activity is always better than none. The most important thing is to move every day, increase your heart rate occasionally, and not sit still for too long.
Recommendations relating to physical activity for adults and the elderly (in Norwegian)
It is not necessary to exercise hard to improve your health. All physical activity is good for you. Here, you can see how much activity is recommended for adults and the elderly, and what you can do to follow the recommendations.
Illustration: iStock
What type of exercise is recommended for pregnant women
- Exercising the pelvic floor is particularly important both during pregnancy and after childbirth to prevent urinary incontinence, among other things.
- Moderate-intensity cardio is recommended. Brisk walking, cycling, dancing, cross-country skiing, swimming and badminton or table tennis are examples of activities that are gentler on the pelvic floor than running and jumping.
- Moderate strength training, especially for the muscles in the back and abdomen, is good. You can work out using light weights, but avoid exercises that put a lot of strain on your abdomen, such as heavy bench presses.
Cautionary advice
- Avoid activities associated with a risk of falling or hard impact to the abdomen.
- Avoid very heavy lifting during pregnancy. When lifting, bend at the knees and hips, and keep what you are lifting straight in front of you and close to your body
- You should avoid diving, as the pressure change could be harmful to the foetus.
- You should avoid exercising hard when it is very hot and humid
- Women who are at risk of prematurely giving birth or who have had multiple miscarriages should see a doctor or midwife for personalised advice.
Activities and exercise for back or pelvic pain
Try to find activities that do not cause pain. Exercising in water, suspension training or cycling with a low seat can work well for some. Sticks offer additional support and relief. Walking with a shorter stride length and avoiding sidesteps and lunges can also help.
If you have extensive difficulties, you can contact a physiotherapist for advice on physical activity and exercises that are appropriate for you.
Exercising the muscles in the pelvic floor
The pelvic floor consists of muscles that support the organs in the abdomen. We use these muscles to prevent incontinence when we need to urinate and to control flatulence from the rectum. When you are pregnant, the strain on the pelvic floor muscles increases and the muscles are stretched. Due to the heavy strain, muscle function can be impaired. It is therefore important to exercise the pelvic floor muscles both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
How to exercise the pelvic floor muscles
Stand with your legs apart. Place your hands on your glutes and make sure they are completely relaxed. Tense the muscles around the rectum, vagina and urethra, and then lift upwards and inwards. You should feel a slight stirring, as though your abdomen is being slightly lifted.
You can check if you are doing it right when you go to the bathroom to urinate. Try to stop the dripping towards the end.
You can also place a hand against the area outside your vagina and rectum and check that you are able to lift the area away from your hand. Keep your legs well apart when you do the exercises. This enables you to avoid using the large muscle groups outside the pelvis.
Once you are sure you are doing them correctly, you should perform the exercises as hard as you can and try to maintain each contraction for 6-8 seconds. Perform 8-12 contractions 2-3 times every day. You can alternate between doing the exercises in the lying, seated or standing position. If you find it very difficult, you can speak to your doctor, midwife or physiotherapist.
Video from St. Olav's Hospital: Pelvic floor exercises (in Norwegian)
Exercise your pelvic floor during the day and during other exercise
It is a good idea to include pelvic floor exercises as part of your daily routine, such as when you are watching TV, brushing your teeth or standing in a queue. This will not be enough to develop strength in these muscles, but it can help you retain the strength you already have.
Pelvic floor exercises should also be a natural part of a general strength training programme. You can do this by trying to contract your pelvic floor muscles and tightening them while doing other exercises, activities and training.
Pelvic girdle pain (symphysiolysis) (in Norwegian)
Anyone can experience pelvic girdle pain, but it usually occurs in connection with pregnancy and childbirth.
Fysisk aktivitet og trening etter fødselen
Most people can cautiously start physical activity immediately after childbirth. Adapt the activity to your fitness level and gradually increase the frequency and intensity.
Start with everyday activities such as walking with a stroller, taking the stairs, doing housework and playing with children. Exercise your pelvic floor muscles every day until you feel you are strong and experience no urinary incontinence or pressure in the lower abdomen during activity.
If you experience urinary incontinence during running or jumping, try brisk walking, cycling or gymnastics without any running or jumping until you have managed to control your pelvic floor muscles. Keep up with your everyday activities and take breaks from prolonged sitting, including after you have started exercising again.
Due to the risk of infection, you should wait to start swimming or bathing until post-partum bleeding (cleansing) has stopped. This bleeding usually stops after four to six weeks.