Moving your body during pregnancy is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself and your baby. This guide walks you through what the research actually says, how to adapt your training trimester by trimester, which warning signs matter, and how to rebuild gently after birth — so you can feel steady, strong and confident through every stage.
Before you begin
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. Please review your exercise plans with your OB, midwife or healthcare provider at your early prenatal visits and whenever anything changes, and follow their individual guidance over anything you read here.
What the guidelines recommend
For most of the twentieth century, pregnant women were told to take it easy. The research has moved on. Today, both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy agree: for people with uncomplicated pregnancies, regular exercise is safe and beneficial, and being inactive carries its own risks.
ACOG Committee Opinion 804 (2020)
- Pregnant people without contraindications should be encouraged to do aerobic and strength-conditioning exercise before, during and after pregnancy.
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, for example 30 minutes on most days.
- If you were already active, including in vigorous activities like running, you can generally continue with your provider’s guidance.
- If you were inactive before pregnancy, start slowly and build up gradually.
Canadian guideline (Mottola et al., 2019)
- Accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, over a minimum of three days — being active every day is encouraged.
- Include a variety of aerobic and resistance training activities. Yoga and gentle stretching may also be beneficial.
- Pelvic floor muscle training (e.g., Kegel exercises) may be performed daily to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence, ideally with instruction in proper technique.
- If you feel light-headed, nauseous or unwell lying flat on your back, modify your position.
What counts as “moderate”? Use the talk test: you should be able to carry on a conversation while you exercise, but not sing. On the Borg exertion scale used in the pregnancy research, moderate intensity sits around 12–14 (“somewhat hard”), which is roughly 5–6 on our 1–10 RPE scale. You can read more about both tools on our Exercise Programs hub.
The benefits, according to the evidence
Exercise in pregnancy is not about “staying in shape” or controlling how your body changes. It is about health — yours and your baby’s. Here is what the major guidelines and their supporting evidence reviews report.
Lower risk of gestational diabetes
Regular prenatal exercise is associated with a reduced risk of developing gestational diabetes, and it helps with blood-sugar management for those who are diagnosed.
Lower risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension
The evidence review behind the Canadian guideline found that meeting the activity recommendations was associated with lower odds of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
Healthier gestational weight gain
Being active is associated with a lower risk of excessive gestational weight gain. Gaining weight in pregnancy is normal and necessary — this is about staying within the range your provider recommends.
Fewer depressive symptoms
Prenatal exercise is associated with reduced odds of prenatal depression and fewer depressive symptoms. Many mamas simply say they feel more like themselves.
An honest note about labor and birth
You may read that exercise guarantees a shorter labor or prevents a cesarean. The evidence is more nuanced. ACOG lists a lower risk of cesarean birth and operative vaginal delivery among the associations seen with prenatal exercise, and the Canadian guideline’s review found reduced odds of instrumental delivery. Findings on the length of labor are mixed. Exercise may tip the odds in your favor, but birth has many factors outside anyone’s control — and how your baby arrives is never a measure of how well you trained.
Just as important is what the research has not found. The Canadian guideline’s evidence review found no increase in the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight or birth defects among people who exercised at the recommended levels. For most healthy pregnancies, the bigger risk is doing nothing.
When exercise isn’t recommended: contraindications
Some conditions mean exercise should be avoided or carefully tailored. ACOG divides these into absolute contraindications (aerobic exercise is generally not recommended) and relative contraindications (exercise may be possible, but only after an individual discussion with your provider).
Absolute contraindications
- Hemodynamically significant heart disease
- Restrictive lung disease
- Incompetent cervix or cerclage
- Multiple gestation at risk of premature labor
- Persistent second- or third-trimester bleeding
- Placenta previa after 26 weeks of gestation
- Premature labor during the current pregnancy
- Ruptured membranes
- Preeclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension
- Severe anemia
Relative contraindications
- Anemia
- Unevaluated maternal cardiac arrhythmia
- Chronic bronchitis
- Poorly controlled type 1 diabetes
- Extreme morbid obesity or extreme underweight
- History of an extremely sedentary lifestyle
- Fetal growth restriction in the current pregnancy
- Poorly controlled hypertension
- Orthopedic limitations
- Poorly controlled seizure disorder
- Poorly controlled hyperthyroidism
- Heavy smoking
If any of these apply to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean no movement at all — but it does mean your provider should design the plan with you.
Warning signs: when to stop and call your provider
Stop exercising and contact your healthcare provider if you notice:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Regular, painful contractions
- Fluid leaking or gushing from the vagina
- Shortness of breath before you start exercising
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Muscle weakness that affects your balance
- Calf pain or swelling
Also trust your instincts. If something feels “off,” stop, rest and call. You will never be a bother for checking.
Activities to avoid — and the nuance
Most activities are fair game in pregnancy. A handful carry specific risks, mostly related to impact to the belly, falling, pressure changes or overheating.
| Avoid | Why | Try instead |
|---|---|---|
| Contact sports (e.g., ice hockey, boxing, soccer, basketball) | Risk of abdominal trauma from collisions or impact | Skills drills without contact, stationary cycling, swimming |
| Activities with a high risk of falling (e.g., downhill skiing, water skiing, surfing, off-road cycling, gymnastics, horseback riding) | Your center of gravity shifts and ligaments become more lax, making falls more likely and more consequential | Walking, hiking on even trails, indoor cycling, low-impact classes |
| Scuba diving | The baby cannot protect against decompression sickness | Swimming and snorkeling at the surface |
| Sky diving | Impact and pressure risks | Save it for later! |
| “Hot yoga” or “hot Pilates” | Risk of overheating (hyperthermia), particularly concerning in early pregnancy | Prenatal yoga or Pilates in a normal-temperature room |
What about lying on your back?
This is one of the most common questions we get, and it’s worth getting right. After roughly the first trimester, the weight of the growing uterus can press on the large vein (the inferior vena cava) that returns blood to your heart when you lie flat on your back. ACOG notes that the supine position can reduce venous return, and recommends avoiding prolonged periods lying flat. The Canadian guideline takes a symptom-based approach: if you feel light-headed, nauseous or unwell on your back, modify your position.
In practice, that means a few reps of a glute bridge on your back are generally fine for many people if you feel good, but long stretches lying flat — like an extended floor-based core circuit or a long savasana — are worth swapping out. Easy alternatives include an incline (a wedge or a few pillows under your upper back), side-lying positions, or seated and standing variations.
Other smart habits
Drink water before, during and after exercise. Avoid exercising in high heat and humidity, and wear breathable layers. Eat a small snack beforehand if you’re prone to feeling shaky. If you plan to exercise at high altitude, talk with your provider first. And avoid sustained breath-holding while lifting — exhale on the effort instead.
Trimester-by-trimester guidance
Your body changes a lot over forty-ish weeks. The goal is not to push harder as you go — it is to keep moving in ways that feel good, adjusting as your belly, balance, energy and breath change. Each sample workout below takes about 30–40 minutes including a warm-up. Work at a moderate effort (RPE 5–6), and always stop a couple of reps short of failure.
First trimester (weeks 1–13): build the habit
Focus: Consistency over intensity. Fatigue and nausea can be intense in these weeks, so the win is showing up in whatever way you can. Establish a baseline of strength training, start pelvic floor and breathing practice, and keep up daily walks.
Modifications: If you were already training, you can generally continue your usual routine at a similar or slightly reduced intensity with your provider’s okay. If you are new to exercise, start with 10–15 minutes and build up. Keep a snack and water nearby, avoid overheating, and give yourself full permission to swap a workout for a walk on rough days.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Coaching cues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat | 3 × 10 | 60–90 s | Hold the weight at your chest, sit between your heels, exhale as you stand. |
| Single-arm dumbbell row (bench-supported) | 3 × 10 each side | 60 s | Long spine, pull your elbow toward your back pocket, don’t shrug. |
| Romanian deadlift (dumbbells) | 3 × 10 | 60–90 s | Soft knees, hinge at the hips, weights slide close to your legs. |
| Incline push-up | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s | Hands on a bench or counter, body in one line, exhale as you press away. |
| Glute bridge | 2 × 12 | 45 s | Exhale and gently lift the pelvic floor as you rise; squeeze your glutes at the top. |
| Bird dog | 2 × 8 each side | 45 s | Reach long through opposite arm and leg; keep your hips level. |
| Brisk walk or easy cycle | 10–15 min | — | Conversational pace; this also counts toward your 150 minutes. |
Second trimester (weeks 14–27): the strong middle
Focus: For many people, energy returns and this becomes the most comfortable season to train. Keep building strength — especially your glutes, upper back and legs, which will carry, lift and feed your baby later — and keep working on balance.
Modifications: As your bump grows, start limiting long periods flat on your back, moving to incline or side-lying positions. Swap front-loaded core work (full planks, crunches, sit-ups) for moves like side-lying work, bird dogs and Pallof presses, and watch for coning or doming along your midline (more on that below). Use a wider stance for squats and hinges, and add support (a wall, bench or rail) for single-leg exercises as your balance shifts.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Coaching cues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box squat (to bench) | 3 × 10 | 60–90 s | Wider stance, tap the bench lightly, exhale as you stand. |
| Split squat with support | 2 × 8 each side | 60 s | Hold a wall or rail, lower straight down, front knee tracks over toes. |
| Kettlebell or dumbbell deadlift | 3 × 8 | 90 s | Wide stance around the bump, hinge back, stand tall without leaning back. |
| Seated or half-kneeling cable/band row | 3 × 12 | 60 s | Chest proud, squeeze your shoulder blades together and down. |
| Half-kneeling overhead press | 3 × 8 each side | 60 s | Ribs stacked over hips, don’t arch; exhale as you press. |
| Pallof press | 2 × 10 each side | 45 s | Resist the pull of the band; breathe out as you press forward. |
| Side-lying clamshell | 2 × 15 each side | 30 s | Heels together, open the top knee without rolling the hips back. |
Third trimester (weeks 28–birth): maintain and prepare
Focus: Maintenance, mobility and birth preparation. Strength training can continue for many people, but loads usually come down and comfort becomes the guide. Prioritize hip mobility, breathing, pelvic floor relaxation (not just strengthening), and staying on your feet with walks.
Modifications: Reduce weights and range of motion as needed, lengthen rest periods, and choose stable positions. Avoid anything that causes pelvic, pubic or back pain — wide-stance or single-leg work can irritate the pubic symphysis for some, so narrow your stance or skip them if so. Low-impact cardio like walking, swimming, water aerobics and stationary cycling tends to feel best. Some days, a 20-minute walk and five minutes of breathing is the workout.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Coaching cues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sit-to-stand (bench or chair) | 3 × 10 | 60 s | Hip-width stance, lean slightly forward, exhale as you rise. |
| Supported Romanian deadlift (light) | 2 × 10 | 60 s | Short range, keep the weights close; stop if your back feels tired. |
| Standing band row | 3 × 12 | 45 s | Tall posture, pull to your ribs, pause for one second. |
| Wall push-up | 2 × 10–12 | 45 s | Hands at chest height, body in one line. |
| Side-lying leg lift | 2 × 12 each side | 30 s | Pillow under your bump; lift the top leg slightly behind you. |
| Deep squat hold with support | 3 × 20–30 s | 30 s | Hold a rail or doorframe; breathe into your pelvic floor and let it soften. |
| 360° breathing (side-lying or seated) | 2 min | — | Slow inhale into ribs and back; long, relaxed exhale. |
Want the full plan, week by week? The Steady Pregnancy takes these sample sessions and turns them into a complete trimester-by-trimester program with full workouts for each trimester, an exercise library with easier and harder options for every move, a weekly movement planner, and a symptom & energy log to bring to appointments.
A sample weekly schedule
Here’s how 150 minutes can fit into a real week. Treat it as a template, not a rulebook — shuffle days around your life, and scale back whenever your body asks you to.
| Day | Focus | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength A | Trimester workout (30–40 min) + 5 min breathing and pelvic floor |
| Tuesday | Cardio | 30-minute brisk walk, swim or stationary cycle at a talk-test pace |
| Wednesday | Mobility & recovery | 20 minutes of prenatal yoga or the labor-prep mobility flow below |
| Thursday | Strength B | Trimester workout (30–40 min) + 5 min breathing and pelvic floor |
| Friday | Cardio | 30-minute walk or low-impact class |
| Saturday | Family movement | 30–45 minute walk, hike on an even trail or pool time |
| Sunday | Rest | Rest, gentle stretching and a few minutes of connection breath |
Pregnancy-friendly exercise library
These eight moves form the backbone of our prenatal programming. Each can be adjusted up or down, so you can keep using them throughout pregnancy.
Goblet Squat
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically at your chest, feet slightly wider than hips.
- Inhale as you sit your hips down and back, knees tracking over your toes.
- Lower to a comfortable depth, keeping your chest tall.
- Exhale and press through your whole foot to stand.
Make it easier: Squat to a bench or use bodyweight only. Make it harder: Add a 3-second lowering or a slightly heavier weight (first and second trimester).
Romanian Deadlift
- Stand holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, knees softly bent.
- Push your hips back, sliding the weights down close to your legs.
- Stop when you feel a hamstring stretch while your back stays long.
- Exhale and drive your hips forward to stand tall.
Make it easier: Use a lighter weight or a band, and widen your stance to make room for the bump. Make it harder: Try a staggered-stance version holding a support.
Bench-Supported Row
- Place one hand and knee on a bench, the other foot on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in the free hand, arm hanging long.
- Exhale and pull your elbow toward your hip.
- Lower slowly with control.
Make it easier: Do a standing band row. Make it harder: Pause for 2 seconds at the top of each rep.
Incline Push-Up
- Place your hands on a sturdy bench or counter, slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line.
- Inhale as you lower your chest toward the surface.
- Exhale and press away, keeping your belly from sagging.
Make it easier: Use a higher surface or a wall. Make it harder: Use a lower surface — but move higher again if you notice any doming along your midline.
Glute Bridge
- Lie on your back (or on an incline later in pregnancy) with knees bent and feet flat.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale, gently lift your pelvic floor and press your hips up.
- Lower slowly, relaxing your pelvic floor fully at the bottom.
Make it easier: Do smaller lifts, or keep reps short if lying flat. Make it harder: Place your shoulders on a bench (a hip thrust) or add a band above your knees.
Pallof Press
- Anchor a band at chest height and stand side-on to it, holding the handle at your chest.
- Set your feet hip-width apart with soft knees.
- Exhale as you press your hands straight out, resisting the pull.
- Hold for 2 seconds, then return with control.
Make it easier: Step closer to the anchor or kneel. Make it harder: Step further away or add a 5-second hold.
Side-Lying Clamshell
- Lie on your side with knees bent, head supported, pillow under the bump if you like.
- Keep your heels together and hips stacked.
- Exhale and open your top knee, without letting your pelvis roll back.
- Lower slowly.
Make it easier: Reduce the range. Make it harder: Add a mini band just above the knees.
Bird Dog
- Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Exhale and reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back.
- Keep your hips level and your belly gently supported.
- Return with control and switch sides.
Make it easier: Move just the leg or just the arm. Make it harder: Add a 3-second hold at full reach.
Your pelvic floor and breathing
Your pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles that supports your bladder, bowel and uterus. In pregnancy it carries extra load, and during a vaginal birth it needs to stretch and open. That’s why we train it for both strength and relaxation — a strong pelvic floor that can’t let go isn’t the goal.
360° breathing
- Sit tall or lie on your side with one hand on your ribs and one on your belly.
- Inhale slowly through your nose, letting your ribs widen to the sides and back as well as the front — like an umbrella opening.
- Feel your pelvic floor gently lengthen and drop as you inhale.
- Exhale through your mouth, letting your ribs soften back in.
- Repeat for 1–2 minutes daily.
Connection breath
- Start with a 360° inhale, letting your pelvic floor relax.
- As you exhale, gently lift your pelvic floor (as if stopping gas and the flow of urine) and draw your lower belly slightly in toward your spine.
- Think “lift and hug,” not “clench and suck in” — about 30–50% effort.
- On the next inhale, fully release.
- Do 10 slow breaths, and use this exhale pattern during the hardest part of each exercise.
Why this matters
The Canadian guideline notes that pelvic floor muscle training may be performed daily during pregnancy to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence, and that instruction in proper technique helps you get the most out of it. Many people do Kegels incorrectly without realizing it, which is one reason we love seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Diastasis recti: what to know
As your belly grows, the connective tissue running down the middle of your abdomen (the linea alba) stretches and thins so your abdominal muscles can make room. This separation, called diastasis recti, is a normal adaptation of pregnancy — not something you did wrong. One Norwegian study that followed first-time mothers found diastasis in about 60% of women at six weeks postpartum, with the proportion declining over the following year.
What we watch for during exercise is coning or doming: a ridge or peak that pops up along the midline of your belly when you strain. It’s a sign that the pressure inside your abdomen is more than your core can manage well in that moment. It isn’t dangerous on its own, but it’s useful feedback.
- Exhale on the effort using your connection breath.
- Roll to your side to get up from lying down instead of sitting straight up.
- Reduce the load or range, or change the position (e.g., incline instead of floor push-ups).
- Swap crunches, sit-ups and full front planks for bird dogs, Pallof presses and side-lying work as pregnancy progresses.
- If doming persists or you have questions, ask your provider or a pelvic health physical therapist.
Labor-prep mobility flow
These gentle positions help you practice relaxing your pelvic floor, open your hips, and get familiar with positions you may use in labor. Move slowly, breathe, and do the flow 3–5 times a week in the third trimester (or earlier if it feels good). Nothing here should hurt.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Coaching cues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat-cow | 1 × 8–10 slow reps | — | Move with your breath; let your pelvis rock freely. |
| Hip circles on a birth ball | 1 × 10 each direction | — | Feet wide and grounded; make big, easy circles. |
| Supported deep squat | 3 × 30 s | 20 s | Hold a doorframe or sit on a low stool; inhale and let the pelvic floor soften. |
| Child’s pose with wide knees | 3 slow breaths | — | Knees wide to make room for the bump; breathe into your back. |
| Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch | 1 × 30 s each side | — | Hold a support; tuck your tailbone gently and stay tall. |
| Side-lying rest with long exhales | 2 min | — | Pillow between the knees; make each exhale longer than the inhale. |
After baby: returning to exercise postpartum
The postpartum body has done something enormous. Rebuilding is a process measured in months, not weeks, and there is no prize for rushing it. ACOG notes that many people with an uncomplicated vaginal birth can begin gentle activity like walking and pelvic floor exercises within days, when they feel ready, and gradually build back toward 150 minutes per week. After a cesarean birth or a complicated delivery, your timeline will depend on your recovery, so be guided by your provider.
The six-week check is a start, not a finish line
Being “cleared” at your postpartum visit usually means you’re healing as expected — not that you’re ready to jump straight back into running, heavy lifting or high-intensity classes. ACOG encourages thinking of postpartum care as an ongoing process across the “fourth trimester,” rather than a single appointment. Use that visit to ask questions and ask for a referral if you need one.
A gradual return
| Phase | Focus | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 0–2 | Rest and reconnect | Rest, short easy walks as you feel able, 360° breathing, gentle pelvic floor contractions and relaxation. |
| Weeks 2–6 | Gentle foundations | Gradually longer walks, connection breath, glute bridges, side-lying clamshells, bird dogs and supported bodyweight squats. |
| Weeks 6–12 | Rebuild strength | With your provider’s okay, return to light, low-impact strength training 2–3 times per week, adding load slowly. Low-impact cardio like cycling or swimming (once bleeding has stopped and any wounds have healed). |
| 12 weeks + | Progress and reintroduce impact | Continue progressive strength training; begin impact and running only if you meet the readiness markers below. |
See a pelvic health physical therapist
If we could recommend one thing to every new mama, it would be an assessment with a pelvic health (pelvic floor) physical therapist. They can check your pelvic floor function and abdominal separation, and build a plan around your body. It’s especially worth it if you notice leaking, a feeling of heaviness or bulging in the vagina, pain with sex, persistent doming, or pelvic or back pain. These symptoms are common, but they’re not something you just have to live with.
Returning to running
The widely used 2019 postnatal return-to-running guidelines by physiotherapists Tom Goom, Gráinne Donnelly and Emma Brockwell suggest that returning to running is generally not recommended before about 12 weeks (three months) postpartum, and some people will need longer. They recommend building up low-impact exercise first and checking readiness with simple tests, such as being able to comfortably:
- Walk for 30 minutes
- Balance on one leg for 10 seconds on each side
- Do 10 single-leg squats on each side
- Jog on the spot for 1 minute
- Do 10 forward bounds and 10 single-leg hops on each side
…all without pain, leaking, or a sense of heaviness or dragging in the pelvis. The guidelines also suggest building strength first, working toward around 20 reps each of single-leg calf raises, single-leg bridges, single-leg sit-to-stands and side-lying leg raises. If any test causes symptoms, that’s not failure — it’s information, and a great reason to see a pelvic health physical therapist.
When you’re ready to move from postpartum recovery into longer-term strength training, our Women’s Strength Program is the natural next step. And because feeding a newborn (and yourself) takes serious fuel, our nutrition guides have simple, realistic ideas for busy days.
Exercise and gestational diabetes
If you’re diagnosed with gestational diabetes, movement often becomes part of your care plan. Muscles use glucose for fuel, so many people find that a short walk after meals helps with their blood sugar readings. Always follow the specific plan from your care team, and check with them about how exercise fits with any medication you take. Pairing movement with balanced, satisfying meals can make the whole process feel more manageable.
Frequently asked questions
I never exercised before pregnancy. Is it safe to start now?
For most people with an uncomplicated pregnancy, yes — ACOG and the Canadian guideline both encourage previously inactive people to start. The key is to begin gently (for example, 10–15 minutes of walking or a short bodyweight session) and build up gradually toward 150 minutes per week. Check in with your provider first.
Can I keep lifting weights while pregnant?
Resistance training is recommended in both ACOG and Canadian guidance. If you were lifting before pregnancy, you can usually continue with adjustments, keeping effort moderate and technique sharp. Avoid sustained breath-holding, lower the weight if you notice doming, leaking or pain, and reduce loads as your bump and balance change. Your provider should know what you’re doing.
Should I keep my heart rate under 140 beats per minute?
That old rule is out of date and isn’t part of current ACOG guidance. The talk test and perceived exertion are the recommended ways to judge intensity for most people: you should be able to hold a conversation while exercising. If your provider has given you specific heart-rate limits, follow those.
Is it okay to run while pregnant?
If you were a regular runner before pregnancy and your pregnancy is uncomplicated, ACOG notes that you can generally continue with your provider’s approval. Many people reduce pace and distance as pregnancy progresses, and switch to walking or cycling when running becomes uncomfortable or causes leaking, pelvic pressure or pain. Pregnancy isn’t the time to start running for the first time.
When should I stop doing ab exercises?
You don’t have to stop training your core — you just change how. As your belly grows, most people phase out crunches, sit-ups and full front planks, typically during the second trimester or as soon as they notice doming. Breathing work, pelvic floor training, bird dogs, Pallof presses, side-lying moves and carries keep your core strong and supportive.
What if I feel too tired or sick to work out?
Rest. Fatigue and nausea are real, especially in the first and third trimesters. On hard days, a short walk, a few minutes of breathing or nothing at all is completely fine. Progress over perfection — the habit you keep over many weeks is what matters, not any single session.
How soon after a C-section can I exercise?
Gentle walking and breathing are usually encouraged early to support recovery, but the timeline for strength training and core work depends on how you’re healing. Follow your surgeon’s and provider’s advice, and consider seeing a pelvic health physical therapist, who can also help with scar mobility and core rehab.
Is it safe to exercise while breastfeeding?
Yes. According to ACOG, regular exercise does not affect the quantity or composition of breast milk or your baby’s growth. Many people find it more comfortable to feed or pump before exercising, wear a supportive bra and stay well hydrated.
Still have a question we didn’t cover? Send us a message — we love hearing from you. For anything specific to your health, your provider is always your best resource.
Sources & further reading
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Committee Opinion No. 804. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2020.
- Mottola MF, Davenport MH, Ruchat SM, et al. 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018;52(21):1339–1346.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Optimizing Postpartum Care. Committee Opinion No. 736. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2018.
- Goom T, Donnelly G, Brockwell E. Returning to running postnatal – guidelines for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population. 2019.
- Sperstad JB, Tennfjord MK, Hilde G, Ellström-Engh M, Bø K. Diastasis recti abdominis during pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth: prevalence, risk factors and report of lumbopelvic pain. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. HHS, 2018.
- World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. WHO, 2020.
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes – Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy. Diabetes Care, updated annually.
This content is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about exercise during pregnancy and postpartum, especially if you have a medical condition or pregnancy complication.