We believe the children are our future…

Exercising During Pregnancy

We believe the children are our future…as Whitney once sang.

True, of course – but that future starts with your pregnancy, and as mothers of 7 kids between us we know how difficult it can be to stay fit and healthy during and after your pregnancy (after all that is how ace itself was born in the first place!).

Here at ace, Anna, Charlotte and Leora are all qualified to work with pregnant and postnatal women but it is imperative that you let us know in time so that we can devise the most appropriate plans for our classes. The safety of you and your unborn child are paramount to us and we want to ensure that you exercise safely during your pregnancy.  So, if you are in your early stages of pregnancy then please let us know by private message ahead of you joining our classes; and don’t worry, we will, of course, be 100% discreet.

There is no reason that you can’t exercise during pregnancy but we thought it would be helpful to give you our advice on exercising carefully during your early stages of pregnancy and beyond.

1. Don’t overheat.
   Take regular breaks (another reason to tell us in advance so that we can take that into account and not be too hard on you during the session). It is especially important not to get too hot in your first trimester when your body is still adjusting to regulating its own temperature.
2. Keep your heart rate down.
   Make sure you can hold a conversation (that doesn’t mean you should just that you can). It is very easy to get carried away especially during a HIIT session. We know this can be frustrating as you love a good workout, but your priorities have to change as the safety of you and your baby is paramount.
3. Stay hydrated.
   This will help keep your body temperature down. Drink plenty of water before and during your workouts and take regular sips to keep hydrated both during the session itself as well as throughout the rest of the day.
4. Blood Pressure.
   You will be pumping more blood around your body to accommodate your growing foetus, this may make you feel light-headed or dizzy so you may find it better to stay in one position (i.e, on the floor or standing up).

Second trimester onwards:

1. Don’t lie flat on your back.
   If you’re working with a bench then there is an option to have it at an incline – so please ask us for help if you need it.
2. Core and Abs.
   Many of our classes feature core and abs sections. During pregnancy you do not need to focus on your six-pack, however, a strong core will be beneficial for your changing body, but there will be some modifications which we will advise during the class.
3. AND FINALLY – IF AN EXERCISE FEELS STRANGE OR UNCOMFORTABLE THEN LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND STOP.

We wish you a healthy and complication-free pregnancy and once you’ve had your 6-week check post-birth, we look forward to welcoming you to BABYace!