First and foremost I am not a medical professional. All of my recommendations are personally made with the help of my midwife, two years of Crossfit training, college courses on nutrition, health, and fitness, and two healthy active pregnancies. You should consult your practitioner prior to starting a new fitness routine.

If you were an active person prior to pregnancy maintaining the same level of fitness is both achievable and healthy with few exceptions. If you were not an active person prior to pregnancy this is an excellent time to make your health and wellness a priority. If you have not been active prior to pregnancy this is not the time to make huge changes to your workout routine. Adding consistent workouts into your schedule is wonderful but do so wisely; this is not the time to intentionally loose weight or diet. A happy healthy Mommy means a happy healthy baby!

I will start with a short list of activities I limit or avoid completely during pregnancy. This may not be the same for every Mommy. 

Movements and Activities to Limit or Avoid while Pregnant:

1. Cycling
   1. Alternative: Stationary bike, At-Home Gliding Track.
   2. Reason: Falling Risk

* I was an active cyclist prior to my first pregnancy and fell a number of time before pregnancy, by my fifth month this poses a direct risk to baby and I chose to stop completely. As your belly grows you balance also chances making falling more likely.

1. High Impact Sports (Football, Rugby, Baseball ect)
   1. Alternative: Low Impact Alternatives (ex. two hand touch)
   2. Reason: Impact Risk

*I work as a Youth worker for a group of middle school students and no matter the game it gets rough. I choose not to play any games while pregnant, even in the first trimester, to prevent any damage to me, my uterus, the placenta, and/or the baby. The concern is the impact not the movement, sprinting, running, throwing are all safe. 

1. Certain Outdoor Activities (ex Horseback Riding, Skiing/Snowboarding, Rock Climbing,ect)
   1. Alternative: Low Impact Alternatives
   2. Reason: Falling Risk

*Every Mommy is different and every pregnancy is different. I tend to have bigger more pronounced bellies making falling a present concern. If you are smaller, a professional, or willing to assume the risk that is your choice. Again pregnancy is not the time to take up rock climbing!

1. Laying on Your Belly (ex “Superman Extensions”, Burpees, ex) 
   1. Alternative: Modify this movement to a plank or elevated position
   2. Reason: Impact/Compression Risk

*I will cover this again in the next section but laying on your belly pushes all the weight onto your uterus and baby. This is both uncomfortable and unhealthy for mommy and baby.