Deciding which activities are best for you is highly individual. During the later trimesters, running and cycling tend to become uncomfortable. Most of the women that I trained switched from these sports to swimming, hiking, water aerobics, and cross-country skiing. Every woman that I worked with lifted weights right up to the end. In my experience, the postpartum recovery period was dramatically easier for the women who exercised.
Pregnancy causes so many physical and lifestyle adaptations, it can be overwhelming.
The important thing is to be in tune with your body, and to focus on bringing new life into the world. Michelle Gagnon is a ACE certified and insured Personal Trainer that specializes in prenatal exercise. Her company was voted 'Best in the Bay Area' by the San Francisco Chronicle this past year. She is currently teaching a workshop for Adventurous Woman Sports on staying fit during pregnancy. All rights reserved.