QuestionI'm 34 weeks pregnant with my second child. I have continued to exercise throughout my pregnancy including spinning,circuit training and pilates. Assuming I feel no discomfort is it safe to continue to exercise right through?
AnswerAs you enter into the last weeks of your pregnancy, you can continue to exercise, but you should modify your workout on an as needed basis.
Spinning modifications include staying in your seat, and no sprints. Your baby is growing rapidly now, and will demand more oxygen from you. This raises your rate of perceived exertion, so that you will find your cardio workouts more challenging. Taper down the intensity of your sessions so that you always stay at the level of "somewhat difficult." Never cross your anaerobic threshold to the point where you're panting or feel out of breath. The intensity of your workout should be at a level where you can continue at that pace throughout. If your body starts telling you to slow down, then slow down. You should also lengthen you cool down phase significantly, to prevent blood from pooling in your extremities. You'll feel faint if this occurs.
Circuit training should be OK, but here you'll need to pay special attention to your technique. As you tummy really starts to get big, yeah I know you think it's big now, but you'll get bigger, it will become more and more difficult for you to maintain a neutral spine. And this is true with your Pilates too. Hopefully, you've adapted your exercise selection so that in either of these two modalities, that you are performing exercises that require you to stabilize a neutral spine. If you haven't done that already, start now. I don't think weighted squats, either with heavy free weights, or on a Smith machine are a good idea in the last month or so as this type of move could easily create too much intra-abdominal pressure.
Since you sound adept at various fitness regimes, I'm going to assume that you know how to contract your Transverse Abdominis (TvA) to support your spine. As you exercise, think of everything you do as a TvA exercise. This is easy to do in Pilates, as teachers cue this, but even in a basic gym exercise like a lat pull or seated compound row, you should engage the TvA before and throughout every rep.
Be aware that many fit women have really quick labors, and tend to speed through the first and second phases. Have your overnight bag packed and ready to go. When your water breaks, don't dawdle, get to the hospital right away.
