The First Trimester
During the first trimester, you are likely to feel symptoms of tiredness and nausea, as well as breathlessness, according to Emma Brockwell, specialist pelvic health physio and author of Why Did No-One Tell Me? “You might want to shorten the distance and intensity of runs, but don’t stop if they are still comfortable.
Your body is going through very dramatic change so you need to include strength and conditioning work, which will help you remain active throughout pregnancy,” she advises.
Strength work throughout pregnancy should focus on stabilising the pelvis, as well as the abdominal wall, arms and back. Emma notes, “As a mum, you need to be strong to accommodate the demands of motherhood – which includes a lot of lifting!” She recommends seeing a pre-natal qualified personal trainer to ensure exercises adapt as you go through pregnancy. You may also find you need to pee more often – I used to run laps of a park so I was never more than a mile from a toilet!