Is It Safe to Lift Weights While Pregnant?

Whether you’re just starting a regular regimen now or you’ve been working out for years, exercising when you’re expecting is perfectly safe if your pregnancy is considered low risk. And if lifting weights is of interest, you can continue to pump iron (with a few precautions) with a baby on board.

Just ask your doctor about your workout routine early on in pregnancy and get the okay first. And if you do get the green light to lift weights, here’s more about the benefits you can enjoy as well as how to do this activity safely.

Is lifting weights safe while pregnant?

Yes, a pregnant woman can lift weights! She can also do prenatal yoga, swim laps and join water aerobics classes. In fact, researchers have extensively studied resistance exercises, like using weights and elastic bands, during pregnancy. These pregnancy workouts — along with walking, biking on a stationary machine, dancing and stretching — are safe for most women.

Of course, lifting weights safely depends on how you’re feeling and the type of pregnancy you have. Your physician may recommend you modify your routine and use only light weights if you are carrying twins or triplets as bearing multiples is considered higher risk.

But no matter how many babies you have on board, it’s wise to listen to your body. As you gain weight, you may need to lighten the load you’re lifting, pace yourself and refrain from hoisting anything super heavy. As a general rule, you should be able to carry on a conversation while you’re exercising — and if you can’t, you’re probably working out too hard.

What are the benefits of lifting weights while pregnant?

Both you and your baby-to-be can reap a range of health rewards from an exercise program that includes lifting weights. Most pregnant women should aim to fit in strengthening activities at least two days per week to get the benefits. Here are some of the advantages you’ll enjoy:

• Improved stamina. Your overall fitness increases with exercise, and you'll gain a stronger heart.
• Less back pain and constipation. Exercising with weights may ease back pain, bloating and swelling as well another common pregnancy complaint, constipation.
• Reduced risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Staying active can lower your odds of certain complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes — and help control a case of gestational diabetes after it's developed.
• More sleep. Resistance exercise such as weight-lifting can send you off to dreamland faster at night, especially when it’s done in the morning.
• Better mood and energy. Endorphins, those feel-good hormones, surge when you exercise. The result: a more positive outlook and raised energy too.
• Easier weight management. Sticking to a regular exercise plan helps you gain weight more steadily during pregnancy. 
• Shorter labor. It’s possible that a regular exercise program may shorten the time you spend in labor.

What are the risks of lifting weights while pregnant?

To learn about specific risks and when to stop weight training during pregnancy, speak with your doctor about your personal exercise routine. If your job involves heavy lifting (e.g., moving patients as a health care worker), standing for long periods of time or repeatedly bending at the waist, raise that with your doctor about that too. Overly physical demands may increase your risk of preterm delivery and other complications.

Sticking with light weights or using resistance bands is a safer way to strength train. That said, you should definitely stop if you feel any pain, strain or shortness of breath when lifting.

Watch where you swing your weights too, so you don’t end up poking yourself in the belly. And remember, clumsiness in pregnancy is a real concern thanks to looser joints and ligaments — and a swelling belly can throw off your center of gravity. Too much weight lifting when your baby bump is massive may not be a good mix.

How to lift weights safely while pregnant

Keep the following in mind as you plan your weight-lifting routine in pregnancy:

• Remember to breathe. You may not even notice that you’re holding your breath while doing your moves. Focus on breathing out as you lift and breathing in as you lower.
• Lighten the load. Do more reps with light to moderate weights instead of pushing yourself to use heavier weights. If you don’t have small dumbbells at home, you can try using bottles of water or cans of food.
• Switch to resistance bands. These rubbery wonders don’t have the same risk of hitting your belly. You can use them just as you would free weights to work your biceps, triceps and lats.
• Don’t lift on your back. Laying on your back during the second and third trimesters can put too much pressure on your vena cava, the main vein that carries blood to your heart from other areas of your body. Skip the overhead presses and stand or sit when working out.
• Watch for dizziness. Along with that clumsy feeling, dizziness or unsteadiness is also common in pregnancy. If you feel lightheaded when lifting weights, have a seat and call it a day. 

What about other forms of weight training?

You can still do other forms of weight training, such as toning exercises and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), when you’re pregnant as long as you don’t overexert yourself and you make the necessary modifications. For example, you could start doing leg lifts while lying on your side (not your back) to work your thighs.

Before signing up for a HIIT class, check with your doctor first. After you get that green light, let the instructor know you’re expecting. HIIT workouts often contain certain jarring movements (like jumping or quick changes in direction) worth skipping while you’re pregnant. Use the wall if you need to when you’re practicing balance exercises, and don’t overdo the stretching since your joints and ligaments are more flexible now.