What To Expect In The Gym When You’re Expecting

When preparing for a baby, you may be reading up on classics like What to Expect When You’re Expecting to get a sense of all the crazy changes your body is about to undergo—but what about what to expect in the gym when you are expecting? If you’re reading this, chances are you’re pretty on top of your fitness. But what happens to your workout routine when you’ve got a bun in the oven?

You’ve probably been told that staying active during pregnancy is a good idea…and that’s probably where the advice ended, likely leaving you with about a hundred questions about what types of exercise to prioritize, anything you need to avoid, and more. 

Perinatal fitness is certainly an individual topic, influenced by your health and any factors impacting your pregnancy. Still, whether you prefer to sweat at home or in the gym, there are definitely some general rules of thumb to keep in mind. If exercise is a big part of your day-to-day, talk to your healthcare provider about any questions you have about sweating while pregnant. Until then, here’s a basic breakdown about why moving your body is so important while you’re growing a whole new human, plus some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.

• ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Nicole Davis, C.P.T., is a personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews who is passionate about perinatal fitness (as well as a mom of three). Karlie Booker, C.P.T., is a personal trainer and certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach with PRO Club in Seattle.

The Benefits Of Staying Active During Pregnancy

“Staying active during pregnancy helps your body handle the physical changes that come with this phase of life,” says Nicole Davis, C.P.T., a personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews who is passionate about perinatal fitness (and just so happens to be a mom of three). “For starters, regular movement supports circulation, eases joint and back pain, and may improve mood and energy levels.”

Research shows it also lowers the risk of diabetes and preeclampsia, and modulates weight gain. “Even light to moderate exercise, like walking or prenatal strength work, can make a big difference in how you feel and function throughout pregnancy,” Davis notes. “Women who consistently stay active during pregnancy also tend to have shorter labors, fewer complications, and faster postpartum recovery.”  

Exercise during pregnancy benefits the baby as well. Research shows that regular physical activity during pregnancy promotes healthy fetal growth and reduces the risk of childhood obesity. “It’s also linked to a healthier birth weight, stronger brain and heart development, and lower lifetime disease risk,” shares Karlie Booker, C.P.T., a personal trainer and certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach with PRO Club in Seattle.

The Dos and Don’ts of Exercising During Pregnancy

While you can definitely stay fit during pregnancy, you’ll need to approach your movement differently than during other phases of life. “Pregnancy is not the time to chase personal records or try high-intensity activities you have never done before; it is about maintaining strength, mobility, and stamina safely,” shares Davis. Heed these do’s and don’ts to stay active safely.

1. Take Your Cardio Low-Impact

When you are exercising while expecting, Davis recommends incorporating more low-impact cardio workouts like stationary cycling, swimming, and walking. “These are particularly good as your pregnancy progresses,” notes Davis. “Low-impact cardio is easier on your joints, which take a beating during pregnancy and become looser to accommodate a growing baby.” High-impact movements, though, can put excess stress on your joints and pelvic floor, especially by the time you’ve reached your third trimester and have a big bump to show for it!

That doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself, though. A 2025 study suggests HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is safe to continue throughout pregnancy if you were doing it beforehand. Instead of treadmill sprints, just stick to pushes on the bike or in the pool.

2. Prioritize Your Pelvic Floor

You may not have given your pelvic floor too much thought pre-pregnancy, but showing it some love now is definitely a good idea. The muscles that make up your pelvic floor support your uterus, bladder, and intestines—and “they undergo immense strain during pregnancy and childbirth, so getting a head start on strengthening them will only benefit you during labor and postpartum recovery,” Davis explains.

Kegels—in which you contract the pelvic floor, hold for a few seconds, then relax—are a go-to for training the pelvic floor. After practicing them a bit, you can incorporate them into exercises like glute bridges, cat and cow poses, and even squats and deadlifts, according to Davis. 

“Starting any exercise by engaging your pelvic floor and deep core is crucial to maintaining mind-body connection and good form,” she says. “It’s almost a bracing movement. For instance, when I’m cuing a woman to do a glute bridge, I’ll say to engage their pelvic floor and lower core first, then push up through their feet, squeezing their glutes. This gets the core firing, which ensures it will stay stable to help prevent strain in your lower back.”

3. Strength Train

Thanks to old-school ideas about women and exercise and a general lack of research in this area, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about strength training while pregnant.

Lifting weights certainly doesn’t need to be off limits during these months, though. “Pregnancy isn’t an injury or a disability; it’s an opportunity to keep yourself strong and resilient in ways that feel good to you,” notes Davis. “I laugh at the myth that says pregnant women shouldn’t lift over 20 pounds because many, many pregnant women are carrying other kids, wrangling groceries, carrying laundry up flights of stairs, and lifting way more than 20 pounds while doing so. Pregnant women are truly incredible and can do way more than we’ve been taught.”

Read More: Why Pilates Is Great—But Shouldn’t Replace Strength Training

During pregnancy, Davis recommends emphasizing strength training moves that support healthy posture and a strong core—particularly hip hinges, rows, and squats. “During pregnancy—especially as your belly grows—your center of gravity moves forward and up,” she explains. “If you focus on keeping your posterior chain muscles (everything on the back side of your body, including the lats, rhomboids, hamstrings, and glutes) strong, you promote good posture and prevent pain as you grow.”

Of course, you may need to modify certain movements as your body changes and your belly grows. (Think switching from a conventional deadlift to a suitcase deadlift.) However, as long as you feel good while you’re lifting, there’s absolutely no reason to stop, Davis says. “Women have an intuition during pregnancy that I think everyone needs to appreciate,” she notes. “You’ll know if something is too much for you.”

4. Monitor Your Intensity

When working out while pregnant, Davis advises expectant mothers to avoid exercises that cause dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath. “Any exercise that causes overexertion in mom could put the baby at risk via reduced oxygen supply and blood flow,” she says.

In general, keep tabs on your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) to guide your workouts. Current ACOG guidelines recommend sticking to a maximum of 13 or 14 out of 20 (20 being the absolute hardest you could go). “You should be able to talk during exercise,” Davis says. “If you can’t, you’re probably overexerting yourself.”

Just keep in mind that activities you wouldn’t bat an eyelash at before pregnancy might feel harder as your little nugget grows. “Something as simple as walking could have your heart rate pretty elevated, so if a brisk walk gets you to a 13 to 14 RPE, that’s totally fine,” says David. “If you are not high-risk and your doctor has OK’d exercise, we still want you to be challenging yourself. The idea of what ‘challenging’ is will change from pre-pregnancy, and you also probably aren’t going to be hitting any PRs while carrying a baby, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work hard.”

5. Avoid Twisting Movements

Deep twisting movements (like Russian twists featured in many core workouts or seated twists in yoga) are no-go’s during pregnancy. “Because the core muscles are under stress, increased twisting movements have the potential to exacerbate diastasis recti,” shares Davis. Straining your already-strained abs muscles may only increase the separation that occurs between them. “Twisting can also put unnecessary pressure on the uterus,” she adds. 

You can still do some twisting throughout pregnancy; just make sure you’re twisting from the thoracic spine (a.k.a. the middle section of your spine), Davis advises.

6. Tune Into Your Deep Core

“Learning how to engage your deep core, the muscles deep in your belly that provide support to your spine and pelvis, is important for any core work you’re doing during pregnancy (and beyond),” shares Davis. “Exercises like bird dogs, dead bugs, side planks, and glute bridges all strengthen the deep core if done correctly—and even compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses can hit them.” 

Read More: You’re Probably Neglecting Your Deep Core—Here’s How To Strengthen It

Focusing on these muscles will not only support your balance and stability as your body continues to change throughout pregnancy, but will also support your recovery and return to activity after giving birth.

7. Skip Anything That Involves A Risk Of Falling

You probably won’t be too interested in playing contact sports during pregnancy, but it’s also important to avoid activities that could involve an increased chance of falling or direct trauma to the abdomen, which are dangerous for the baby, Davis suggests. “Falls in sports like skiing and water skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, or gymnastics could end badly,” she shares. 

In other cases, you’ll have to rely on your best judgment and personal comfort levels. Take cycling on smooth, flat roads, for example. “If you’re an avid cyclist and feel confident on the bike even while pregnant, it could be fine with your doctor’s approval,” Davis says. “If you don’t ride that often, starting when you’re pregnant may not be the best option.” When in doubt, swap the outdoor cycling adventures for engaging classes on an indoor stationary bike. Sure, it’s hard to miss out on activities you love, but mitigating risk during this relatively short season of life is essential.

8. Don’t Lie Flat for Too Long

Davis recommends avoiding lying flat on your back for long periods of time, especially after the first trimester, as doing so can impact your circulation. “The growing uterus can compress a large vein, called the inferior vena cava, that carries blood from the lower body to the heart, and can therefore affect blood flow to the baby,” explains Davis. 

“Unhindered blood flow is essential because the baby relies entirely on the mother for oxygen and nutrients,” explains Booker. “The placenta does not function well when circulation is restricted.”

9. Be Adaptable

When working out while pregnant, “think consistency over intensity and listen to your body,” suggests Davis. “Some days, you will have the energy; other days, rest will be the better choice. [Always] stay flexible and do not stress yourself out if you don’t feel up to being active.” Every pregnancy is different, so don’t compare yourself to others—or even to yourself pre-pregnancy. 

“Be adaptable,” agrees Booker. “You do not have to give up your athleticism, and you do not have to approach training with fear. The key is to show up regularly and modify without guilt.

“The goal is not perfection; it is feeling strong and confident in your body,” says Davis. While you may not be hitting PRs with a bun in the oven, you can use pregnancy as an opportunity to master how you move and breathe.