Information re: exercising while pregnant after premature birth?

[Lucy K]

Hi all. It's been a long time since I posted when I was pregnant with DS (who just turned a year old in September!). Well, I've just found out I'm pregnant with #2 -- SURPRISE!! Now that I'm over the initial shock, I'm pretty excited.

I exercised consistently during my first pregnancy until I was put on bedrest at 30 weeks. DS was born a week later. Now that I'm pregnant again, I'm taking it easy with respect to exercise until I go to the dr in 2 weeks.

I'd like to keep exercising, but will do whatever I can to help prevent a 2nd premature birth, if that's at all possible. (A baby in the NICU for 5 weeks is not a fun experience.) I'm wondering if anyone knows of good information or references on this subject? I've read lots of info about the benefits of exercising when pregnant, but none address this issue specifically. I realize it's possible that the info doesn't exist, since high-risk pregnancies are exactly that, very risky. But I'd be interested to learn what I can.

Thanks!
Lucy K, due May 2003

 

[tchersue]

Talk to your OB...

Congratulations!! :0)

The absolute contraindications to aerobic exercise, according to the ACOG guidelines are
*hemodynamically significant heart disease
*restrictive lung disease
*incompetent cervix/cerclage
*multiple gestattion at risk for premature labor
*persistant 2nd or 3rd trimester bleeding
*placenta previa after 26 weeks geastation
*premature labor during the current pregnancy
*ruptured membranes
*preeclampsia/pregnancy-induced hypertension...

There are also relative contraindications... like severe anemia, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic bronchitis, poorly controlled type 1 diabetes, extreme morbid obesity, extreme underweight, history of extremely sedentary lifestyle, poorly controlled hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction in current pregnancy, orthopedic limitations, poorly controlled seizure disorder, poorly controlled hyperthyroidism, or heavy smoking...

To me, this list indicates that a person like you ought to talk seriously with your OB about your current pregnancy. If you know the reason for your first premature labor, then your doctor may be able to guide you in terms of the likelihood of those same things happening again.

Hope all is well and that you enjoy a healthy, full-term pregnancy this time!!!
Susan
Healthy Moms Certified Perinatal Fitness Instructor

 

[Lucy K]

Thanks, Susan

Unfortunately, I fit in the category of "reason unknown" when it comes to why I went into premature labor. I'm one of those people that likes knowing "why", so this has been very tough! I've read a lot on the subject and can come up with a million possibilities (at least it seems that way), but that definitive answer will just never come.:-(

I have an appt on 10/18, and I definitely plan on having an in-depth discussion on this. I'm seeing a new OB since my old one left the practice, so at this point I have no sense of her opinions on exercise during pregnancy. So we'll see. In the meantime, I've decided to do an "easy rotation" for the next few weeks until I get the go ahead (I hope!) from my dr.

Thanks again.

Lucy

 

[Michelle D.]

RE: Thanks, Susan

Hi Lucy,

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I don't have any suggestions for your situation besides talking with your OB. I do want to wish you the best this time around, though. My twins were born at 33 weeks and were in NICU for 3 weeks. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. That is a rough experience to put it mildly. I really hope you can make it full term this time so you can take your new one home when you go home.

Michelle

 

[Randi77]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-04-02 AT 04:45PM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Lucy,

I'm also pregnant with #2 and 26 weeks along. My dd was born at 32 weeks (after 3 mos. of bedrest) so I know how it feels to have a baby in the NICU for a month. Not fun and definitely not worth risking anything this time around!

Anyway, (and this is just my experience ) my doctors were okay with me exercising normally in the first trimester, as long as I watched my exertion and heartrate. After 14 weeks I was monitored very closely and at one point I was not allowed to exercise at all. At my 24-week appointment I was given the go-ahead to exercise as long as I kept my cardio low impact and didn't overdo the weights (I've really learned to listen to my body this time around!).

I also tried to find info about this type of situation but there wasn't much aside from "don't do it." I miss my intense cardio workouts and I'm making the most of what I'm allowed to do right now (something is better than nothing, right?), but at least it's not completely out of the question.

My advice would be to really talk with your OB about this issue. Make sure that they know your exercise history and give them detailed info about the workouts you do as well. Depending on your circumstances you may be able to work something out.

I hope you have a much better experience this time around; I know that this pg has been sooo different than that of my dd's and I'm very grateful.

Take care (& sorry this is so long!),

Randi

 

[Lucy K]

Hi Randi!

Thanks so much for your reply. It's so nice to hear your experience and that you've been able to keep exercising, even if it is modified. You're right -- something is definitely better than nothing. I will definitely talk to me OB in depth about this. I think I will feel better about it all once I have a "plan", if that's possible, with respect to OB care, appts, monitoring, tests and what not.

I hope that my second pregnancy is very different from my first as well. It's ironic that during my first pregnancy, I very much had the "everything will be fine" attitude and this time around I am much more cautious and paranoid. Opposite of most women I talk to!

Thanks for sharing!

Lucy K