Bodybuilding During Pregnancy: How to Stay Safe

Regular exercise is good during pregnancy--evidence shows that it can help reduce lower back pain and improve post-birth recovery time. Bodybuilders will need to take special precautions, although it should not severely limit their ability to work out.

These are some basic safety guidelines for bodybuilding while pregnant.

Safety Guidelines for Bodybuilding While Pregnant
1. Get medically cleared to exercise. Some medical conditions may require you to take special precautions during exercise. These conditions include:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Some types of diabetes
• Placenta previa

Depending on the severity of the disease, you may or may not be cleared for exercise in general.

2. Skip the supplements. Some bodybuilding supplements can cause complications for both mother and baby--skip it until after labor. This includes fat burners, energy aids, or muscle-gaining supplements. Always make sure to discuss any supplements or drugs with your doctor to avoid potential complications.

3. Avoid overexertion. This is not the time to join a weightlifting competition. As a starting point, your bodybuilding program should moderately raise your heart beat, not send you gasping for air--that's a sign you're working too hard. Rule of thumb: work to maintain your physique, not improve it. It's still okay to lift moderately heavy, but this isn't the time to aim for personal records on your squats or overhead presses.

4. Stay away from exercises that require you to lie down. This is especially true for pregnant bodybuilders in their second trimester, whose uterus could cut off blood flow to the heart. According to Russell Turk, a BabyCenter.com obstetrician, this could impact your baby's ability to receive nutrients. Unfortunately, this means you can't bench press with the guys, but don't fret just yet--incline benches are a safer alternative.

5. Limit exercises where balance is key. Pregnant women may have balance issues; just one wrong move could injure you and your baby. To stay injury-free, avoid these exercises:

• Squats
• Lunges
• Power cleans
• One-legged squats
• Bent-over rows

6. Stay hydrated. Hydration is vitally important during pregnancy, especially for active bodybuilders. To make hydration easy, keep a large, cold water bottle with you at all times, and get into the sipping habit. Some women prefer to carry a gallon of water, but this is up to your personal preference.

Although bodybuilding during pregnant is safe, following these guidelines will boost the health of both you and your growing baby.

More from this contributor:
PMS Talk 101: Your Guide to Preventing Common PMS Symptoms
5 Foods that Prevent Dehyration
Your Baby's Poop Color: What's Normal?

Source: BabyCenter.com