Giving birth & fitness level

[Sarah13]

Do you girls who have recently given birth think there is any truth about the fitter you are the better/easier you cope with labour or is it rubbish? Any super fit mums still had a nightmare and long labour or unfit mums had a quick easy one?

Just asking cos I'm still at the gym every day, one reason being to cope with labour easier (now I'm old!) I had my daughter 14 years ago with a quick easy 4 hour labour and although I was super fit when I got pregnant I let myself go during pregnancy and turned into a fat lazy blob, so I wonder if it makes any difference or if your body will cope how it's going to cope whatever you do to prepare?

 

[HeppiBean]

I was freaking out about this earlier! -stalking- for answers xx

 

[riotfox]

I'm not unfit but then I'm not really fit. I did make sure I kept active throughout pregnancy. This wasn't to cope with labour easier but to make sure I didn't pile on the pounds. I had a 3 and a half hour labour and only spent 5 minutes pushing. I don't think fitness levels would effect the length of labour. I also don't think fitness helped ease the labour pains. I think I coped during labour by making sure I was focused. I focused lots on my breathing which really helped. xx

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I do hardly any exercise now compared to when I had my 1st and my 2nd labour was much easier!! I don't think personally theres any truth in it! x.

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

I was super unfit for my first labour and it was 23 hours, 2nd time was only a year later and I was a lot fitter cos I couldn't just slob on the sofa all day! Labour was a LOT quicker, but that was just like some freak of nature haha! I don't think there's much truth in it tbh xx

 

[Sarah13]

Maybe it's just true that it's easier to get your figure back afterwards then, suppose if you were a really unfit person you would have less stamina to cope with a long labour. Time will tell with this one!

 

[littlemiss83]

I've heard this too sarah and totally believe it. Labour is alot of work for our bodies to go through, it only makes sense that if our bodies are used to exercise it will be easier on them.

And i wouldn't worry about letting yourself go a bit fitness wise while pregnant, just try and do a bit of exercise daily, even if its just a walk.

 

[treeze]

with my 2nd pregnancy i went to the gym at the beginning and just did 15m ins treadmill and 15 mins excersize bik and swimming. About half way through tri 2 i ditched the gym bit and just did swimmingup to about 38 weeks when i had mild spd. i went 11 days overdue and then had a very speedy 3 hour labour with 6 mins pushing on just gas and air (much to my dissapointment about the pain relief - lol!).

I definately wouldn't class myself as fit... i started off this pregnancy at about 14 stone and by the end had gone up to 18 stone.. i'm 5 foot 9 so even my start weight of 14 stone is about 2 stone overweight... i therefore don't think my fitness/weight etc affected my labour at all but then it did all happen very quickly. I would think if you have a long / longer labour then fitness levels could help with your stamina etc, and likewise if you want to do more standing / squatting in labour it would prob help if you're fitter... i just found that standing and even sitting on the birthing ball made the contractions even worse so i opted for the bed in the end!!

I bet it helps afterwards though.. I put on 4 stone this pregnancy and having the baby only lost me 1 stone of that weight.. another 3 to go... had i done more excersize i prob wouldn't have put on as much weight and wouldn't be needing to lose 3 stone now!

Well done for still going to the gym - and by the sounds of your 1st labour I'd just get to the hospital quick if i were you!!!

 

[titch]

The thing is your braxton hicks are your womb exercising ready for contractions. Having said that, i had so many BHs we' used to watch my bump they were so tight and my labour was RUBBISH! I was induced though so I think thats why.

I dont really beleive it to be honest about speeding up labour or anything like that, but being healthy in general is good for your baby and your milk supply so its a good idea to eat well and be active when youre pregnant.

I have a friend who is superfit, yoga instructor, does circuit training a lot, and she got preeclampsia, I dont think they know enough about womens bodies during pregnancy and labour to advise us very effectively!

 

[littlemiss83]

This reminds me of something I read about giving birth in years gone by. Women would be put to sleep and their bodies would naturally give birth! If only ladies eh!

 

[titch]

serious?! Sleep was the one thing I wanted most when I was in labour!!

 

[Princess81]

My friend was super fit and had a poo labour
I think it will maybe help your stamina though x

 

[titch]

^^ its all in the mind! perhaps if youre used to pushing yourself mentally in endurance exercise you'll be better equipt to cope with labour?

 

[Sarah13]

Maybe it is a mental thing, I've also heard that your body will still take over if your asleep, if only!

 

[FebMum2Be]

I was so unfit, I ate a chinese nearly every night coming up to my due date and never exercised, and delivered Odhrán with not a lot of pushing. I think the pelvic floor muscles are a big part of it, I always did those..xx

 

[Princess81]

You've just made me clench there x

 

[littlemiss83]

I never done any pelvic floors with my first, and always wondered what it would have been like if I had. Been doing it this time, but really struggling to remember to do them!

 

[FebMum2Be]

Jayne

Little miss set a reminder on your phone for once a day.. xx

 

[littlemiss83]

Ooooh once a day isn't too bad, i'd read somewhere you should do it 10x a day, mind you I suppose 1 is better than none.

 

[Sarah13]

I heard a strange thing today that women who keep up their fitness levels in pregnancy on average give birth 5 days before their due date and their labours are generally a third quicker! Be interesting to see how true that is!