I started CrossFitting five months before I found out I was pregnant, and it never once occurred to me that I might need to stop exercising when I saw the two pink lines on my pregnancy test. But as people outside of my gym found out I was pregnant, the comments began:

“Why don’t you take it easy? Aren’t you afraid you’ll get hurt?”

“Isn’t CrossFit dangerous? Why would you do that to your baby?”

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll have a miscarriage?”

“Pregnancy is the one time you can get fat and no one can say anything to you about it. Why don’t you just relax?”

“What are you trying to prove?”

“I thought I would run/swim/hike/join the Marines when I got pregnant, but then I gave it up immediately. You know you don’t need to work so hard right now.”

I did the best I could to ignore the naysayers, but there was a nagging sense that I was doing something wrong. The mainstream was telling me I was making poor choices by maintaining a level of physical activity while pregnant. Still, I loved working out, and I continued to CrossFit, albeit extremely modified, until four days before I gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

I’m glad I didn’t listen to the unsolicited advice, since women who exercise while pregnant reap incredible health benefits. Here are just a few examples of how exercising while pregnant leads to a healthier pregnancy:


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1. Exercising lowers the risk of developing gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in 10 percent of pregnancies, and women who develop gestational diabetes have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Women who exercise during pregnancy lower their risk of developing gestational diabetes by 59 percent.

2. Exercise leads to easier labors and deliveries, with fewer medical intervention

Women who exercise while pregnant are four times less likely to have a C-section and 75 percent less likely to need forceps in a delivery. While there are no guarantees, researchers have found that exercise leads to shorter active labors, a lower risk of a pre-term birth, and a reduction of fetal distress during birth.

3. You’ll gain less weight

A study in “Maternal and Child Health Journal” recently analyzed the pregnancies of more than 800 women in South Carolina, and the results showed that women who exercised throughout pregnancy were 80 percent less likely to gain excessive amounts of weight, compared to those who did not exercise at all. The study concluded that “Exercise during pregnancy can help women achieve their recommended gestational weight gain, and experience better maternal and fetal outcomes,” meaning a decrease in the chance of a C-section, a decrease in a pre-term birth, and a decrease in obesity for both mother and child.

4. Strength training has added benefits

Women who strength train have reported increased stability, which is crucial for decreasing back pain and keeping the body in more proper alignment. So pick up those dumbbells and start lifting!

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5. Other benefits:

  • Because of increased blood flow due to exercise, you’re less likely to have leg swelling.
  • You’re at lower risk for developing preeclampsia, which is the second leading cause of maternal death in the U.S.
  • Contrary to the myth, researchers in Denmark found that women who exercise have a lower rate of miscarriage than women who don’t. Exercise is not a contributing factor toward miscarriage.
  • Women who exercise while pregnant report lower incidents of morning sickness and say that exercising helps lessen the symptoms of nausea.
  • Because it keeps your intestines moving, it reduces constipation.
  • You’ll be happier! Pregnancy is known for altering hormones and moods, but women who exercise while pregnant report fewer depressive emotions before and after birth as compared to women who don’t exercise.

If you’re pregnant and haven’t been regularly exercising, you don’t need to throw in the towel just yet! Walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga are all perfectly safe exercises to start while pregnant, and you’ll still experience benefits. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions, and always make sure that while exercising you maintain your breathing, drink plenty of water, and listen to your body. So grab a pair of sneakers and enjoy your workouts!