Being an 'Expert' & Defining Boundaries

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I really enjoyed hosting a pregnancy / postnatal exercise & nutrition live Q&A on babyexpert.com today! Questions included pelvic floor & post c -section tummy worries (‘is it EVER coming back?!’), as well as PCOS pre-conception fitness concerns & pregnancy weight control with diabetes.

Other experts asked to host chats on babyexpert.com include Zita West, the fertility guru, & so I was flattered to be in such great company! But it also got me thinking about the term ‘expert’, how it is used so sparingly (especially on the web) & the responsibility that goes with that label.

Womens’ pregnancy & postnatal exercise concerns often simply do not seem to be answered succinctly by the ubiquitous pregnancy ‘bibles’ (mine was Yehudi Gordon which I swore by!… what was yours?), or even by doctors & midwives. This is perfectly reasonable since none of these are specifically focussed on that subject matter. Your doctor & midwife are of course utterly fundamental to your wellbeing & safety during pregnancy & birth, but they’re not necessarily up to date or experts in the latest exercise research.

As a pregnancy personal trainer, I need to be very clear about my boundaries. My team & I NEVER cross the line into giving medical or obstetric advice. We’re not childbirth or parenting experts, we’re not antenatal teachers or trained counsellors.

I do know quite a lot about childbirth (especially when it goes off childbirth plan :-0), a little (very little!) about parenting, a fair amount about breastfeeding (my wisdom here goes thus : stick it out for 3 weeks & it stops hurting) & hopefully am pretty experienced & knowledgeable when dealing with the hormonal rollercoaster of pregnancy & motherhood…

…My point being, I know about as much, & as little,  as every other mother out there.

I am very clear however about my ‘expert’ status.

My expertise is in physical exercise throughout pregnancy & beyond – for fitness, strength, fat loss, flexibility, core & postural restoration, as well as alleviating pain & discomfort. I have a sound technical knowledge of, and & can advise on, optimum nutrition for pregnancy, breastfeeding & postnatal weight control.

General guidelines are a good starting point, but fears about exercise causing miscarriage;  ‘how much weight gain is too much?’;  ‘how long will it take to lose it?’; ‘how hard, how often & for how long should I exercise?’; exercise to make pregnancy, SPD & back ache more comfortable & controlling weight gain in pregnancy are all clearly still big concerns.

These are the questions I can answer.

I think you want straight talking, facts & strategies that work…  NOT generic, vague advice, unrealistic  regimes or value judgements. Am I on the right track? Do the answers like those given on the webchat today & on this blog help? I hope so – but please let me know either way!!

Pregnancy Exercise Tips: What, How, Why & How Much??

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How do you build the stamina and strength required for labour, birth and beyond with SAFE pregnancy exercise?  You can prepare your body to cope, and to recover quicker, through preparation during pregnancy: by safely staying fit and healthy, and by working with your changing body.

Regular pregnancy exercise will improve fitness, maintain a better self-image, and help you to feel positive about your pregnancy, your labour and your delivery.   Don’t try to dramatically increase your fitness during pregnancy, (however you can start exercising now, even if you didn’t before – start with just walking, and some of the exercises in this post) but look to maintain a basic fitness level.

Modify your pregnancy exercise programme as your pregnancy progresses, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, and don’t over-exert yourself.

There is no evidence to support the fear that pregnancy exercise increases the risk of miscarriage, premature labour or of congenital defects. All available evidence indicates that a low-risk pregnant woman, with the consent of her Midwife or Doctor, will gain significant health benefits from continuing or starting a regular exercise programme.

What Type of Pregnancy Exercise Should You Do & How Often? Aim for a balanced pregnancy exercise programme, including both aerobic exercise (when your body keeps moving and your heart rate is elevated for a length of time) and resistance training (to build muscle strength). Aerobic exercise could include walking, low impact aerobics, swimming or cycling. Try to do 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise, 3-4 times a week, and choose something you enjoy! Reduce intensity and/or duration as your pregnancy progresses.

A Fit Ball (sometimes called a Birth Ball) can be invaluable throughout pregnancy, during labour, and for exercising afterwards. Sit on the ball instead of a sofa or chair to maintain good posture and strengthen your core muscles (stomach and lower back). By focussing on sitting up straight on the ball you can help prevent backache and other discomforts caused by slouching and bad posture.

Try other positions on the ball to ease discomfort, and help your baby to move into the right position in later pregnancy.

Your pregnancy exercise programme should include strength training to tone and shape your body. Strength exercises will not give you big muscles, but simply strengthen the areas of the body most weakened by the postural effects of pregnancy, and your changing centre of gravity and posture.

The important muscles to strengthen during pregnancy exercise are your upper back (to prevent slouching), lower back and core muscles (for posture, support and strength) and the backs of your thighs and bottom (these muscles can get weaker and stretched during pregnancy due to postural changes).

The most important thing to remember when exercising during pregnancy is that weight loss, or reduced weight gain, should NOT be your primary goal or focus. You are exercising and eating well in order to be strong and fit, and to give yourself the stamina needed over the coming months… enjoy fresh air and exercise with this in mind, and you’ll look and feel great!

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