Pregnancy and Sports/Physical Activities

"Keeping fit during pregnancy is usually limited to a bracing walk or maybe a gentle swim. So when keen bodybuilder Lea-Ann Ellison – just two weeks away from giving birth – posted pictures of her pumping iron, it caused an outcry.

"Exercise is essential for a healthy pregnancy, but one photo of a pregnant woman weightlifting has ignited a fiery debate on how much pregnant women should sweat."

This woman's case is making rethink a few things that I've so far taken as a given on just how much sports and other physically-exerting activity is too much for pregnant women. In fact, I might have to reevaluate my expectations in their entirety, especially given that according to Ms. Ellison, she already did the same or similar exercise routines in her previous two pregnancies, and it was her doctors' explicit approval of its safety to her and the baby.

PS: Let's try to avoid degenerating the discussion into irrational flaming of pregnant women who practice intensive physical activities, please.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Actually I had a teacher in high school that mentioned taking of lots of kung-fu while pregnant.

I'd say props to her for such a risk.

Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter

How about we trust women to handle their own bodies while pregnant, thank you very much?

This criticism is asinine. People shouldn't be unaware of the risks and the adjustments that need to be made, but she very clearly is. What a load of judgmental nonsense.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

hashtagsarestupid

I speak in jest. But you're always going to get people giving unsolicited advice to pregenent women. About what's safe or not. It's just a fact of life.

Seriously thought pregnant women were ploughing the field and hunting the plains while with child back in the day and generally lived so I don't really see where this controversy come's from.

hashtagsarestupid

I don't think I've ever come across anything that suggests that it was the norm for the women of ancient hunter-gatherer societies to partake in activities that men were seen to be able to do better than them at, like hunting wild animals. I mean, who's going to look after the kids, for one thing? And why needlessly endanger the (potential) mothers of future generations, and thus the survival of your local community?

Doing martial arts during pregnancy? Now that's something!

edited 20th Sep '13 10:39:56 AM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Maybe not major hunting expeditions, but a hunter-gatherer society can't afford to have pregnant women sit out on the hunting and gathering. Also, it's worth keeping in mind that going out with a sling for rabbits or small birds or fishing is 'Hunting' rather than 'Gathering'; in the context of the phrase 'hunter-gatherer', 'hunting' is used to cover obtaining animal food sources and ''gathering' covers plant food sources. Hunting isn't necessarily more physically taxing than gathering; it's a different type.

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.

And in hunter-gatherer societies the gathering was responsible for 80-90% of the food anyway.

edited 20th Sep '13 11:27:56 AM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

In functional ones, everybody gathered whenever they were out and about unless they were doing something that made it impractical. But it's rarely impractical to pick a couple handsful of berries and remember where the berry bushes are to tell someone back at home base.

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.

Right. So back to the modern-day time frame... The example of Mrs. Ellison seems to suggest that we be underestimating the physical capabilities of a pregnant woman's body, or at least that of an already well-trained woman. The big question is: How much? And what impact would it have on, say, the most common depictions of pregnant action-y female characters?

edited 20th Sep '13 7:35:05 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

I think Mrs. Ellison is going to be able to handle more physical activity/weight lifting than most other pregnant women, simply because she was already very, very active like that. Generally speaking, what you can do while pregnant (in regards to physical activity) is dependent on your health and life-style before becoming pregnant.

A previously inactive person will typically find heavy physical activity quite tiring and sometimes even painful, depending on what the activity is and how long they do it. So any pregnant women who suddenly decide to lift weights are gonna be feelin' the burn, so to speak. Being healthy and active when you're pregnant is a good thing, but straining your body isn't.

"With hard work and dedication, I will become a splendid ninja!"

I have to get access to her medical records before I can make a recommendation. Not that it ever stops the Internet.

hashtagsarestupid

Well, her doctors have access to her medical records (at least, they should), and they say that what she's doing now and in her previous two pregnancies is A-OK.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Well glad that settled.

hashtagsarestupid

I knew someone who handled sharks while pregnant. Pretty sure that's more dangerous than lifting weights.

Sure pregnancy has difficulties but it's not like the woman is suddenly incapable of exercising. And I'm fairly certain doing so would have benefits.

People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected.

Handled... sharks? As in, the big sharp-toothed carnivorous kinds, rather than the more harmless types like seabed-dwelling bullhead sharks?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Not all sharks are betoothed monsters out for your blood. <_< Heck, not even great whites are starving 24/7 (and, under the right conditions, can be as curious as puppies... which isn't much consolation when they try investigating, since they only have that mouth to investigate with).

Although, only an idiot tries playing with bull sharks. Not big on being reasonable, in the main, those.

edited 2nd Oct '13 1:27:42 AM by Euodiachloris

I know that (well, not the unreasonability of bull sharks), but it's still a fact that trying to handle any carnivorous animal that can eat humans is very risky, particularly if they can dismember them with absurd ease (a great white can more or less chomp off an arm in one or two bites). Like you said, innocent curiosity takes a deadly turn when it's from such animals. And God, just pray that they don't get hungry (i.e. someone forgot to feed them) while you're with them...

At least lions and other big cats are bright enough to be taught/trained rather quickly compared to most other animals (barring canines), and even they can fall into the "but I was hungry!" problem.

/end derail

edited 2nd Oct '13 1:51:39 AM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

It was a bull shark, but only about 3 feet. And for the record that was part of her job. It's not like she was some untrained person doing it. I just remember being slightly surprised no one (her husband included) had a problem with it.

edited 2nd Oct '13 4:51:35 AM by MurkyMuse

People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected.

To be honest, given the level of distortion experienced by the abdominal muscles during pregnancy, I'd have thought the risk of suffering a rather hideous hernia would be greatly increased, but that would only hurt the mother, not the baby, and I'm perfectly okay with people hurting themselves when they should know better.

My wife worked right up until the day she went into labour. As in, she called her work and said 'I'm afraid I can't come in this morning as I'm having a baby.' She noticed little reduction in her physical capabilities beyond a little breathlessness and a slight backache due to the extra weight.

'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'

I worked out until I was in labor. I lifted weights, ran, and omg was yoga my best friend. It made my pregnancy much easier, I only gained healthy weight, and I recovered from labor and delivery much quicker and smoother.

One of my dear friends is going through her first pregnancy. She is a fitness model and she is doing the same thing with equally positive results. My friend who was a champion runner and Air Force Officer did the same thing.

Key here: we maintained what level we were already at and just adapted if needed positions or pacing to suit the needs for the baby.

Most women to be honest get sloppy in their pregnancy. Last I checked (granted this was over 5 years ago) the average woman gains 40lbs with a pregnancy....seriously? It should be closer to 20-25. One woman I knee gained over 100lbs....jeebuz...

In all fairness women are bombarded with all sorts of drama when they get pregnant. They are often treated like everyone has a right to interject their opinion over her life choices. The number of people who try to touch you alone is asinine.

Women need to be left alone to make their own decisions based on their individual bodies and needs.

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

I saw a woman run a ten mile race, lose, then squat in a corner and have a baby...does that give you any ideas as to what my opinions are on pregnancy and sports?

I know a power lifter who had a perfectly healthy looking son too (and learned the red phenotype is recessive to black probably), the biggest scare I ever heard during the pregnancy was her wincing from a congratulatory bear hug and none came from the mother, just the hugger. This 'criticism' is all very strange. We saw clips of the blonde lady during car pool and just made jokes about how hardass she must be. Am I just the odd sheltered one or did people really expect this to be "controversial".

Modified Ura-nage, Torture Rack

Not really, no.

hashtagsarestupid

I don't know this story. Link?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

It is the first link you used in your first post.

Modified Ura-nage, Torture Rack