Not being very active during pregnancy- Hard labor?

[Cherrybomb143]

Everyone says walking/working out will make labor easier.
Whats your experience? Im sooo lazy

 

[Malouka]

Good question

I was thinking to open a thread like this yesterday. My midwife says it makes labour easier if you work out, but she also said I shouldn't work out too hard. My body cannot get too warm as it's dangerous for the baby. I cycle 10 miles from monday to friday ( to work and back ) unless it really rains hard. I do feel better when I do it, but I don't know if it's enough? I have a week holiday now and have been sitting home since sunday!!! The weahter sucks and don't really move at home...

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I would like to know too...I hear conflicting thoughts on this.

I'm not super active but I don't do nothing either. I have prenatal aquafitness classes every Monday and then prenatal yoga every wednesday. I also walk for 30-40 mins 2-3 times a week. I get lazy too but I push myself, even if it doesn't help labour it doesn't hurt to stay active

 

[aliss]

I've been an athlete for 10 years - I worked out until 41 weeks.

I had a horrrrendous labour. Being active can help with labour, and I think greatly helps with recovery, but it is by no means going to give you a good labour. Likewise, I have plenty of friends who were 100% inactive (bedrest, even) and had much better labours.

You just do the best you can with what you have. I haven't changed anything for this pregnancy, I still work out frequently, but I'm under no illusion. The circumstances of the labour are much bigger factors, being mobile in labour, etc.

That being said, it' snever too late to start!

 

[Cherrybomb143]

I used to ride horses everyday for for a living. Now, since I cannot I find myself only walking 1-2 times a weeks for thirty mins...
You all seem like you do so much more Oh well.
I guess I will have to wait and see just like all of us hah

 

[Jade--x]

From my experience - My first I was totally unable to move around or exercise as I was seriously ill throughout. And I had the worst labour imaginable and my recovery was 5 months and I didn't have a c-section either.

With my second I had a toddler I had no choice but to be active even though I was really ill again. I had a similar complication to the first time though this time the care I had was amazing - The first I could have sued for negligance - And they dealt with it properly and straight away and it wasn't an issue. My recovery with my second I was out of hospital the next day (as he was born at 9.20pm) and I was fine apart from being tired with as headache as my baby slept the entire time but someone elses screamed none stop from about 11pm until I was discharged at 5pm the next day! I was out the very next day walking and I felt absolutely fine.

Maybe there is some truth in it but every labour is different so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Aside from my usual running round after a toddler I didn't exercise at all x

 

[amjon]

I wasn't super active, just walking around doing normal stuff. I walk between classes at school and shop, but nothing really beyond that when I'm pregnant. I can't take the heat at all when I'm pregnant and get WAY overheated easily, so have to take it kind of easy. I honestly didn't even know I was in active labor. I thought I was just having "some cramps" from the meds they gave me to induce. I went from 2cm to delivery is less than 2 hours too, so had it pretty easy. She was breech, so that made her full term size, but she came out no problem (not even a tear).

 

[Cherrybomb143]

Well, my mom is a fitness instructor and has really urged me to walk thirty mins a day with her while she has a break from work. So, far we have walked 30 mins yesterday and today. Hopefully going to keep it up :] Though, its sooo hot out and today was really hard on me. I think I need to bring water... lol

 

[GirlRacer]

I'm not a very active person and certainly wasn't active in pregnancy due to SPD etc at the end of the pregnancy and just generally feeling tired. My labour was 6 hours and pushed him out in 33 mins which midwife said is a great labour for a first time mum, so I don't know how true it all is!

 

[nikkchikk]

I was on bedrest for seven weeks and I labored like a champ

I think being active in pregnancy helps you bounce BACK quicker, but during labor you have adrenaline going to help you.

And no matter what fitness level you're at, you're still going to be dead tired after it's all said and done

 

[punk_pig]

Did yoga every week, was painting skirtingboards at 9months and dug my car out of snow to get to my 38wk midwife appt...

Labour was 94hrs long...gahhhhh...BUT pushing was quick and easy(ish) and I didn't even notice that I hadn't slept in four days! I think having stamina will help if you have difficulties that require extra endurance/effort but for most straighforward labours (even long ones) I dont think it'll make much difference.

 

[Katy Bug]

My midwife said the same thing, that walking and stuff would help "ease" labor. But my thought on it is that everyone is different and really, there is no way to "ease" labor except to do what you feel is best, whether it's breathing techniques, walking and moving through labor, or laying down or taking medicine.

It's just my opinion, but I don't think being active makes a labor easier. I think one's mindset and not freaking out makes labor easier. I guess I'll let you know in about two months!

 

[LoveMyBaby786]

I've been thinking this too as im not really active either. Im at home 24hours literally because i have no1 to go out with! i did manage to walk for 2 and a half hours around town the other day with my sister but oh god i came home and my legs hurt so bad, never again for that long! Lol i walk a lot around the house though just because im bored, we'll see how my labour goes, i hope it wont be that hard!

 

[Crumbsx]

This is only my own experience, but..

I was SO lazy throughout my pregnancy! I was ill so on the sick then left college, so I basically sat at home for 40 weeks. I did some basic housework but that's all anyway, I was thee definition of lazy. Definately no working out!

When it came to labour, I coincidently went into labour while sleeping. I slept through the whole labour all night, woke up the next morning, went to the toilet, felt the babys head and one push and my LO came out. It was the simplest, most pain free labour. I'd do it again and again, I did nothing.

So basically, in my experience.. It doesn't matter how active you are during pregnancy x

 

[Guppy051708]

I dunno....was more active with DS1 pregnancy than DS2 ...a lot more active, actually, but DS1 birth was 30 hours and super painful and tiresome. (of course that was affected by his presentation-he was sunny side up). DS2 birth was 1 hour 15 min from active labor to baby...and i was much lazier.....

one thing i know a great deal about, though, is those who have very good abdominal core muscles can sometimes have a tougher time giving birth because their muscles wont relax. As a doula, ive seen that happen...but not too often.
stretching could help so you're not as sore afterwords, especially if you get into positions like squating and whatnot, but otherwise...eh...i dont think it matters that much...

 

[Guppy051708]

Did yoga every week, was painting skirtingboards at 9months and dug my car out of snow to get to my 38wk midwife appt...

Labour was 94hrs long...gahhhhh...BUT pushing was quick and easy(ish) and I didn't even notice that I hadn't slept in four days! I think having stamina will help if you have difficulties that require extra endurance/effort but for most straighforward labours (even long ones) I dont think it'll make much difference.

 

[MommaAlexis]

I walk everywhere unless it'll be more then a half hour walk to get where I'm going. Personally I go insane if I sit around for more then a couple hours so I always find somewhere to go haha. I'll let you know if I have it easy!