4. Your Belly Might Go Rogue
"By the time I was at about 30 weeks, every time I worked out my stomach looked like two dolphins were having a fight in a sleeping bag," Hoff says.
She bought a support band to help provide some stability around her belly, which really didn't change the way her belly looked, but it helped her feel more secure.
5. Your Sweat Sesh Won't Cause Labor
A lot of women worry that tough workouts will put them on the fast-track to the stirrups—especially as their due dates approach.
While it's just not possible for exercise to trigger labor, the myth does come with a grain of truth: It is common to experience non-labor contractions when exercising during your third trimester, says Levitt.
Near the end of your pregnancy, your uterus has dibs on about one-fifth of your body's total blood supply, and when you exercise, some of that blood is going to go to your muscles to deliver nutrients as well as to your skin to help give off heat. As a result, your uterus battles back until your blood flow normalizes.
If you experience contractions while exercising, don't fret. Give it five to 10 minutes and they should calm down, she says.
6. You Shouldn't Lie Down
While you pretty much know when on-the-stomach exercises aren't going to be comfortable, safe, or even possible for you, after your first trimester it's always best to avoid exercises that have you lying flat on your back, says Levitt.
When you get in that position, your enlarged uterus and fetus can easily compress your vena cava, the major vessel that delivers blood to your heart from the lower half of your body.
The results: dizziness, fainting, or even heart palpitations. Plus, the amount of blood flow that reaches your fetus could also be compromised, she says. Any muscle you want to work on your back, you can totally train standing up, sitting, or on your side.
Read the original article on Women's Health.
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