Climbing while Pregnant: 3rd Trimester

What you’ll learn

It’s the hardest time to work out–you’re the heaviest, you’re the most off-balance, any aches and pains come out now, energy is hard to come by, you’re busy preparing for baby’s arrival–but it’s critical to exercise all the way through the 3rd trimester up until delivery!

Normal vs Common: don’t just accept it

The 3rd trimester brings on aching backs, pelvic floor pain, cramping, swelling. People will tell you these are “normal.”

Normal implies it’s natural and there’s nothing that can be done. You: “My lower back is really aching.” Doctor: “That’s totally normal at this point.” It implies that you deal with the pain rather than dig into what can be done.

Common has the connotation that it’s widespread, but leaves a door open that something can be done.

I argue that most pregnancy symptoms are common and can be treated. Work out. Go to prenatal yoga. Research, take action!

The 3rd trimester is the most critical time to continue exercising

You need strong abdominals for the end game: labor. Imagine stopping exercising or firing muscles for 3 months–they’ll atrophy! You need strong abdominals and trunk to support the offset weight of a baby. There’s ample evidence that exercising to 60%+ of your max through delivery has very positive labor outcomes for both mom and baby.

Aches and pains are likely attributed poor posture and declining attention to proper body mechanics. There are a set of issues that will only be resolved with popping that baby out, like bruised ribs and swelling, but most everything else can at least be mitigated. Are you compensating for a big belly with a pelvic tilt? Are you sticking your chest out? Do brace your core when you’re standing? Do you do some bit of standing each day, or do you resort to sitting and lounging? Have you done prenatal yoga?

I highly recommend Deskbound: Standing up to a Sitting World for anyone in general, pregnant or not, to check your body mechanics in everyday life. Understand the principles of proper posture and mechanics, then adapt that to a pregnant body.

The 3rd trimester: Weight Gain

By the scale, I gained 21lb, though I lost at least 3-4lb of muscle, putting my total weight gain at ~25lb.

The 3rd Trimester: Climbing and Working Out

I continued toprope climbing until 2 weeks before I gave birth and weightlifting until 2 days before I gave birth. Focus on:

• Transverse Abdominis (core). It’s the most inner layer of abdominal muscles (not the 6-pack abdominals), and kettlebell windmills, squats, and deadlifts were my go-tos. The transverse abdominis prevents diastasis recti (a vertical splitting of your abdominal wall after pregnancy) and is the foundation for functional strength, pregnancy aside.
• Cardio: Even if it’s a boring stair stepper, or a hike, or climbing, get your blood going, just keep it in the aerobic region.
• Functional activity: choose your favorite, whether it’s climbing or prenatal yoga or hiking! It’ll keep your spirits up!