Excercise whilst Pregnant

I am pregnant and overweight . I am looking for helpful hints to keep my baby weight gain under control as don’t want to explode. I don’t do much exercise at the moment and wondering what is suitable to do? Also would love recommendations for Plus Sized Maternity clothes – want to look fashionable not fat and frumpy! I’m in Perth but happy to shop online. TIA

• Depending how far along you are going for a short walk and building it up gradually, only do as much as you feel up to but do it regularly (every day or second day). Yoga and Pilates are highly recommended along with swimming during pregnancy as they don’t take so much impact and help prepare. Try eating six small meals a day in replace of 3 large, make sure they’re balanced with veg, fruit, lean meat, legumes and grains/cereals.    Billie

•  Swimming if you feel comfortable! You are weightless in the water.    Marie

•  Actually lost weight during my last pregnancy due to swimming laps. I loved it.   Kylie

•  I’m not overweight but not judgmental.. Just wanted to suggest talking to your midwife before exercising..? It is extremely hot and would hate to see you and baby suffer.. Maybe do a little house work for exercise..? I find it to be a good work out and the option to take a rest is always there and if you have air con, you won’t suffer as bad.. Also maybe book appt with a nutritionist as what we eat can put on weight even if we think it’s healthy etc.. Plenty of water is great for you and your baby.. But try not to overdo it at this stage..   Amy

•  Swim and eat smaller portions of healthy food and drink water when you feel hungry – sometimes thirst disguises itself as hunger. Really listen to your body (not your brain). Virginia

•  It’s 80% diet and 20% exercise in my opinion! If you’re not used to exercise and you’re pregnant I would just do some light walking, but change your diet. Fresh healthy food, it will be hard though esp if you’re preggas! Set small goals to start with ie cutting out one bad food at a time etc, you will get there with enough determination.   April

•  Walking & swimming & as above eating healthy if you are eating a bit of junk just slowly cut it out. If you are consuming lots of sugars you will probably get headaches but lots of water & in time you will feel great.   Natasha

•  Walking and eating right! If u didn’t exercise before it’s not recommended to do anything but walking but definitely eating right, eating breakfast, lunch and a small dinner.   Kathleen

•  Swimming, walking, cycling. All are safe and recommended during pregnancy. If you’re going to exercise outdoors then don’t forget to take plenty of water with you and wear sunscreen.   Sandra

•  I bought my clothes from Autograph. Awesome range. Is not maternity wear but is for plus sized girls and has room to grow with you, Los of elastic wastes etc. Try going for a walk each night. Start slow and build up. Also, Pilates would be great to help strengthen muscles.   Katrina

•  Exercise & healthy eating is all it takes.. Change your diet & you’ll be on your way.   Mel

•  I just had baby 4 months ago I started to power walk on treadmill while watching biggest loser I’ve lost 10 pounds in 9 days and I all I do is power walk.   Michelle

•  My doctor told me I could consider something like lite n easy for meals, as long as I chose the 1800 calorie meal plan not the 1200 diet plan. For my first I also saw a dietician for some tips. Good luck!!   Christine

•  You should try eating like you have GD (gestational diabetes) I lost weight while I was pregnant and I would say I was overweight. It’s not a diet but it’s just what you eat and when you eat it that matters.   Elaine

•  Eat when you’re hungry. Eating for 2 is rubbish. If you’re hungry eat. Eat a variety of foods. Drink plenty if water. Do what exercise feels comfortable for you. Being big is no indicator you’ll put lots of excess weight on while pregnant.    Belinda

•  Im overweight and I put on 12 kgs with my first pregnancy and lost it within a few weeks ( although my body certainly didn’t look like it) and 4 kgs with my 2nd so technically I lost weight in my 2nd pregnancy. I just made sure not to ‘eat for 2’ and made sure I had breakfast lunch and dinner. With healthy filling snacks in between. Although quite often that was muffins lol. Drink loads of water and see a nutritionist if you can. My hospital had one which I’m sure most would…? They can help keep you on track and keep a good eye on your weight gain. With exercise be very careful if you weren’t doing much before don’t start doing alot now. Maybe just go for short easy walks.   Lauren

•  Low GI diet & walking helps. It worked for me for bubs size.   Kirrilee

•  I started my son around 2 and a half and he got the hang of it really quickly. He was out of night nappies before he was 3.5. I would recommend not starting them until they show signs of being ready. Starting them too early makes a lot of hard work and a lot of accidents. Leaving it that little but longer I’ve found they get the hang of it a lot quicker.   Karla

•  I just bought some 3/4 pants from crossroads recently as they’re super light weight & have the big cotton/elastic waist part that you’re meant to gold down, however I keep it up and it covers my big pregnant belly like maternity pants do!! Also, Big W has maternity clothes hidden in the baby clothes section.   Natalie

•  I was 110kg when i got pregnant ans actually lot 18kgs while pregnant (I’m now 88kgs and slowly losing) . I do not drive and had my older DD start school i used to do 30min walk morning and arvo (not fast) and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 13 weeks. So I walked and cut out obviously all soft drink, drank only water (which i hated before lol) and followed a diabetes diet so carbs can be eating just not huge amount like I normally did. Start slow with the walking. Good luck.   Kathryn

•  Hey i did yoga through my preg. It’s not hugely intense and was really helpful with breathing and relaxation.    Lara

•  Swimming and aqua aerobics would be 2 safe options to start in pregnancy given you weren’t exercising much before.   Jenni

•  Maternitywear.com.au was good but ive also still been able to wear my clothes from autograph and city chic and I’m three weeks away from due date. Also king edward offer meal plans etc for managing weight during pregnancy. Feel free to PM.   Gemma

• ‘The only additional caloric requirement for a pregnant woman is equivalent to an extra slice of toast a day in the last trimester. So just manage your food in a healthy way (lots of veggies and lots of water to keep gestational diabetes at bay) and don’t stress too much, your body is doing amazing things, it won’t come out of it the same way it went in regardless of what you do.   Zarna

•  Swimming all the way! It takes all the pressure off your body and is great less strenuous exercise.   Ali

•  Walking and swimming are both good. Eat plenty of fresh fruit n veg, raw, ore cooked up. This helped me keep weight gain to mostly just the baby in my second pregnancy. I was hopeless with my first.   Alice

•  I was in your shoes once. I started walking for forty minutes daily and eating properly. In the end I only put on seven kilos. Just be sensible and don’t fall under the guise of thinking you are eating for two.   Naomi

•  Walking everyday will help, not just your weight but also for your cardio, giving birth is like a long distance marathon. Also try swimming and water aerobics and check out if somewhere near you des pregnancy hydrotherapy…Rebecca

•  I’m 37 weeks pregnant n I’m classified as overweight wearing size 16 to 18 clothes I found big w had good pants n 3/4 pants in maternity and I also agree autograph, although they r a bit more expensive they have Lovely clothes there very comfortable.   Melly

•  City chic clothing is good sizing just go up a bit bigger than normal eat well walking and swimming are great weight control baby will only take what it needs in food wise.   Wendy

•  Aqua aerobics is good.   Kate

•  Walking is good and just eat healthier. Lots of fruits and veg. I myself am overweight and with my first born I didn’t gain anything and then when I had her I lost 11 kilos and with my second born I lost 20 kilos during the pregnancy and when I had her I lost a further 5 kilos.   Melissa

•  Walking. But don’t go too crazy. Just 20 mind or so a couple of times a week. Look at your diet and try change anything that you reckon is bad. Make sure you eat decent sized meals, but make sure they are full of good things. Eat high protein snacks and try to eat less sugary type things. Hope this helps!    Emma

•  Not sure why some are commenting against Hydrotherapy….. I am 38 weeks pregnant and have been doing it, under the instruction of my OB and woman’s physio for pelvic and back pain since 20 weeks. It is much less intensive and better for you than any land based activity including walking. In this weather, invest in a $3 noodle from Big W and sit on it in a pool and cycle around if you really don’t think hydrotherapy is for you – that’s basically all you do anyway. Also, I wasn’t overweight to start with but really cut all the processed crap from my diet and just make everything yourself from scratch, it’s cheaper, easier & I’ve barely put any kg’s on at all and feel better for it. But yeah – do antenatal hydrotherapy!!!!    Michelle

•  Definitely aqua aerobics !!! You don’t feel your wait in the water- you feel great afterwards- and don’t realize you are actually working out !   Linda

•  Next.co.uk has nice maternity clothing up to size 20. Just scroll down to the bottom of the front page and click the Aussie flag to go to the Aussie shop which converts to au sizes and prices. Delivery is usually within the week. Quality is excellent…..gorgeous bubba clothes too.   Lisa

•  I did aqua aerobics / hydrotherapy – that was fun and good to do each week. Also just try not to eat to much unhealthy stuff. Walking is always good, start off short distances if rafts all you can do and increase a bit each day or as you can. Ripe Maternity does have larger mat clothes as well and is available online. I got some nice stuff there (pants & tops).  Sarah

•  Swimming’s good it feels like you’re not doing much and you don’t sweat which is awesome.   Danae

•  Try big w for maternity clothes – they go up to size 20 and I loved their clothes while pregnant as I didn’t look like a grandmother! When I had ‘naughty’ cravings, I only had a small amount. Eg a small chocolate bar instead of a family block!I walked and stayed active throughout and only put on 8kg – I was 112 when I got pregnant.   Sue

•  Eat small meals a day …. I had gestational diabetes n went on their portion diet I lost weight but bub gained ….Lara

•  When I was pregnant I just walked everyday for about 45 minutes but make sure you drink lots of water and you will probably find you’ll lose weight as your eating more healthy than ever for your baby.   Justine

•  I would strive to do one reasonable walk each day. Just be careful in this heat!   Shannon

•  Beme have good clothes for larger sizes, I have found I don’t need to buy maternity clothes cause their clothes are already spacey. Just concentrate on eating healthy and constantly remind yourself that it isn’t your body anymore and if u eat that junk food u will be satisfied for a small while but the negative impact on your precious baby isn’t worth it… That’s what I do, works a treat xxx   Symone

•  Hi ,congrats firstly on your pregnancy. l was overweight with both my pregnancies. At time of birth l was 100kg for both of my children. For my first pregnancy l actually ate really well. l did crave really cold milk but made sure l had a balanced diet. My bub weighed 6pound. My second pregnancy which was 3 and half years later l craved unfortunately coke. l did drink it at first then took small amounts and bub weighed 8 pound. All my midwive apt as l went public commented on being overweight. Yes l was and l knew it but had 4 miscarriages to get my 2 babies so really l didn’t care. As long as l walked when l could and overall ate pretty good, drank water and milk l was happy and so were bubs. Now l am exercising and eating really well as l have 2 healthy children that are 4 and a half (boy) and a 1 year old (girl) and l want to run after them and play forever xxxx   Leanne

•  Also was size 16 when finally falling pregnant,l got tops and l love skirts so just found elastic size ones from Millers and Rockmans.Tops from Big W.   Leanne

•  As already started walking & water aerobics are great, you can also get some low impact pregnancy DVDs off eBay like yoga & Pilates. In terms if clothes I found Kmart to be my best bet. Also get some long singlet’s to cover your belly & it will make you feel a bit more confident if your pants are a bit tight or loose.   Simone

•  Swimming is one of the best exercises and the aqua aerobics (even the oldies do it!) because your weightless in the water and not hard on your joints. It will be great if you exercise it helps towards the end when it’s the hardest!   Jessica

•  I’m in a similar position as I am normally a size 16-18 therefore plus size / overweight mother. I find online is the best from the US. However if ur interested I bought 2 pairs of maternity shorts from the US that roughly turned out to be a size 20ish that I am wanting to sell. They are really nice and comfy one pair is still in the bag and the 2nd pair was taken out to try on. If you’re interested pls pm me.   Samantha

•  Aqua aerobics is awesome, I’m plus size and did it right up past my due date with both bubs (both were overdue) & @Plus Maternity Australia (they have a facebook page) are great for info advice & Australian made maternity wear…Letitia

•  Big w has some nice pregnancy clothes, well midland – yes midland had some.   TAsh

•  Walking is a great one or if you want a super simple and gentle program you can do in your home – check out Nourish Perinatal Wellness. They have a pre and postnatal fitness video you can download directly off their website. Good luck! Melissa

•  6 small meals a day. Hard sometimes to eat healthy when pregnant as food aversions and cravings don’t help! I try to do cup of soups and carrot and celery sticks as snacks and looking at items such as cruskit biscuits are a good alternative for snacks. In terms if exercise, swimming it walking making sure your body temp does not get hot and no impact exercise as your joints have relaxants and will not be able to take the impact. Plus sized maternity clothes options can be found at Big W. Some of them probably not ‘fashionable’ but there are some items that are fashionable and go from small to plus sizes. And they are having a sale at the moment. Happy and safe pregnancy!   Sharni

•  I am in same boat, however found with not drinking alcohol and reducing/ cutting out soft drinks that so far I have lost weight (10kg and am 22wks) would give same exercise recommendations as others, clothing wise I cannot rave about room for two in subiaco enough, I found better clothes there for me pregnant than what I can normally find… Otherwise next direct are really good as well!   Kerrin

•  I found Autograph great for clothes, they have great sales & always loose tunic tops. Depending on your size/baby belly, I found also going up a couple of sizes on online stores like ASOS curve & modcloth in there plus sizes was good. But do make sure you measure yourself to get the fit right… Otherwise I found it hard to find plus sized maternity online without costing heaps.    Melissa

•  Just eat well and be as active as you can be I swim weekly and have just tried to keep active; the toddler helps this is my second pregnancy, I’m 28 weeks and have yet to gain any weight! No tricks or dieting, just eating as “clean” as possible.

• I got some lovely plus size maternity clothes from Motherhood in the USA. You can buy them online.   April

•  Eating for two is a myth. Eat the same as you used to & if you feel like you need more to snack on, always go a healthy option. I lost weight in my first pregnancy & only gained 8kg in my second but it was all baby weight so went basically straight away. Breastfeeding is also great in aiding weight loss.   Kelly

•  When pregnant you only need an extra 300 or so (good) calories. If that. Good luck!  Shevaun

•  Clean eating. Meaning make everything from scratch & Wholefood cooking No packet garbage.   Shevaun

•  Get a referral to a dietician. I actually lost 17 and 14 kgs over both my pregnancies. I just didn’t give in to the “craving” or eating for two trap. Planned meals.    Samantha

•  Swimming & yoga. Both gentle, but good for you & bub. I actually lost weight up until 3rd trimester due to good aversions & cravings for veges, but tried hard to eat a bit better than normal, & did some form of gentle exercise each day. Don’t overdo it though!   Jemma

•  Try millers. Some of their pants/skirts there are stretchy and super comfy also normal maxi dresses that are stretchy too…Krystal

•  I was overweight when pregnant & only put on 5kg my whole pregnancy. I did aqua natal classes & pregnancy Pilates & tried to watch what I ate. Constant nausea & food aversions helped too! On regards to plus size clothing…the Internet was my friend! Targets maternity range goes up to 20 so I got some tops. I tried to stick with basics that I could accessorize. Some ninth moon maternity jeans go plus size too.   Tracey

•  Try swimming it is low impact and very relaxing. 3 I had this and had to have a d n c straight after birth then again 5 months later as they hadn’t gotten it all, try and have a d n c lined up asap as the longer it is retained the more chance of issues arising.   Laura

•  I get GD when preg and I lose weight while preg not because I go on a diet but because I follow a GD diet. It is a low carb, low to no sugar diet. With lots of water and moderate exercise. I do brisk walking on the treadmill 10 min about 30 min after each main meal.  You eat every 2 hours but only a small snack is needed between main meals. I find I lose weight because of the healthy but more so because of the regular eating. I put my weight on because I run around after 5 soon to be 6 kids and forgot to eat regular. GD diet makes you eat regular.    Emma-Kate

•  Aqua aerobics. I cannot recommend it enough. Especially towards the end of pregnancy when the weightlessness of the water is a relief lol!   Alicia

•  Walks, aqua aerobics would be great. I found issues with maternity clothing (6 feet tall and stacking on 35kg = overweight++++), so i resorted to leggings (loved Supre of all places) and tunics = comfort++. If you are working, City Chic and Autograph (whilst not specifically maternity) have some lovely clothing for a more voluptuous woman. Ask your OBGYN how much weight you need to gain for your circumstance, as you don’t want to be dieting whilst pregnant. Depending on your starting BMI, there are charts that indicate how much weight is desirable in a pregnancy.   Sam

•  Non strenuous exercise is recommended. Lots of walking is fine! And trust me, as an overweight girl, I know just how much weight you can put on during pregnancy. I put on 30kg! Deffs not something you want! Lol. As for clothes, asos has some nice stuff if you have lots of money to spend, but I just pulled elastic out if tights, bought some belly bands, and a couple of singlets. Other than that I lived in pjs.   Kristie