Pregnant women are certainly no stranger to the prohibition of lifting heavy weights while pregnant. However, does pregnant women know the underlying reason? Check out the explanation here about the risks of lifting weight during pregnancy and the right way to lift weights during pregnancy.
Although everyone has different strengths, pregnant women are generally not recommended to lift more than 10 kilograms of weight. Even if you are used to lifting heavy weights before getting pregnant, pregnant women are still advised to be careful, especially after entering the third trimester of pregnancy.
Risks of Lifting Heavy Weights While Pregnant
Pregnant women may feel that any activity, including lifting heavy weights, will feel different during pregnancy. This is because the growing uterus can cause the abdominal muscles to be pulled or feel cramped.
Abdominal muscles are muscles that play a role in maintaining body balance and are needed in almost all physical activities, especially lifting weights.
If these muscles weaken or don't function as they normally would, it's no wonder that physical activity becomes more difficult. It can also increase the risk of muscle injury, back pain, and pelvic pain in pregnant women.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy also make the supporting tissues of the pelvic floor and joints weaker. This will make it harder for pregnant women to lift weights and regulate body balance, thereby increasing the risk of injury which can eventually lead to miscarriage or fetal distress.
In addition, the weakening of the pelvic floor also increases the risk of pregnant women experiencing a hernia.
Not only that, lifting heavy weights can increase the risk of preterm labor and low birth weight (LBW) babies in some pregnant women. Pregnant women with this risk are advised not to lift heavy weights after the first trimester of pregnancy.
Safe Tips for Lifting Heavy Weights During Pregnancy
Lifting things, whether light or heavy, actually has a technique you know, pregnant. In order to avoid injury, there are several ways that pregnant women can apply, namely:
- Lower yourself by bending your knees as you take the weight, but keeping your back and waist straight.
- Use your legs to support the weight, not your back muscles.
- Bring the weight closer to the body.
- Tighten your pelvic floor (as if you were holding a bowel movement) and slowly pull your stomach in as you lift weights.
- Breathe normally and don't hold your breath or strain.
- Avoid jerking movements or sudden changes in movement when lifting weights.
- If the pregnant woman has to carry the child, ask her to get into the chair first before the pregnant woman carries him.
What pregnant women need to remember is not to push yourself if the burden you are carrying is too heavy. Pregnant women can ask for help from relatives or co-workers to lift heavy weights while pregnant.
Things to Avoid If Lifting Heavy Weights While Pregnant
There are several things that pregnant women should avoid regarding carrying heavy loads during pregnancy to avoid the risk of injury. Following are some of them:
- Avoid lifting heavy weights directly from the floor.
- Avoid carrying weights overhead.
- Avoid carrying things with one hand.
- Avoid lifting weights in small spaces that make pregnant women unable to move freely.
- Avoid holding a child who can't calm down or is struggling.
- Avoid wearing slippery footwear when lifting things.
Even though there are weight limits or heavy lifting techniques, pregnant women should still be careful when lifting heavy weights while pregnant. If indeed pregnant women will be faced with lifting activities that are quite heavy, first consult a doctor about its safety
