About Engaging In Physical Activity Or Physical Labour During Pregnancy

The answer is both yes and no. Getting physical exercise is healthy for you and your baby, so reducing your levels to couch-potato status does neither you nor your child any good, and you may not be able to take leave from a strenuous job. On the other end of the spectrum, there are some activities that you should not perform if you know you are pregnant, as the risk of danger to yourself and your baby is high. However, judging whether you should take a break on an activity is something that uses common sense, and also depends on your evaluation of the situation. Creating a blanket restriction on exercise or physical labor isn't really a good answer, as this choice can leave you not only out of shape for the upcoming birth, but also feeling frustrated and resentful.

In today's society, where many women are employed in positions that were once male-oriented only, there can be grey areas about what's safe for a pregnant woman to do. Certainly, positions working in agriculture or on farms are very labor intensive, but many times, all that needs to be done is to reduce the workload, weights or eliminate certain tasks to compensate for safety. There are jobs that can be far too risky to continue with, and the more responsible choice is to take a temporary leave of absence. Being pregnant is really no time to try and prove a point about equality or ability.

There's a certain amount of common sense involved if you do choose to continue with your pre-pregnancy levels of activity. If you were hoisting heavy loads at work, you'll want to reduce the weight to the recommended levels of about 15 to 25 pounds. If you were an active equestrian, the level of risk involved for accident is far too high for pregnant women to accept. In the end, though, you're the only person that has the right to take the decision about what you should and shouldn't do. Being well informed and knowing the warning signs of when you're pushing yourself too much is very important, and even if you do have to stop an activity, remember that it's only a temporary.