Pregnancy comes with a lot of questions. At the top of that list is often, "do I have to stop going to the gym?" The good news is no, exercise is not dangerous for your baby and can actually help mom's health both during and after delivery.
For the last few years, the GreatLife Harrisburg gym has been Sam Sperlich’s office.
“I was working at a bank and I was kind of over that. And so I was like, well, what can I do? What do I love?” said Sperlich.
As a personal trainer, she helps guide others on their path to fitness, even though she’s 38 weeks into an important health journey of her own.
“I've always been into working out. So even with my first kid, I just wanted to make sure that I was being healthy, eating well for this baby. It's not just me anymore. I need to be physically fit for them and so that kind of stirred everything up to just keep me going,” said Sperlich.
Preparing for Delivery
It’s Sam’s fourth time on the pregnancy journey, but her first with Brenna Tate and the Avera Midwifery team.
“I think if your goal for your labor and your birth are low intervention and natural birth, whether that just be medication free or considering a water birth, the more that you can do to help support your health and wellness in pregnancy and with regular exercise, it helps the labor and the birth process,” said Tate.
A focus on fitness while pregnant can also help keep mom’s blood pressure in check or lower her risk of gestational diabetes. For Sam, getting the blood pumping was key to both her physical and mental wellness.
“Even though you're so exhausted during the first trimester, even if you're taking walks, just trying to get outside as much as you can or lifting, you know, just small weights, it helped me mentally be like, okay, I have the energy to just keep going. And then second trimester, you can keep like putting on weights and everything and you feel really good. And then third trimester, you're just kind of like, okay, I want to do a little bit more yoga. I want to do a little bit more. That's like healthy and a mental way too,” said Sperlich.
“It's great to see those women in the gym who are continuing to do that and to show how good they can feel and how much they can do even at the end of pregnancy,” said Tate.
Staying Active Postpartum
After putting in 9 months of work, Sam’s reward is a new workout buddy.
“This is Atlas. He's about two months old, and is a very good baby! He just loves to be held, to talk, and he loves to smile! He's just a sweet, sweet boy,” said Sperlich.
The postpartum period requires a lot of rest, but after about 6 weeks she was ready to return to her routine.
“I'm stretching, I'm walking, I'm doing core work and then lifting slowly and then kind of going into like bigger weights,” said Sperlich.
“Yeah, exercise helps in so many things, even for women to sleep better in pregnancy, to help with our emotional health overall, even when we're not pregnant. In the postpartum aspect too, you'll see that difference in people who kind of get back to some regular physical activity that emotionally they're doing better, they're sleeping better even with that new baby,” said Tate.
Everyone’s journey will be a little different, but Sam hopes she and Atlas are an example of what mom’s can accomplish.
“Your body can do amazing things, but just be patient with your body and just know that your baby needs you first and then you can start getting back into the gym and you got to do those things and then also take care of your baby,” said Sperlich.
During her pregnancy, Sam helped clients who were also pregnant which brought another level of comfort and proof that they can still achieve their fitness goals. Whether it’s continuing your workout routine or starting one for the first time, involving your provider is important to help ensure you’re safely reaching your goals and improving your health in the process.
Learn more about pregnancy and postpartum care
