Health myths during pregnancy
There is so much noise online telling what you should be doing to have a healthy pregnancy, that it can be hard to tell what’s true and what is a myth. Never fear, your trusty pelvic health physio is here to bust some common pregnancy health myths, and offer some advice about what things you can do to have a healthy and active pregnancy.
Health Myth 1: You need to keep your heart rate below 140bpm when exercising.
NOPE! You do not need to keep your heart rate below 140bpm when exercising. In fact, the Australian Government Pregnancy Exercise Guidelines actually recommend vigorous activity for 1.25-2.5 hours per week whilst pregnant.
What is vigorous activity? It is activity where you are unable to talk whilst completing it because you are huffing and puffing, such as jogging, cycling, or swimming at a decent pace.
A better method of monitoring yourself whilst exercising is using the Rating of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE). This is a scale from 1-10, where 1 is easy, and 10 is flat out and could only sustain for a couple of minutes. During pregnancy Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) recommend sticking to a 6-7 RPE during pregnancy.
Health Myth 2: Pregnancy hormones like relaxin make the pelvis loose and unstable and that’s why we get pelvic girdle pain
WRONG! The pelvis stays strong and stable during pregnancy. Besides, if relaxin makes our pelvic ligaments unstable, why do some women remain pain free during pregnancy?
The reason some women develop pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy is complex, and more to do with the pelvic area becoming more sensitive during pregnancy. Because our body is protecting our baby, it becomes more sensitive to changes in the area such as tight lower back muscles, tight glutes, or weakness in muscles that can cause pain. There is also a link between pelvic girdle pain and incontinence, and a link between pelvic girdle pain and stress at work (Pulsifer et. al, 2022).
It’s recommended to seek help early, ideally within the first 2 weeks of pelvic pain occurring, as research shows that if you do this then you have a higher likelihood of the pain completely resolving.
Health Myth 3: It’s normal to leak urine during or after pregnancy.
It is COMMON, not normal. The Continence Foundation of Australia (2024) estimates that 1 in 3 women who have a baby will wet themselves at some point in their lives, so this is an extremely common occurrence.
However, leaking is not normal and there is something you can do about it – pelvic floor exercises!
How to squeeze your pelvic floor muscles:
- Squeeze the muscles around your anus as if you are holding in wind. Studies have shown that this cue is the most effective for the majority of people.
- Try starting with 10 x 2-3 second holds completed three times a day, and slowly build up to 10 x 8-10 second holds three times a day.
- If you’re not sure that you’re doing your pelvic floor exercises correctly, book in to see a women’s & pelvic health physiotherapist for an assessment.
If you’d like some more tips, have a read of how to stay active during pregnancy.
References:
Continence Foundation of Australia (2024). Pregnancy, childbirth and incontinence. Retrieved from: https://www.continence.org.au/incontinence/who-it-affects/women/pregnancy-and-childbirth#:~:text=Many%20bladder%20and%20bowel%20problems,or%20do%20exercise%20(stress%20incontinence)
Department of Health and Ageing (2021). Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy. Retrieved from: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/pregnancy
Pulsifer, Jodie & Britnell, Susannah & Sim, Adrienne & Adaszynski, Jessica & Dufour, Sinéad. (2022). Reframing beliefs and instiling facts for contemporary management of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 56. bjsports-2022. 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105724.
