While the third trimester can certainly feel like a time to slow down and prepare for the major life transition directly in front of you, the more you move, the fitter you will be going into labor (which can translate into an easier delivery and quicker postpartum recovery). Of course, given the increased weight gain and other physiological changes at this late stage, you want to make sure you train in a way that leverages your body’s abilities and minimizes additional stress.
Read on to learn:
- General guidance for exercise in the third trimester
- Key physical changes that occur and implications for physical activity
- Best training strategies and exercises for the third trimester
- Third trimester workout plan resources
General Guidance for Exercise in the Third Trimester
By the third trimester your body may feel heavy, unwieldy, and tired. This is completely understandable given the accumulation of substantial weight gain, the added load on the joints, swelling, sleep disturbances (from the never-ending trips to the bathroom), and so many other “fun” side effects.
However, if you manage to harness enough energy to work out, you may notice that your symptoms actually ease. That is because exercise improves circulation, blood flow, energy, and sleep. It also keeps your muscles stronger to better manage the effects of the weight gain. Simply put: exercise enhances your ability to handle the stresses of pregnancy.
If you’ve been exercising throughout your pregnancy, you may be in a good rhythm to continue even as you get bigger. If you have not been active before, now is a perfect time to prioritize movement to empower you physically and psychologically for the challenges that lie ahead. Remember to always listen to your body and be mindful of the changes and guidance below to get the most out of your third trimester workout. You’ve got this!
Key Physical Changes that Occur
Many of the changes that we discussed in the Guide to Second Trimester Exercise apply to the third trimester as well. They just become more exaggerated. The added weight gain may intensify altered alignment and movement mechanics, which can result in discomfort and pain.
In addition, the growing belly continues to elevate intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), or the pressure within the core. This results in some degree of diastasis recti (DR) — a widening of the gap between the left and right sides of the rectus abdominis (“6-pack”) muscle. A certain amount of DR is a normal and necessary part of pregnancy to create space for baby to grow. So, if you feel a slight separation down the center of your abdomen, know that it is simply an adaptation that your body was designed to do.
The increase in IAP also places added pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. With good training, the pelvic floor muscles are more likely to withstand this added stress. However, you may experience some degree of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Finally, as the uterus grows, it pushes up into the ribs, potentially restricting the lungs from full expansion. So, you may find it becomes harder to breathe deeply. Even though you may feel short of breath, however, your breathing rate increases by up to 50% during pregnancy. So, your body is still getting in ample air.
The good news is that the longer you’ve been training leading up to this later stage, the less likely you are to experience the negative effects of these changes. And if you may not have been as active prior, rest assured that you can absolutely start moving now in a safe way that will still elicit positive outcomes.
Best Training Strategies and Exercises for the Third Trimester
If you have not done so already, begin by mastering the foundational training strategies provided in our Guide to First Trimester Exercise. These strategies are essential in laying the groundwork for success in second and third trimester training. Then, layer on the additional strategies below.
- Continue to Emphasize Lower Body Strength
This point cannot be stated strongly enough (which is why we are repeating this from our Guide to Second Trimester Exercise). Having a strong base will make moving around through life much less taxing as the increase in body weight continues. Focus on a mix of bilateral moves with your weight evenly distributed on two feet (like squats and deadlifts) as well as unilateral moves like reverse lunges, split squats, step-ups, or step-downs. If, however, you experience any symptoms of SI Joint Pain, SPD, or Sciatica, avoid unilateral weightbearing exercises and stick to bilateral exercises with your weight evenly distributed on both feet.
- Add Additional Upper-Body Pulling Moves
The back of your body is being increasingly taxed to counteract the pull forward from the belly (and breasts) and shifted center of gravity. Therefore, it’s beneficial to strengthen the back side of your body to more easily handle those stresses. In addition to deadlifts mentioned above, sprinkle in at least one (ideally 2) of the following upper-body moves into each workout: standing rows, kneeling rows, straight-arm pulldowns, reverse flyes, and wall angels.
- Continue to Practice Parenthood “ADLs”
In the Guide to First Trimester Exercise, we covered the importance of practicing everyday movement patterns that you’ll be doing as a new parent, called Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Common ADLs for early parenthood include squatting, bending over, lifting, getting up and down from the ground, pushing, pulling, and carrying (and carrying, and carrying…). Consider you’ll have to do all these things while you are exhausted and recovering from labor (then later with a heavier toddler). The more you can incorporate these into your exercise sessions, the easier it will be to execute them in the postpartum period with minimal stress to your body.
- Add Specific Labor Preparation Techniques
As labor nears, you want to add in specific techniques in order to prepare your body the best you can for what lies ahead. Working to increase your mobility for birth can help baby’s journey into and through your pelvis, which can reduce labor time and discomfort. In addition, learning how to push safely and effectively can go a long way in making the final stage of labor easier for you and baby. While it may be surprising to think about, pushing is not an intuitive process. There are different ways to push — some safer and more effective than others. However, pushing is a skill that can be learned and practiced. Therefore, invest some time to learn more about pushing technique practice to improve your connection to this essential element of your birth.
- Modify “Traditional” Core Exercises
As your intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) continues to increase, you want to scale back on core exercises that can further elevate IAP. In addition to avoiding loaded moves outside of neutral, which we outlined in the Guide to Second Trimester Exercise, you want to remove exercises that place direct pressure on the front of the core like full center planks, leg lifts, and V-sits (boat pose). All these exercises can be regressed to place less pressure on the core. Get more specific and detailed guidance on this topic with our guide, Moves to Avoid by Trimester.
Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body
While strength training during the third trimester is an excellent way to prepare for the impending birth, postpartum recovery, and the taxing physical tasks of parenthood, it’s important to listen to your body and make modifications when needed. Focus on continuing your training practices from earlier in pregnancy, or beginning to move in any capacity if you’re just starting your training, while adding in some labor-specific preparation and core modifications.
Get a Safe & Effective Workout Program
Think third trimester is too late to begin a prenatal exercise program? Think again. There is still so much you can do in the third trimester to prepare your body for an easier birth and recovery. For a complete safe & effective workout program, check out our 12-Week Prenatal Workout Program, specifically designed for those entering their third trimester.
Are You A Health & Fitness Professional?
Are you a health & fitness professional interested in training pregnant and postpartum clients? Our Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification gives you detailed guidance on program design — with programming templates, sample workouts, and a video exercise library to make it easy for you to design safe & effective programs for pregnant and postpartum clients of all stages and fitness levels.
Or, if you’re a Group Fitness Instructor interested in simply learning how to safely & effectively support the pre & postnatal members who attend your classes, check out our short (but powerful) course: Pre/Postnatal Education for Group Fitness Instructors.