Mum Who Did Chin Ups While Heavily Pregnant Sparks Debate About Exercising With A Bump
Bump what bump? Personal trainer has revealed details of her pregnancy fitness regime [Photo: Instagram/ingerindubai]
At 39 weeks pregnant most mums-to-be will find the very thought of heading to the gym completely horrifying. But one new mum wasn’t going to let a gigantic baby bump get in the way of her fitness plan and continued lifting weights and doing pull ups practically up until her due date.
Taking to Instagram to show off her incredible post-baby body just 10 weeks after giving birth, 31-year-old personal trainer, Inger Houghton, has also shared details of her sweat-inducing pregnancy work-outs.
#10weekspostpartum Inger Houghton shares the results of her workouts [Photo: Instagram/ingerindubai]
“I stayed active for my entire pregnancy,” she explains.
"I didn’t train as often or as hard as before of course, but I would have gone mad if I couldn’t do anything for nine months.
"Luckily I had a good pregnancy without any major problems, so it didn’t feel like a struggle to keep active.
"My focus was to maintain my fitness level as much as possible.
"Being strong would help me cope with the changes the pregnancy made to my body, and also prepare me for giving birth.”
Inger was still lifting weights at 39 weeks pregnant [Photo: Instagram/ingerindubai]
While Inger who lives in Dubai with her husband, Ian, and their newborn daughter, Kaia Isabella, has been praised by some for being a pregnancy fitspiration, others have criticised her rigorous workouts arguing that they could have put the health of her baby at risk.
Taking to her Instagram to defend her regime, Inger wrote at the time:
“If training during pregnancy has taught me something, it is to listen to my body. It tells me what is ok and not better than any doctor, training expert or “hater” on social media. ”
“I was also told that I am not a good role model for pregnant women because I am training too hard. Women could hurt themselves and their baby copying what I do. Although being the best role model has never been my goal, I do think my training can inspire women to stay active while pregnant. If you are used to strength training pre-pregnancy, there is nothing wrong in continuing as long as it feels ok and safe.”
Who needs a weight when you’ve got a newborn to bench press? [Photo: Instagram/ingerindubai]
So what do the experts say? The NHS website advises pregnant women keep up their normal daily physical activity for as long as they feel comfortable. And counter to popular belief they also say exercise is not necessarily dangerous for the baby, in fact there is some evidence to suggest that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.
If you are going to exercise during pregnancy the site recommends always warm up before exercising, and cool down afterwards, avoid any strenuous exercise in hot weather and drink plenty of water.
Before you kick-start any fitness regime during pregnancy or just after birth seek medical advice from your GP or midwife.
Did you exercise through your pregnancy? Let us know @YahooStyleUK
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