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 Heart Rate Monitoring During Pregnancy
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Q: I am pregnant with my second child and would like to be more active than with my first pregnancy. I was told to wear a heart rate monitor and do low impact exercise, but I have been extremely active 5x/week and feel fine. Last time I gained 48 pounds, this time I hope to gain between the recommended 25-35 pounds. Any advice on what I can do and why I was told to wear a heart rate monitor?
-Amy E., California
A. Congratulations on your upcoming little one, and fantastic that you are already thinking about being active throughout your pregnancy. Pregnancy and activity had always been an uncomfortable subject for doctors, especially now that more women are extremely active throughout their pregnancies, and advice can be conflicting. Being active is fantastic- it leads to not only a more comfortable delivery but also a faster recovery. It also helps ease many pregnancy complaints such as low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, leg cramps and incontinence.
The reason you were informed to wear a heart rate monitor was the old American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists guidelines said a pregnant women’s heart rate shouldn’t go above 140 bpm. The dilemma is that many conditioned females can reach 140 going up and down one flight of stairs. Thus, heart rate stopped being a means of measuring cardiovascular exercise during pregnancy in 1994. Use the Borg Scale instead- the Rate of Perceived Exertion. It is the scale between 1-10 to measure exercise and how intense it is for your body. Try to stay between 3-6, which is when you can carry on a conversation but it is a bit hard.
In 2002 the ACOG stated that pregnant women can and should do the same exercise recommendations and guidelines made by the American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM. Those guidelines are to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily for most days, with a combination of strength training and cardiovascular training. Try to stay as active as you are now and make modifications along the way. If you have been running, continue running. When you start to feel pressure in your pelvic floor slow your pace, or start jog-walking. If you have been swimming, continue swimming. It is not the time to suddenly try a new sport, and you do want to stay away from sports that can cause instability, or can have intense physical contact.
It is an exciting time for you. Your eldest child won’t know anything different than his/her Mom exercising while pregnant, and you are setting up your newest addition for the healthiest start possible. Keep moving as you keep growing your little one.
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