DRESSING
FOR YOUR MATERNAL WORKOUT
By Birgitta Gallo Lauren
You're half
way through your pregnancy and motivated to continue to exercise for the health
of both of you, but all of a sudden your regular exercise cloths don't fit
anymore.
Your breast are all swollen, your belly is bursting through your pants and
your behind is, well, behind you
Do you just wear larger and looser
sweats and t-shirts? How do you support your breasts when exercising, now
that you can't even get into a regular jog bra? How do you stay cool? And
you know your workout would be more comfortable if your belly had some support
but
those maternity belts leaves a lot to be desired
Dressing
for exercise during pregnancy definitely needs extra care and attention not
just for fit, but style and fabric. Invest in specially designed prenatal
fitness wear, as any ol' sweats just won't do at this time. Your body shape
is different, your cooling system is more efficient (you sweat faster), yet
you need to be careful not to overheat, not to wear anything too tight and
worry about varicose veins etc
You may get a away with some regular
cotton T-shirt and pants, but choosing active wear made in flexible, breathable
fabrics like Lycra, Coolmax, Supplex and such, ensure supported, non-restrictive
movements, staying cool and dryness throughout your workout, by the fabric
wicking away moisture. Avoid other synthetic fabrics as they won't allow your
skin to breath properly and may cause you to overheat or dehydrate. If you
need to wear support hose for sever varicose veins, wear "thigh highs"
rather than full hose to avoid overheating. Do not wear any of these hose
during exercise or hot weather, unless you absolutely must to reduce pain.
Wear as little
clothing as you can for indoor workouts and on warm days to allow your body
to cool naturally as fast as possible. A jog bra, short tights and a tank
top or t-shirt should be sufficient. Never exercise outside on hot or humid
days or covering up to sweat more. You could overheat and put your baby in
serious distress. On cooler days a long pair of tights, jog bra and long sleeved
top will serve you well. On very cold days dress in several layers so that
you can peel off one layer at a time as your body warms up. One or two thick
layers may either not be warm enough, or if you do get hot, you won't be able
take anything off without getting too cold again. Several layers of breathable
fabrics will also keep you dryer. Be careful to also dress your legs warmly
in layers during cold weather.
Sports bras:
A good supportive prenatal sports bra will compress and lift simultaneously
and is easier to get on and off if it has closure snaps in the back. Give
it a jiggle test when you try it on, by bouncing a little to ensure motion
control.
Exercise tights can be tricky as seams may hurt your belly from too much pressure,
"dig" and sheaf in all the wrong places. Choose tights long or short,
which hold and lift your abdomen rather than just covering it up. Supportive
waistbands should run under your belly. Any tight waistband running across
your belly will cause too much pressure.
Underwear should be comfortable and supportive in breathable fabrics. Regular
briefs and thongs may not be the most comfortable for exercise during a pregnancy.
T-shirts and tank tops, long sleeved, short sleeved or no sleeves are great
both for cover, staying dry and layering with.
Cover-ups needs to be warm, windproof and easy to take off. Pants should come
with a drawstring at the waist to allow adjustments for your growing belly.
To cover
all your basic exercise needs for pregnancy shop for a pair each of short
tights and long tights, two jog bras, a swimsuit, a maternity tank top or
t-shirt and warm cover-ups.
For more
guidelines and exercise modification see the book Expecting Fitness. Our active
wear by Mother's-in-Motion are designed to last and adjust throughout both
pregnancy and postpartum. It has also been part of a clinical study that found
these garments to offer great back, belly, and breast support, flexibility,
fabric that retains its shape and keeps you dry by wicking away moisture.