# Exercise in pregnancy and postpartum: general guidance and red flags > Exercise in pregnancy and postpartum: what the Canadian guideline, NHS, CDC and WHO say about how much to do, what to avoid, when to return and when to call. Published 2026-11-13 · Updated 2026-11-13 · revns editorial For most healthy pregnancies, regular moderate exercise is safe and recommended. The 2019 Canadian guideline advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, spread over at least three days, and the NHS gives the same target with two strength sessions. After birth, the usual advice is a gradual return that starts with walking and pelvic floor work. Some conditions mean you should not exercise, so this guide gives the general picture, not a plan for your pregnancy. **TL;DR** | Question | Short answer | | --- | --- | | How much in pregnancy? | At least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity (Canadian guideline, NHS, CDC), plus strength work | | What counts as moderate? | You can talk but not sing (NHS) | | Can I carry on running or lifting? | Usually, if you did before, with your provider's input (CDC) | | What to avoid | Falls and impact to the tummy, scuba diving, long spells flat on your back (NHS) | | After birth | Gradual return. Walking and pelvic floor work first; ask your team before impact or heavy lifting | | Who should check first | Anyone with bleeding, preeclampsia, high blood pressure, twins and other conditions in the guideline lists | ## Is it safe to exercise when pregnant? For most healthy pregnancies, yes. The CDC page on activity for pregnant and postpartum women says moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, is very low risk for healthy pregnant women. It says activity does not increase the chance of low birth weight, early delivery or early pregnancy loss. The WHO fact sheet on physical activity says activity has no adverse effects on birthweight and does not raise the risk of stillbirth. It links activity with lower risk of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes and postpartum depression. Read that last part carefully. These are associations from the research the WHO reviewed. They show that active people tend to do better, and they cannot prove that exercise alone prevents each problem. The point for you is simpler: for most people with an uncomplicated pregnancy, being active is not a risk to avoid. The caveat is real. The CDC also says pregnant women should be under a doctor's care. The Canadian guideline lists conditions where more strenuous activity is not advised. See the section on red flags below. ## How much exercise do guidelines recommend in pregnancy? Four bodies give similar answers. | Source | Aerobic target | Strength | Other points | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Canadian guideline 2019 (Mottola et al., BJSM) | At least 150 min a week of moderate activity, over at least 3 days | A variety of aerobic and resistance work | Daily pelvic floor training may be done; learn proper technique | | NHS | 150 min a week of moderate activity | 2 sessions a week | Start with about 10 min a day if new; split time up | | CDC | At least 150 min a week, for example 30 min on 5 days | Not specified on the page | Moderate or vigorous counts; talk to your doctor | | WHO | Fact sheet gives no pregnancy numbers; it says activity benefits pregnancy | Muscle strengthening benefits everyone | See the full WHO guideline for details | Moderate intensity is a pace where you can talk but not sing (NHS). A brisk walk, easy cycling, swimming and a steady session on a cross-trainer all fit. If you use a heart rate target, treat it as a rough guide, because heart rate rises faster in pregnancy; the [heart rate zone calculator](/tools/heart-rate-zone-calculator) gives general zones for adults and is not tuned for pregnancy. The talk test is simpler and is what the NHS uses. If you cannot reach 150 minutes, do what you can. The NHS says any activity is better than none. If you want a simple daily floor, see [how many steps a day you need](/blog/how-many-steps-per-day-do-you-need). ## Can I keep running, lifting or training hard? It depends on what you did before and on your pregnancy. The CDC says women who already do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as running, can usually continue it during and after pregnancy, citing the *Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans*. The NHS says not to start a new vigorous activity, such as running, in pregnancy. So the line is between continuing and starting. Someone who has run for years and has a normal pregnancy may keep running with their provider's agreement, and may need to lower pace, distance or impact as the pregnancy goes on. Someone new to exercise does better starting with walking, swimming and light strength work. For lifting, the Canadian guideline recommends a variety of aerobic and resistance training. The sources used for this guide give no safe weight or rep limit, so do not trust a number you see online. Practical, low-risk habits that fit the guidance: - Keep sets comfortable. Stop well short of a grind. - Breathe out through the hard part. Do not hold your breath for long. - Swap exercises that need you to lie flat on your back for angled or seated versions in later pregnancy (see below). - Drop a lift that causes pelvic pain, leaking or a pulling feeling, and tell your midwife or physiotherapist. New to lifting? [Strength training for beginners](/blog/strength-training-for-beginners) explains how to build load slowly; check that advice with your provider during pregnancy. ## What should I avoid while pregnant? The NHS lists these: - starting a new vigorous activity - sports with a risk of falling or being hit in the tummy, such as hockey, rugby or mountain biking - exercising on an empty stomach, which could make you faint - scuba diving - in later pregnancy, lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes, which can cause dizziness The CDC says to avoid activities that need lying flat on your back after the first trimester. The Canadian guideline is softer: it says that if you feel light-headed, nauseous or unwell lying on your back, you should change position. Both say the same thing in practice. A slight incline, a side-lying position or a seated version of the exercise solves it. Heat is also worth a thought. The NHS says to stop if you feel too hot or unwell. Drink water, train in cooler hours or indoors with a fan, and see [how much water you should drink](/blog/how-much-water-should-you-drink-daily) for a general picture. ## Who should not exercise in pregnancy? The Canadian guideline lists absolute contraindications. For women with these, more strenuous activity is not advised, although usual daily activities may continue: - ruptured membranes - premature labour - unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding - placenta previa after 28 weeks - preeclampsia - incompetent cervix - intrauterine growth restriction - high-order multiple pregnancy (such as triplets) - uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension or uncontrolled thyroid disease - other serious cardiovascular, respiratory or systemic disorder It also lists relative contraindications, which call for a talk with your obstetric care provider before you do moderate-to-vigorous activity. Examples include recurrent pregnancy loss, gestational hypertension, a history of spontaneous preterm birth, symptomatic anaemia and a twin pregnancy after 28 weeks. Only your midwife or obstetric team knows whether any of these apply to you. If you have a known health condition, the NHS says to speak to your midwife about which activities are safe. ## When can I exercise after giving birth? There is no single date that suits everyone. Birth type, tearing, a caesarean, sleep, feeding, pain and mood all change the plan. What the sources say: - **Early, gentle work.** Walking and pelvic floor exercises are the usual first steps. Local maternity teams differ on details, so follow the advice your own team gives you. - **Aerobic activity.** The CDC applies the 150 minutes a week to the postpartum period too, and says that in the first year after delivery, activity can reduce symptoms of postpartum depression. - **Impact and weights.** The sources used here give no fixed date. Timing depends on your birth, tearing or caesarean, and symptoms, so it is a clinical judgement. Ask your midwife, GP or a pelvic health physiotherapist before you add impact or heavy lifting. - **Running.** A 2024 international Delphi consensus in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Deering and colleagues) agreed on 42 of 47 statements. The panel favoured an individual plan, gradual increases and walk-run programmes, adjusted for pelvic symptoms, sleep, mood and feeding. That is expert opinion, not a trial. For more on pelvic floor training and returning to impact, read [pelvic floor exercises for runners and lifters](/blog/pelvic-floor-exercises-for-runners-and-lifters-basics). A 2020 Cochrane review (Woodley and colleagues) found that antenatal pelvic floor training in continent women probably lowers the risk of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy (risk ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.72; 6 trials, 624 women). The Canadian guideline also says daily pelvic floor training may be done in pregnancy, and that instruction in proper technique helps. ## How do sleep, mood and energy change the plan? New parents train on little sleep. That is a training factor like any other. If you slept badly, shorten the session or swap it for a walk. The [sleep guide](/blog/how-much-sleep-do-you-need) explains why sleep affects recovery, and [rest days](/blog/rest-days-how-many-you-need-and-what-to-do) covers how to plan lighter days. If you are feeding a baby, eat enough to match what you do. Include protein with each meal, such as dal, paneer, tofu, eggs, fish or chicken, plus fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and drink to thirst. Mood matters too. Exercise is linked with fewer postpartum depression symptoms (CDC), but it is not a treatment. If you feel low for more than a couple of weeks, feel unable to cope, have frightening thoughts or have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, tell your midwife, health visitor or doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or a crisis line. Many people have these feelings, and help works. Our guide on [stress, burnout and when to deload](/blog/stress-burnout-when-to-deload) covers load and stress more broadly. ## What can I do this week? **If you are pregnant and active:** - Aim for the weekly target your provider agrees with, in sessions you can finish and still talk. - Add two short strength sessions: squats to a chair, rows with bands, hip bridges, light carries. - Do pelvic floor squeezes daily; learn the technique from a physiotherapist or midwife. - Keep an eye on position, heat and hydration. **If you are pregnant and new to exercise:** - Start with ten minutes of walking a day, as the NHS suggests, and build up. - Pick one fun thing: swimming, an antenatal class, a walk with a friend. **If you are postpartum:** - Start with walking and pelvic floor work when you feel ready. - Ask your midwife or GP when you can build up, and ask about a pelvic health physiotherapist if you have symptoms. - Build time, then pace, then impact, one step at a time. - Note symptoms next to sessions. An [AI fitness coach](/features/ai-fitness-coach) that reads your own log can help you see patterns, such as "leaking only after long walks", and plan load changes; it does not diagnose anything. ## When should I stop and seek help? Stop exercising if you feel unwell, faint or too hot. Contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit, or seek urgent care, if you have: - vaginal bleeding, or fluid leaking from the vagina - regular, painful tightenings or contractions - chest pain, or severe breathlessness that does not settle with rest - a severe headache, visual changes or sudden swelling of your face or hands - pain, swelling or redness in one calf - a change in your baby's movements - after birth: heavy bleeding, fever, a feeling of heaviness or a bulge in the vagina, new pelvic or back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a caesarean wound that opens or looks infected This list is general. Your maternity team will give you the signs that apply to you, and they would always rather hear from you early. If you are unsure, call. ## Related - [Pelvic floor exercises for runners and lifters: the basics](/blog/pelvic-floor-exercises-for-runners-and-lifters-basics) - [Training around your menstrual cycle: what the evidence supports](/blog/training-around-your-menstrual-cycle-what-evidence-supports) - [Menopause exercise: what to do for strength, sleep and bone health](/blog/menopause-exercise-strength-sleep-bone-health) - [Strength training for beginners: the first eight weeks](/blog/strength-training-for-beginners) This is general training guidance, not medical advice. It does not diagnose or treat any condition, and it cannot replace the care of your midwife, doctor or physiotherapist. ## Sources - [Mottola MF et al. 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy. SOGC/CSEP guideline page](https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/pregnancy/) - [NHS. Exercise in pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/) - [CDC. Physical activity guidelines for pregnant or postpartum women](https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/healthy-pregnant-or-postpartum-women.html) - [WHO. Physical activity fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity) - [Woodley SJ et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020](https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007471.pub4) - [Deering RE et al. Clinical and exercise professional opinion on designing a postpartum return-to-running training programme: an international Delphi study and consensus statement. Br J Sports Med 2024](https://pure.cardiffmet.ac.uk/en/publications/clinical-and-exercise-professional-opinion-on-designing-a-postpar/) ## Questions ### Is it safe to exercise when pregnant? For most healthy pregnancies, yes. The CDC says moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking is very low risk for healthy pregnant women, and that activity does not raise the chance of low birth weight, early delivery or early pregnancy loss. Women with some conditions should not exercise, so check with your midwife or obstetric provider first. ### How much should I exercise in pregnancy? The 2019 Canadian guideline says to build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, over at least three days, mixing aerobic and resistance work. The NHS gives the same 150 minutes plus two sessions of muscle-strengthening. If you are new to exercise, the NHS suggests starting with about 10 minutes a day. ### Can I keep running or lifting while pregnant? The CDC says women who already do vigorous activity such as running can usually continue during and after pregnancy, with their doctor's input. The NHS advises against starting a new vigorous activity in pregnancy. Plan to adjust load as your body changes, and ask your midwife if unsure. ### When can I exercise after giving birth? There is no single date. The CDC says moderate activity is safe in the first year after birth for healthy women, and expert consensus favours a gradual build. Impact and heavy lifting need more care. A midwife, GP or pelvic health physiotherapist can give you a plan that fits your birth and symptoms. ### Which exercises should I avoid in pregnancy? The NHS advises avoiding sports with a risk of falling or being hit in the tummy, scuba diving, exercising on an empty stomach, and lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes in later pregnancy. The Canadian guideline says to change position if lying on your back makes you light-headed, nauseous or unwell. ### When should I stop exercising and call someone? Stop if you feel unwell, faint or too hot. Call your midwife or doctor, or seek urgent care, for vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, regular painful tightenings, chest pain, severe breathlessness, or a change in your baby's movements. This is general information, not medical advice. --- Canonical: https://revns.com/blog/exercise-in-pregnancy-and-postpartum-general-guidance-red-flags Index of everything: https://revns.com/llms.txt revns gives training guidance, not medical advice.