Over the last few years, a number of my Facebook friend seems to have gotten into CrossFit. And, to be honest, I was very skeptical about the seemingly rigorous program at first. But after seeing the transformations and hearing the testimonies from a few of my friends, I figured it had to be a pretty good program. Most recently though, one of my avid CrossFit friends announced her pregnancy on Facebook and revealed that she would still be hitting her workouts. That's when I started to question: can you do CrossFit when pregnant?
Although many of my friends have talked about the great things that come along with CrossFit, they have also discussed the importance of safety and form when participating. So, hearing my pregnant friend talk about engaging in the high-intensity workout made me a little nervous. According to Shape though, doing CrossFit while pregnant is completely safe — as long as you had been doing the workouts before your pregnancy.
The site noted that if you were doing the workouts before your pregnancy, then continuing on could be a great way to stay fit. However, starting a routine as intense as the ones that come along with CrossFit wouldn't be recommended during pregnancy if you weren't doing them before. This is because it could be dangerous on your body and for your baby. Additionally, Boxlife magazine noted that the functional movements found in CrossFit workouts are extremely beneficial for women in labor and — as with any exercise — as long as you have at least six months of workouts in, you'll be fine to continue on.
So, if you're into CrossFit already, it's safe to say that you can keep lifting, squatting, and kicking butt during your workouts even while pregnant. As with anything that concerns the body, be sure to know your limits and recognize when you need a break. Staying in shape during your pregnancy is important, but maintaining the health of your baby (and yourself) is even more important.
