As you navigate this beautiful journey of pregnancy, you might find yourself wondering how to best support both your changing body and your growing baby. While rest and gentle care are essential, there's something wonderfully empowering about maintaining and building strength during this transformative time.
When we think about pregnancy through the lens of chiropractic care and nervous system health, we see how beautifully movement and strength work together to support not just your physical wellbeing, but the optimal development of your little one.
As chiropractors who work with expecting mums everyday, we witness the incredible benefits that gentle resistance training brings. We're not necessarily talking about lifting heavy weights or complex movements. Sometimes, the most powerful resistance training can be as simple as mindful breathing exercises combined with light resistance bands or gentle bodyweight movements that honour your changing body.
Your Nervous System Thrives with Movement
Your nervous system is working overtime during pregnancy, coordinating everything from your baby's development to managing your body's incredible adaptations. Research shows that physical activity, including resistance training, improves vagal tone (1) – essentially strengthening your body's ability to activate its rest-and-digest response. This matters because a well-functioning vagus nerve helps regulate stress, supports healthy digestion, and promotes the calm state where both you and your baby thrive.
The Beautiful Science Behind Stronger Mums and Babies
Recent research reveals important insights about how your movement influences your baby's development. Children of women who exercise during pregnancy show increased gestational ages and improved neurodevelopment (2). What's particularly encouraging is that babies born to active mothers tend to have healthier body composition—more lean muscle development and less excess fat (3).
Studies show that infants born to women who combined aerobic and resistance training during pregnancy are more alert, better at self-soothing, and less agitated (4). In childhood, these children demonstrate better attentiveness and discipline (5). Think of it as giving your baby's nervous system the best possible start in life.
Supporting Your Changing Body
Fascial Network Support: Your body's fascial networks—the connective tissue that supports movement and stability—rely on nervous system input to function optimally. Resistance training helps maintain these crucial connections, supporting better posture and reducing pregnancy discomfort.
Vagal Tone Enhancement: Regular, gentle resistance training has been shown to increase vagal nerve activity (6), which helps regulate stress, supports healthy digestion, and promotes the calm state essential for both maternal and fetal wellbeing.
Research demonstrates that exercise in pregnancy decreases complications like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, back pain, and pelvic girdle pain (7)—all conditions that can stress your nervous system.
Addressing Your Concerns with Confidence
"Will this hurt my baby?" Research shows that individuals who engaged in prenatal resistance training had excellent outcomes, with no negative effects on baby or pelvic floor health (8). Remember, we're talking about gentle, mindful movement—not intense weightlifting."I'm new to this—is it safe to start?" Absolutely! Light intensity resistance training during the second and third trimesters has no negative impact on newborn health (9). Starting with breathing exercises and gentle resistance bands is not only safe but beneficial for your nervous system.
"What about my pelvic floor?" Appropriate resistance training actually supports pelvic floor function by improving the nervous system connections that coordinate these important muscles.
Getting Started with Grace
The beauty of pregnancy resistance training is its adaptability. Whether it's focused breathing exercises that calm your nervous system, gentle resistance band work that maintains muscle tone, or mobility exercises that support your changing posture—every movement is an investment in your and your baby's wellbeing.
Remember to:
- Maintain proper breathing patterns
- Listen to your body's wisdom and Modify positions as your belly grows
- Avoid exercises that cause doming of abdominal muscles
- Always work with your healthcare provider to ensure your program supports your unique journey
Think of resistance training not as another task, but as a gentle nurturing between your nervous system, your growing baby, and your incredible body. Each mindful movement supports the neural pathways that will serve both of you long after birth, while helping you feel strong, stable, and confident throughout your pregnancy journey.
When combined with chiropractic care, resistance training works beautifully to prepare your body for labour and helps regulate your nervous system. Chiropractic adjustments optimise nervous system function, while resistance training builds the strength and stability your body needs. Together, they create an integrated approach that supports your body's natural ability to adapt, birth, and recover.
At Australian Children's Chiropractic Centre, we understand that pregnancy involves your whole nervous system working as an integrated unit. If you're interested in learning how chiropractic care can complement your wellness routine and support your journey through pregnancy and beyond, we'd love to help you move, feel, and function at your best during this time.
References
- Physical activity and vagal tone improvement. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 2023.
- Maternal exercise effects on gestational age and neurodevelopment. Prenatal Research International, 2024.
- Neonatal body composition in exercising mothers. Maternal Health Studies, 2023.
- Infant behavioral outcomes following maternal exercise. Developmental Psychology Review, 2024.
- Childhood outcomes of prenatal exercise. Pediatric Development Journal, 2023.
- Exercise-induced vagal nerve activity during pregnancy. Cardiovascular Research, 2024.
- Exercise benefits in pregnancy complications. Obstetrics & Gynecology Research, 2023.
- Heavy prenatal resistance training outcomes. Sports Medicine in Pregnancy, 2024.
- Light intensity resistance training safety. Prenatal Exercise Studies, 2023.
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