Full Term Exercises: Activities to Work Into Your “Green Zone”

One of the most common questions we are asked is, what exercises should I do at the end of pregnancy? While this will vary from person to person, there are a few activities we think are great in those last few weeks of pregnancy.

Squats - You may have heard the advice to “drop it likes it’s hot” and do 300 squats per day (made famous by The Farm midwife Ina May Gaskin"). While squats are amazing at building strength, in the end, you want to work on elasticity in your pelvic floor. So maybe instead of the repetitive squatting, focus on holding a deep squat and breathing through the discomfort for longer periods of time. You can use yoga blocks, a bolster, or a stack of books to help support your weight if you need a little help.

Curb Walking/Stairs - Walking is a fantastic exercise for all trimesters in pregnancy! Towards the end, to “up the ante” a bit, you can throw in curb walks. Curb walking is where one foot walks up on the curb while the other walks lower on the street. Make sure you do about an even distance with both legs in the elevated “curb” position.

Alternatively, if you have stairs, you can do accomplish the same thing in the comfort of your home. Walk sideways up the stairs with your right leg leading, then switch and go back upstairs with your left leg leading.

This uneven walking pattern can help encourage babies to more thoroughly engage in the pelvis!

Balancing Exercises - Optimizing function is an important piece when exercising in the final weeks of pregnancy. We want our bodies to “perform” at their best, functionally. Certain exercises help to add balance in order to accomplish this! Our favorites are the: forward-leaning inversion, side lying release, and the jiggle!

Prenatal Yoga - Finding a great prenatal yoga class can take you from the first trimester all the way through delivery day! Prenatal yoga is a gentle way of balancing strength building with elasticity.

The Miles Circuit - In the case of prodromal labor (when contractions last days or weeks with no pickup in intensity), the Miles Circuit can be an incredible series of exercises. Start easy with 10 minutes per exercise and work your way up to the full 30 minutes per position.

Whatever you choose to do, pay attention to your body’s cues. When it tells you it’s too much, listen, and rest. Your body knows what’s best and what is tolerated.