The Fertility Fitness Podcast

Fertility Focus on navigating the Two Week Wait

Episode Summary

Welcome to Fertility Focus, where Maria discusses how to safely work out during the Two Week Wait (TWW). The TWW is the period between ovulation or embryo transfer and finding out if you're pregnant. It can be mentally challenging, leading to excessive symptom spotting and anxiety. While it's important to acknowledge and accept this phase, finding ways to distract yourself is equally crucial. Exercise can be a great solution, providing a break from overthinking, releasing endorphins, reducing anxiety, and offering a sense of control.

Episode Notes

Key Points:

During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is important for pregnant women to avoid raising their body temperature above 39.2°C (102°F) to minimise the risk of birth defects. Monitoring body temperature during workouts is crucial, and research suggests that pregnant women can safely exercise for up to 35 minutes at 80-90% of their maximum heart rate in temperatures around 77°F (25°C). It is essential to pay attention to individual differences and adjust accordingly.

To prevent potential interference with implantation or trauma to the abdominal area, it is crucial to avoid exercises that exert excessive pressure on the abdomen during the Two Week Wait (TWW). Examples of such exercises include hip thrusts with a barbell and resting dumbbells on the abdomen during weighted sit-ups.

Proper hydration is essential during pregnancy and workouts. To avoid dehydration, it is recommended to lower workout intensity, exercise in well-ventilated spaces, wear loose clothing, and keep a readily available water bottle. Using a bottle with an easy-to-drink lid can also enhance convenience and improve workout safety and comfort.

While the research on the effects of twisting exercises on implantation is mixed, there is evidence suggesting that mild uterine contractions caused by such exercises may interfere with implantation. To err on the side of caution, it is best to avoid exercises involving rotational movements. Instead, focus on core exercises that do not require body rotation.

During the TWW and pregnancy, it is not advisable to strive for personal records or engage in heavy lifting. Pushing your body to its limits, as often seen during personal best attempts, can be counterproductive during this sensitive period. It is important to maintain a controlled exercise routine while ensuring you have enough energy to support your body and potential pregnancy.For any questions or additional guidance during the stressful TWW, feel free to reach out to Maria at.

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Episode Transcription

Welcome to Fertility Focus, this weekly minisode is designed to help you improve your fertility. Every Tuesday I will be focusing on actionable steps to help you take control of your own ttc journey.

I’m Maria, I’m a personal trainer specialising in fertility. Whether you are preparing for IVF, managing your BMI or ready to throw everything you have at your own trying to conceive journey, tune in each week to hear more.

In this week’s focus I am talking about how to work out in the two week wait. The two week wait is the time between ovulation, or the embryo transfer, and finding out if you are pregnant. This can be a really tough time psychologically, and it can be so easy just to sit and ruminate on everything that is going on. Symptom spotting takes over, and if you’re like me you end up googling things like “I have a sore toe, could I be pregnant”. So, one good way to navigate the two week wait is to acknowledge you are in it, be ok with that, but perhaps try to take your mind off it when you can. A great way to do this is through exercise. Not only will it get you off your phone, those lovely exercise endorphins will help lower your anxiety, plus you will feel like you have control over at least one aspect of your life. You will also be increasing the blood flow of lovely oxygen rich blood to your uterus and ovaries, which can only be a good thing.

So here are my five ways to workout in the two week wait (always check with your doctor before getting started).

Make sure your body temperature doesn’t get too high. Research has shown that if a pregnant woman’s body temperature rises above 39.2°C (102 degrees F) in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby has a slightly increased risk of having a birth defect. To be clear, this is a very high temperature, and most women won’t come anywhere near that unless they have a fever. The hot weather can of course have an impact on your body temperature, so if you are pregnant in summer, and you live in a particularly hot climate, this is definitely something to be more aware of. In relation to this, a group of researchers were interested in whether pregnant women can run safely in the heat. Evidence from 12 studies has shown that, regardless of gestational period, pregnant women can safely exercise for up to 35 minutes at 80 to 90 percent max heart rate in 77 degrees fahrenheit, 25 degrees C. So in short, you need to keep an eye on your body temperature when working out but there is no one hard and fast rule. Everyone is different, so make sure you tune in to your own body and how your body responds to the heat.
Avoid exercises that put pressure on your abdomen. This sounds rather obvious but before you know it you can be loading up that barbell and hip thrusting without really thinking about it. It is also remarkably easy to rest dumbbells on your abdomen whilst you are lying on your back and taking a break from something like weighted sit ups, or dead bugs. None of us should be resting dumbbells on our abdomen anyway, but it is especially important to be more mindful when working out in the two week wait. You don’t want to do anything that puts too much pressure on that abdomen area, just in case it can interfere with implantation, or cause trauma in any way.
Make sure you stay fully hydrated. I appreciate you have probably heard this advice time and time again, but please do take it on board. Dehydration can lead to a number of complications in pregnancy, so it is really important that you avoid becoming dehydrated when working out. To help with this, keep the intensity of your workouts lower, so instead of smashing out at 9/10 effort , lower it to 6/10. Make sure you are working out in a well ventilated space. If it is roasting hot outside, go inside, with a fan or air con. Wear loose clothing. Always have a bottle of water with you and my top tip is to splash out on one with an easier to drink from lid; make sure you have one you can just pull up with your teeth, it saves the problem of having to stop, unscrew a lid and then put it back on. All of these small things make a big difference and help to make your workout as safe as possible.
Avoid twisting exercise e.g. russian twist, cross body mountain climbers. Whilst the research on this area is mixed, there is some evidence to suggest that mild uterine contractions can interfere with implantation. So, it is best to be on the safe side and avoid exercises that may lead to these mild contractions. You can still work your core, but avoid the exercises that cause your body to rotate.
Avoid really heavy lifting and going for PB’s. the two week wait, and then pregnancy is not a time for PB’s. Getting a personal best whether in running, cycling, swimming, lifting, requires pushing your body really hard (this is why you often see people vomiting on the finishing line). The 2 ww just isn't the time to do this. You are already working really hard. You may actually be growing a human and whilst it’s great to exercise in a controlled way, we also want you to have enough energy to help that little bean grow.

I know the 2ww can be super stressful so if you have any questions get in touch

Outro

If you really want to make sure you work out regularly, with people who truly understand what you are going through then follow me on instagram at fitness_fertility, where you will find my community of thousands of women who are also trying to conceive.

And, if you can’t wait to workout, head over to fitnessfertility.com and sign up for my awesome free workouts.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Fitness Fertility Podcast, and tune in every Friday to hear interviews with fertility experts and in-depth discussions on all aspects of fitness and fertility.

And one more thing, please share the show, because you never know who is struggling and may need that little bit of extra help.