I have to say this because there is probably someone out there who would blame me if she hurt herself trying to squat 1000 pounds: Make sure you consult your own doctor before you try anything I share with you here.
I was very lucky in that I had a smooth pregnancy without any complications. I’m sure some of this had to do with genetics, but I believe it was more likely due to the fact that I started out my pregnancy really healthy. I already worked out regularly and ate well. You can read more about my pregnancy weight gain and eating here: https://thelawyermom.com/pregnancyeating/ Before I was pregnant, I did morning cardio almost every morning and returned to the gym after work to lift weights. Weekend workouts usually consisted of a full lift where I took such short breaks that it could be considered cardio to some people.
When I found out I was pregnant, I started to scale back my workouts but I continued to workout regularly. My doctor advised me to not lift more than 25 pounds, but I was use to lifting substantially more weight than that. Also, 25 pounds for bicep curls (ouch!) is not the same as 25 pounds on leg press or squats. I thought about how heavy 25 pounds would be to the average woman and how much it was to me, and scaled my workouts accordingly. I made a conscious effort to not do anything that felt like it was straining my abdomen or vagina. I believe that continuing to lift weights throughout most of my pregnancy allowed me to maintain quite a bit of muscle mass and allowed me to have an easier delivery. If you would like to see a sample of my workout schedule, just subscribe here and I will send it to you:
As my pregnancy progressed, the frequency and duration of my lifts reduced, as well as the amount of weight I lifted. By the end of my third trimester, I was doing mostly just cardio. I usually walked on the treadmill at a comfortable speed with enough incline to challenge myself. I went to the gym in the morning on the day I checked into the hospital to be induced. I truly believe that the cardio vascular exercise and the weightlifting I did throughout my pregnancy really helped my delivery and my post-partum recovery. The most important thing to remember is that you listen to your own body. If anything you are doing hurts more than just the regular burn from working out, you should stop or scale back immediately. And again, as always, make sure you check with your own doctor!