What shouldn’t I do?

In gestational diabetes, increasing the amount of exercise you are doing can help to dramatically lower your blood glucose levels and have a significant impact on your control during pregnancy. It also helps prepare you for labour and helps you strengthen your muscles to support the growing foetus.

That said, there are certain types of exercise that are not advised during pregnancy. Sports that might involve contact or lead to falling should be avoided, as you may be more prone to losing your balance as your pregnancy progresses. This includes sports such as horse riding, skiing, cycling, tennis, and martial arts. You should also avoid scuba diving and high altitude travel, as changes in pressure can affect your baby’s health.

Changes in your body may also make some movements more challenging or dangerous. For example, after 16 weeks, you should try to avoid lying on your back for prolonged periods of time, as the weight of the baby can compress the major artery that delivers blood to your body. This can lead to you feeling dizzy and potentially losing consciousness or falling, which might injure you and the baby.

In general, it’s a good idea to keep in contact with your GP/antenatal team about what you are doing, as they may be able to advise you if anything you’re doing is unsuitable or risky.