Keeping active

Exercises to avoid

  • Don't lie flat on your back, particularly after 16 weeks. The weight of your bump presses on the main blood vessel bringing blood back to your heart and can make you feel faint
  • Don't take part in sports where there's a risk of being hit or knocked (such as judo or squash) or falling (such as horse-riding, skiing, gymnastics and cycling)
  • Don't go scuba diving, because the baby has no protection against decompression sickness and bubbles in the bloodstream
  • Due to the risk of altitude sickness, don't exercise at heights over 2,500m above sea level until you have acclimatised.