Can you play pickleball while pregnant? You may ask whether you should play pickleball during your pregnancy period and be confused if this activity has any effects on you and your baby.
Generally, pregnant mothers can play pickleball. However, you should read the article below to fully understand and evaluate the safety level of this sport and others. Exercises during pregnancy are beneficial only when you equip yourself carefully.
Let’s scroll down to start keeping your pregnancy healthy and stable!
Is pickleball safe during pregnancy?
Playing Pickleball is considered safe only if pregnant women take all reasonable precautions, the most important of which is following the instructions of their obstetricians.
Before participating in any sports, or any other exercise regimens during pregnancy, they should consult their doctors to make sure that it would not afflict the development and safety of the fetuses.
Besides, too much exercise is never a wise choice, especially when it comes to pregrant women. All in all, expecting women’s health should be their own top priority, even if they are big fans of any particular sports or physical activities.
Can You Play Pickleball While Pregnant?
You can play pickleball and other racquet sports at a moderate level when you are pregnant. Pickleball is a low-impact sport that does not affect pregnant women but keeps their bodies and minds healthy and calm. We all know that physical and mental health plays a key role in developing a stable pregnancy.
Each woman has different conditions during pregnancy. Before playing pickleball and other sports, consult your obstetricians to ensure your health conditions are safe for workouts. They will help you decide the level and timeline of playing pickleball and other activities.
Pros And Cons Of Playing Pickleball While Pregnant
Pros
Pickleball Strengthens Your Mental Health During And After Birth
Pickleball is a gentle activity ideal for pregnant mothers who want to improve their health and stay active and fit. It provides a slow-paced game with short paddles, so the chance of getting injuries is much lower than playing tennis with a racket.
It’s one of the most effective strategies to maintain social contact when pregnant. You can play pickleball with your friends, family, and neighbors, effectively making more friends and keeping yourself pleasant and delighted. Due to this strategy, pregnant women can reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout and avoid depression during pregnancy.
When you are expecting, your body has many remarkable changes. Playing pickleball will help you maintain your body shape and reduce edema in calves and other body parts.
Some women experience momnesia after birth, so doing pickleball exercises is a great way for pregnant women to enhance their brain’s performance by producing quick thinking and strategy.
Cons
Although pickleball is a slow-paced sport, it’s not suitable for all pregnant mothers, especially those with health issues during pregnancy. Playing this sport can be competitive and intensive for some.
Pickleball requires players to move continuously to hit the ball, which quite discomforts pregnant women with joint stiffness. It also involves a lot of stretching and bending, which may be unsuitable for those with back pain.
Pregnant mothers who often feel dizzy, faint, and have bad headaches should avoid this sport. Many hand and eye coordination in pickleball can make these symptoms more terrible.
What Precautions Should Be Taken When Playing Pickleball While Pregnant?
Unlike risky contact sports, pickleball is a more suitable and moderate sport you can play regularly during pregnancy to keep fit and stay healthy. Though the risk of falling or getting injuries in a pickleball match is low, you still need to pay attention to your health and prevent pushing your body too hard.
Avoid excessive bounces, strong jumps, and fast running steps. These movements seem extreme and make your body shake suddenly. You should gently move across to reach the ball and strike back with a lighter shoulder. If the ball travels beyond your reach, let it go away. You can fall off while trying to hit the ball, which may endanger your unborn child.
Pregnant Women With Edema May Feel Pain While Playing
Heat is another factor that pregnant women need to be cautious of. Always notice your body temperature during the game since it significantly impacts your fetus’ development.
Avoid playing on a hot summer day, or try to minimize sunlight by equipping yourself with sun protection items like umbrellas, floppy hats, and sun-protective clothes.
Resting during each set and staying hydrated will help you cool down your core body temperature and prevent fatigue. Playing pickleball indoors is advisable when the weather condition is unfavorable.
Keeping an active body and healthy pregnancy by doing activities is good, but you should not push yourself intensively. A moderate fitness program, such as pickleball, swimming, table tennis, and walking, is preferable in your pregnancy, which enhances your flexibility and causes no harm to your unborn child.
When Pregnant Women Should Stop Playing Pickleball
Not every pregnant mother is suitable to play pickleball comfortably and safely. Some are advised to exercise this sport regularly as usual, while others may have to stop around the third trimester.
The only way to know when to pause is to schedule regular doctor checkups, even when you don’t recognize any abnormal symptoms.
Women Often Feel Dizzy During Pregnancy
All the symptoms listed below show that your body is reacting to playing pickleball, so you must quit playing immediately to avoid serious pregnancy conditions and make an appointment with your doctor:
- Bleeding from the cervix or vagina
- Having continuous upset contractions in the uterine
- Feeling pain in the chest
- Cannot take a deep breath at the beginning of the workout
- Unusually spilling or oozing vagina’s fluid
- Having muscle fatigue
- Feeling discomfort in calves or stretchy legs
- Experiencing faintness and bad headaches
- Experiencing belly pain
Pickleball balls are lightweight and move more slowly, but if you are struck on the belly during the pickleball exercise, stop playing and go to the nearest hospital to have a checkup. Even when you don’t feel pain, checking up is necessary and ensures your pregnancy is not influenced.
Sweating too much is another case in which you have to pause your match and find ways to reduce your body temperature. A high temperature in your core body can lead to overheating and harmful effects on your health and baby.
FAQs
Best Sports Choices While Pregnant
Besides pickleball, swimming is highly recommended for pregnant women to relax and boost their circulation. Regular swimming also improves the body shape and stabilizes your wellness during pregnancy.
Another safe and low-impact activity is cycling. This sport efficiently enhances your cardiovascular health and reduces anxiety, stress, and the risk of depression during pregnancy. While cycling, you will have a good time breathing fresh air and interacting with people and nature, which eases your mind and strengthens your immune system.
Yoga is also a great option due to its advantages to your body, muscles, and mind. It increases your strength, flexibility and reduces muscle tension during pregnancy. You also learn to meditate and ease your mind in yoga meditation, which is a great gift for your soul and baby.
Can You Play Pickleball In The First Trimester?
The first trimester is a sensitive and risky period for pregnant women. Unborn child conditions are unstable, so we don’t recommend you play pickleball at that time.
Instead, you should walk around gently for a while. If you still want to play pickleball, talk to your doctor carefully before starting.
What Activities Should Be Avoided During Pregnancy?
Many activities you should not do when you are expecting, including football, basketball, scuba diving, and all sports that require balance, causing a high risk of falling.
Hot tubs and saunas are also dangerous for pregnant women. Some research shows that using saunas and hot tubs in the first three trimesters is linked to birth abnormalities. When you do these activities, your body temperature rises, leading to detrimental effects on your fetus.
How Long Can You Play Sports When Pregnant?
Being active and fit during pregnancy helps you easily manage your body form and weight. Doing workouts is necessary at this important period. Maintain your regular daily physical exercises or sports during pregnancy for as long as you are comfortable.
Take a break if you feel tired, and hydrate yourself. Don’t force it to do intensive workouts for an extended time.
When Should You Play Pickleball During Pregnancy?
The best time to start playing pickleball depends on your health. Typically, you can do activities around the fourth trimester when your fetus is stable. Playing in the third trimester is fine for some women since their health can adapt to this workout routine.
We advise consulting your doctor and listening to their opinions to ensure a healthy and active pregnancy.
Conclusion
Can you play pickleball while pregnant? Yes, you can play pickleball when you are expecting, but only at a moderate level. You’d better ask your doctor to check your health and baby before playing. Always notice abnormal symptoms to ensure your safety, and immediately call the doctor if your body does not feel well.
You can go swimming and join other activities that are safe for pregnant women, like yoga, cycling, and walking. Avoiding contact sports and sports that have a risk of falling will help you keep a healthy pregnancy.
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