When Should Your PT Know About Your Pregnancy?
Melissa Woodward 
Over the years I have been lucky enough to be privy to client's pregnancy news at a very early date. I'm grateful for their trust in me to share their special news. One thing I failed to do in my first pregnancy was share the news with my Personal Trainer. I didn't feel confident to share with him. I didn't know whether he really needed to know. I didn't know whether it had any impact on my training so I just carried on with my intense workouts with him, hoping I was doing the right thing. Well my first pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage which lead to fear around exercising when pregnant. The miscarriage may have had nothing to do with exercise (and probably didn't, as we never know the reason). However, my mind made the connection as I searched for a reason. I needed someone to turn to for support during pregnancy and didn't feel I could share with him.
So when should your PT know about your pregnancy?
The simple answer is whenever you are ready to share. If you want to continue exercising, it's better to share early so I can guide you through any modifications to make to the workout. I am always discreet and will have a quiet chat to you before the workout with details of what will be changed. I can create workouts that allow for modifications without it being obvious to anyone else. I'm not going to share all my secrets of how we hide the news but it's been done plenty of times before.
If you are struggling with fatigue and nausea in the first trimester, we can make up excuses for you to leave early once you have had enough. Exercise is about making you feel better and we aim to create more energy instead of making the fatigue worse. You can also bring snacks if you find they help keep the nausea at bay.
If you're not ready to share and you can't leave the couch, take the time to rest. When you feel well, go for a walk. I'm always here when you are ready to get back into it.
My experience has lead me to learning and understanding more about pregnancy and exercise. I am passionate about educating clients so they know when to share the news, how I can help and what changes can be made to ensure a healthy pregnancy. This is also why I have created our Strong Mums Program with a Pregnancy Membership option. It's to ensure that you have an option to continue exercise and experience the benefits that exercise during pregnancy can bring. Strong Mums workouts are suitable for all stages of pregnancy and post natal recovery.
If you are looking for support to continue exercise when trying to conceive, during your pregnancy and following childbirth, contact us to find out how our services can help.