Pregnancy exercises by trimester — what's safe in 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Most pregnancy fitness content is generic — 'walk and do prenatal yoga' covers every week from positive test to 40. That misses the actual programming question: WHICH moves stay safe across all three trimesters, and which need to drop out at specific weeks? The trimester-by-trimester reality: 1st trimester (weeks 1-13), fatigue and morning sickness are the dominant constraints — anything you'll actually do beats anything optimised. 2nd trimester (14-27), most users feel best — but supine moves should drop out around week 20 because the uterus starts compressing the inferior vena cava and reduces cardiac return. 3rd trimester (28+), supine is entirely off the table, balance is reduced from the shifted centre of mass, and breath capacity is limited as the diaphragm gets pushed up.

Volya's catalogue has 9 pregnancy-safe moves: standing march for cardio when supine is out, standing + birth-ball pelvic tilt for SI mobility, seated banded row for postural support against late-pregnancy slouch, plus side-lying clamshell, wall push-up, supported glute bridge, kegel, and cat-cow. Each move carries the ACOG-aligned contraindications it should — birth-ball pelvic tilt won't be served to a user who declared placenta previa or bed rest; standing march drops for preeclampsia and severe anaemia; banded row drops for preeclampsia (Valsalva avoidance). Bring your prenatal care team into every decision — this page is informational, not a replacement for your OB or midwife.