Active before and after pregnancy

In addition to special pregnancy exercise classes (in-person or online), the following sports are particularly suitable for pregnant women: yoga, walking, hiking, gentle jogging, cycling, dancing, or swimming. Depending on your personal fitness level, you can usually continue all of these sports until about six to four weeks before your due date. Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises are especially beneficial at the beginning of pregnancy. From about the fifth month onward, however, you should avoid specific exercises for your abdominal muscles.

By the way: Light cardio exercises boost your energy levels, improve sleep, and can reduce pregnancy discomforts such as swollen feet or back and neck pain. They can even help prevent health problems like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. Furthermore, a good sense of your body can be beneficial during childbirth and the subsequent postpartum recovery exercises, ensuring that muscles and tendons regenerate quickly after delivery.

Moderate strength training at the gym can usually be continued into the third trimester after consulting your doctor. Water-based exercise with slow and gentle movements is ideal. The water resistance still provides a training effect. Fun fact: Water sports have a diuretic effect, so they can help with swollen legs, fingers, and joints. And with the right maternity swimwear , you'll feel comfortable in your body even as your bump grows.

High-intensity sports (e.g., marathons, HIIT) or those with a high risk of injury are absolutely off-limits throughout your entire pregnancy. This includes all combat and contact sports (e.g., soccer, hockey), as well as gymnastics, horseback riding, diving, and climbing. For the sake of your baby and your pelvic floor, you should also temporarily say goodbye to trampolining, jump rope, and inline skating.

As a basic set of equipment, we recommend the following items, which you can then expand as needed depending on the frequency of your training.

• 1 to 2 sports nursing bras
• 2 to 3 maternity sports shirts and/or sports tops
• 1 to 2 pairs of maternity sports trousers
• Breathable maternity underwear

It's important that maternity sportswear is made of light, breathable fabrics. Make sure it fits well. After all, you don't want to be constantly adjusting it.

If you swim or want to take an aquagym class, you will of course also need well-fitting and supportive maternity swimwear.

Exercising without a good sports bra is already incredibly uncomfortable. You can imagine how awful it would feel during pregnancy when your breasts get bigger and even more sensitive. That's why a well-fitting sports bra is the absolute most essential piece of equipment for your workouts!

What makes a good sports nursing bra? Unlike a regular bra, a sports nursing bra offers even more support without constricting your breasts. It significantly reduces breast movement, so nothing jiggles or bounces uncomfortably during your exercises. Wide, adjustable straps and durable, breathable material are standard features of our sports nursing bras. Practical nursing clips or – in the case of our yoga bras – deep wrap-style necklines allow you to breastfeed your baby after birth. This also makes our sports nursing bras an essential must-have for your postpartum recovery course, which you'll likely want to attend with your baby.

Our maternity sports shirts and tops, made from breathable materials, are perfectly tailored to your needs during pregnancy. Gathering and special cuts give your growing belly plenty of room without constricting it. Most of our sports tops also have a nursing function, so they'll continue to be your faithful sports companion even after giving birth.

You'll find the perfect maternity sports pants for every sport with us, whether it's for light cardio workouts, gentle yoga routines, or relaxing after exercise. Our breathable maternity sports leggings, for example, come in models with an under-belly waistband and those with an over-belly waistband. Both styles provide support for your bump. The choice is a matter of personal preference – some prefer to have their entire belly snug (over-belly waistband), while others want more freedom of movement, especially in warmer weather (under-belly waistband). In addition to our sports leggings, you'll also find yoga maternity pants that are particularly stretchy and move with you effortlessly through every pose.

Your body's natural recovery begins immediately after birth. This often manifests as uterine contractions, known as afterpains, which help the uterus return to its original size. Other parts of your body, such as the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, don't automatically return to their pre-pregnancy state after birth and require active support. You should begin gentle, specific exercises to strengthen your core no sooner than six to eight weeks postpartum. Important: If you had a cesarean section, the wound must be fully healed, the incision should no longer be painful, and a doctor should give you the go-ahead.

Want to learn more about this topic? Then stay tuned – our guide to postpartum recovery will be released soon. Until then, you can also find what you need in our postpartum shapewear range. Here you'll find comfortable clothing and styles to support your recovery.