**Abstract**

Resistance training can be a safe form of both prenatal and postnatal exercise with appropriate exercise selection and modification, safety considerations, and understanding of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Clinicians, coaches, trainers, and pregnant and postpartum women themselves, should be made aware of common conditions that can impact exercise such as diastasis recti, prolapse, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and pelvic floor dysfunction such as urinary incontinence. Prenatal modifications will be introduced broken down into trimesters and postpartum conditions and recovery will be discussed. This chapter will also discuss the positive impact resistance training can have on pregnant and postpartum women when it is performed utilizing general safety guidelines and contraindications are observed and respected.

**Keywords:** pregnant, postpartum, diastasis recti, prolapse, resistance training

## **1. Introduction**

Historically, pregnant and postpartum women have been discouraged and even advised against partaking in physical activity for fear of harming or terminating their pregnancy [1]. With an explosion of research in prenatal and postpartum exercise in the last decade, not only has the myth that physical activity causes miscarriage been disproven, evidence to support prenatal and postpartum exercise as a contributing factor to improved maternal and fetal health has emerged [1–6]. Adherence to guidelines for prenatal and postpartum exercise, including resistance training, can ensure safe and active pregnancies and restorative postpartum recoveries. Topics discussed in this chapter include benefits and recommendations for prenatal exercise, general medical conditions that impact prenatal physical activity, contraindications and modifications for prenatal and postpartum exercise, common postpartum conditions that impact exercise and guidelines for postpartum exercise.
