Exercise during pregnancy has never been easier – here is the best exercise app we’ve found for prenatal and postnatal exercises!
Pregnancy Fitness App
When I’ve been pregnant in the past, exercising is always the last thing I wanted to do.
However, it was often the only thing that made me feel better.
Ironic how that works, eh?
During those pregnancies, I found myself just going to the gym and fiddling around, hoping to get some kind of workout in.
Most of the time, I would end up on the treadmill or the elliptical.
Toward the end of both of my pregnancies, I ended up doing water aerobics or water Zumba a lot.
It was the only thing that didn’t hurt – and it felt nice to feel weightless for a while.
But I digress.
Exercise during pregnancy is important – research shows it can lead to an easier labor and delivery, as well as a better recovery.
In the past, I’ve written all about Must-Know Tips for Exercise During Pregnancy, which goes over all of the ins and outs of the safety of it (and of course – you should always consult with your doctor regarding any restrictions).
But for the most part, a woman who is having a complication-free pregnancy can feel free to participate in most exercises she did before.
And even if you weren’t exercising, you can start during pregnancy. Just start slow.
Today, I wanted to share an exercise app for pregnancy I wish I’d had during my pregnancies.
It has exercises for every stage of pregnancy, and they’ve been specifically designed for women who are pregnant.
Plus, they have some great postpartum exercises (such as stroller workouts) that are really great, too.
It’s called Aaptiv.
Aaptiv is the #1 audio fitness app in the App Store.
I have been personally using it for over a year, and it’s become my favorite way to exercise. I use it multiple times a week – and I’ve even written a post about it in the past here – Aaptiv Review (2018) – The Best Exercise App for Beginners AND Pros!
When I discovered it, I had been on the lookout for an exercise app that had all the features I needed and wanted. After deleting app after app, I’ve never turned back since subscribing to it.
While it has options for everyone – you don’t just have to be pregnant to use it – I was really excited when I saw they had a section just for pregnant women.
Pregnancy Exercises App
The program is called “Move Through Maternity“, and it’s led by the trainer Kira, with Jamie in it as well (I haven’t done any with Kira, but I love Jamie!).
It has 40 weeks of exercises, specifically designed for moms-to-be.
The trainers are pre and post-natal certified trainers, and the exercises begin at about five weeks, and the first trimester, and it goes throughout your entire pregnancy.
It concludes with some great “Trimester Four” and “Stroller” exercises for mothers who are wanting to get in shape after the baby comes. Here is a little bit of information on what to expect in the “Trimester Four” program.
The exercises include elliptical, yoga, outdoor running, and treadmill, and they are great for all levels.
Although I haven’t done these exercises while pregnant, I am really impressed by them. They range from 15 to 30 minutes, and they have been designed specifically for the pregnant mom in mind.
I think this is an awesome and affordable program for any pregnant or postpartum mama who is looking to get healthier and in better shape without feeling like she is going to pass out the whole time. They are all labeled as beginner workouts, so they should be good for everyone (I just noticed that the postpartum workouts have all levels – but all of the pregnancy ones are beginner).
They also offer a lot of great information about health and fitness during pregnancy here.
I’ve taken a few screenshots of some of the different workouts below from each trimester:
First Trimester:
Second Trimester
Third Trimester:
Fourth Trimester/Postpartum
Stroller Workout
Here are a few questions you might be having:
Why do you love Aaptiv?
If you’ve read my review, I go over this a little bit. However, what I love so much about Aaptiv is that it’s fun. The trainers are really engaging, which makes the workouts a lot easier to do. You really feel like you have someone there encouraging you on. It always makes me laugh when I hear them say, “Take your hands off the railings” just as I start to do that.
There’s such a huge variety of workouts, too. Even within their prenatal program, they really mix it up – you aren’t doing the same thing every day.
It’s also nice that not all of the workouts require some kind of equipment – many of them you can do from the comfort of your home. Which, if you are like me while I’m pregnant, sometimes just getting out of the house is a task in and of itself.
With other apps that I’ve used, you constantly have to be looking down at your app to read the instructions or watch a video on how to do something, or the voice is just a monotonous, boring tone. Not exactly fun!
How much does it cost?
There are two pricing structures for Aaptiv.
First, if you aren’t sure you want to commit to it for a year, it is $14.99 a month – which does feel a bit steep (especially if you are paying for a gym membership on top of that – many of the exercises don’t require this, though!).
You can also get a 7-day free trial, which is nice if you are really on the fence about if you even want to pay for it for a month (which is totally understandable)
Anyone with a student email address can get 50% off membership! You can read the details about that here.
Is it safe for pregnancy?
Obviously, you should always talk with your OBGYN before starting any new exercise regimen – during or after pregnancy.
However, for anyone who has no restrictions on exercise, the Maternity program is very safe. It’s been developed specifically for pregnant women by trainers who are certified in prenatal and postnatal fitness.
Susan says
I have been looking all over this app and not finding anything for maternity. Any help?!
Katie says
Hello, Susan! It is a little tricky to find. If you go to the main page of the app, and click on programs, at the top you’ll see all programs. Keep scrolling and you should find “Move into Maternity” or something like that. It looks like they only have exercises for the 2nd and 3rd trimester anymore though.
Chelsea Johnson says
This is awesome! It looks like it’s broken down so simply and is easy to follow! I didn’t do a lot of exercise with my last pregnancy, and I wish this had been around! Thanks for sharing!