- Rihanna revealed a baby bump in her Super Bowl performance, and a rep confirmed her pregnancy.
- Exercise is safe and healthy during pregnancy, but OBGYNs use a test to decide intensity.
Rihanna stunned Super Bowl viewers on Sunday when she revealed a baby bump during her half-time performance, and a representative confirmed her pregnancy shortly after.
The singer, who gave birth to her first child in May 2022, sang a medley of her greatest hits from floating stages while dancing and cradling her stomach. It's unclear which trimester she's in.
Exercise during pregnancy is not only safe but recommended for the health of both baby and mother, but some alterations should be made in later stages, according to experts.
It's important to stay active during pregnancy
Staying active doesn't increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
"There are many proven health benefits such as a reduction in hypertensive disorders, improved cardiorespiratory fitness, lower gestational weight gain, and reduction in risk of gestational diabetes," Hollie Grant, a pre-natal pilates instructor and founder of the Bump Plan, previously told Insider.
Research also suggests that exercise during pregnancy can decrease the risk of lower back pain.
A good general rule of thumb in the first trimester is to continue your current level of exercise, but don't increase, Dr. Sarah Murphy, an OB-GYN specializing in women's wellbeing, diet, and physical activity, told Insider.
While Rihanna was singing while dancing, both Grant and Murphy advise using the "talk test:" If you can't hold a conversation relatively easily while exercising during pregnancy, you need to take it easier and lower the intensity.
A woman's heart rate increases during pregnancy to ensure the baby gets enough oxygen, and this can put extra strain on her heart and lungs while exercising, Dr. Raul Artal-Mittelmark of Saint Louis University School of Medicine, wrote for MSD Medical.
In the second and third trimesters, workouts may need to be adapted
The further along a woman is in her pregnancy, the more modifications she is advised to make.
"From around week 14 it isn't advised to lie flat on your back for longer than three minutes," Grant said. "This is due to the increased risk of Supine Hypotensive Syndrome which can leave you feeling dizzy, clammy, and short of breath. Instead aim for positions such as side-lying, four-point kneeling, or standing, which are far more functional anyway."
Certain exercises should be modified such as the bench press — women should perform these on an incline rather than lying flat on their back.
In the second and third trimesters, pregnant women should avoid resisted abdominal work like sit-ups, planks, and bicycle crunches because your abs will start to stretch and lengthen to accommodate your baby.
"As your bump grows you need to consider protecting your back: deadlifts might not suit," pregnancy and postnatal fitness specialist Dr. Joanna Helcké told Insider. "Test carefully and if you feel that your lower back is taking the strain, avoid this move. There are, after all, many other ways of working hamstrings, glutes, and postural muscles."