Many women ask, ” Is it safe to do pole dancing while pregnant?”  “Can I go keep going to pole dancing class while pregnant?”  Lately, I have been reading and seeing videos posted on Youtube and Facebook about pregnant pole fitness dancing. Although most people are impressed by this feat, others are not equally fascinated. A lot of people argue that pole dancing while pregnant is not beneficial for a woman and puts her unborn child at risk. Moreover, I have also had some queries from my students regarding its safety since one just recently found out that she is with child. I do understand the cause of concern both of those who have been doing pole fitness dancing routines for some time and now find themselves pregnant as well as those who are clearly opposed to this notion. For seasoned pole dancers, it isn’t easy giving up something you love doing especially if it keeps you fit and helps boost your self-confidence and sexuality. Stopping doing what you love most creates a void in a person’s daily routine, which most pole dancers are not willing to give up. Hence, the reason why you see some pregnant women still doing pole fitness. Furthermore, to support their stand, pregnant pole dancers reference some medical research saying that regular low to mid-impact exercises are actually advantageous for a healthy pregnancy. On the other hand, people who disagree with women pole dancing while pregnant say that the exercise and sport are actually dangerous since women can fall when executing advanced pole tricks which can in turn cause miscarriage. In addition, they also say that this heavily tasks pregnant women creating various complications like high blood pressure for the mother or birth defects on the unborn child. I have been pregnant before and attempted to continue pole dance and for me, the nausea alone put a stop to pole dancing quickly, I couldn’t even teach my ballet class because I was so sick.  Aside from that experience, I did have one student who continued to come to pole class as long as she could with her doctors approval. However, not everybody gets horrible morning sickness and if you do attempt to continue pole dancing while pregnant then are are some things to consider: 1. Before anything else always check with your doctor his or her opinion about you pole dancing while pregnant. Explain to him or her what it entails for you to do the exercise or sport. To make things clearer, show him or her a photo or video of what you used to do prior to your pregnancy.  Doctors has been known to allow a woman to continue a normal exercise routine if they were doing it prior to the pregnancy and your pregnancy is not high risk. 2. Do not risk your life or your baby’s life especially if you have pre-existing conditions that complicate your pregnancy. Doctors usually advise against any sports related workout like pole dancing if you have a risk of premature labor, pre-eclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure), placenta previa (the placenta lies low in your cervix), premature dilation, heart or lung diseases, multiple births, and IUGR or poor fetal growth. 3. Should your doctor or midwife give you the go signal, it is still important to listen to your own body. Do not over exert yourself even when you already are a pole fitness or sport professional. This means not attempting to improve your skills but instead only maintaining them to an appropriate level considering your pregnancy. Consider using a good quality maternity support belt while exercising for added support. Remember to weigh up the risks and if they really are worth it since the average recommendation for exercise is up to 20 weeks.   Take plenty of breaks.  You may also find that the other girls in class are like mother hens (at least that was my experience in my pole class). No woman was offended if you had to stop and use the bathroom frequently or to simply break by sitting on the floor and watching the class to continue learning visually. 4. Always warm-up to prevent injury and avoid weight bearing movements since the joints are much softer and supple due to the hormonal changes your body experiences. Hormonal changes make you susceptible to overstretching and permanently damaging your joints, so please be warned. 5. Forget about inverting and climbing on your second and third trimester since your sense of balance can drastically change by this time as your belly grows making you at risk of falling. Modify your routines to include some good cardio and plasticity.  Floor work and moves can still be enjoyed as along as you don’t roll over on your belly : ) Personally, I think there is no harm in women pole dancing while pregnant especially if they take precautionary measures like seeking a medical professional’s advice with regards to the extent of exercises they should do and until what trimester they are able to continue. Again, just like what I say about losing weight and getting fit, not everybody is created the same so one’s pregnancy may be different from another. Some other women may be capable of doing far more things than you when you are pregnant but that doesn’t make you any less of a person or an athlete. Listen to what your body is telling you and don’t push yourself too hard. After all, pregnancy is such a wonderful gift and you can never be too careful with it. All I can say is keep safe and congratulations on your forthcoming bundle of joy! If you know anyone who is pregnant and contemplating of still doing pole dancing routines for fitness, please don’t hesitate to share this article with them. If you find this article helpful please like or leave a comment on the comments box down below. Spread the love of pole fitness!