Pregnancy & postpartum
Can you lift more than 20 lbs while pregnant?
Pregnancy Rules, Revisited: Episode 1
"Don't lift more than 20 pounds while you're pregnant."
If you've heard this one, you're in good company. It's one of the most common things women tell me they were warned about, often right around the time they share their exciting news. It gets passed along by friends, coworkers, the internet, and sometimes even well-meaning providers.
Here's the funny part. Plenty of everyday things weigh more than 20 pounds: a toddler on your hip, a big bag of dog food, or the infant car seat you'll be hauling around in a few months (baby included). Real life asks a lot more of us than 20 pounds.
So where does that leave you if you love to lift? The good news is that researchers have been taking a closer look, and what they're finding is pretty encouraging.
What the research says
Much of the best research on this comes from Dr. Margie Davenport's lab at the University of Alberta, and three of their studies are especially helpful.
Heavy lifting was well tolerated by mom and baby. In a 2025 study, pregnant women around their second trimester did barbell back squats, bench press, and deadlifts at increasingly heavy loads. Some reps even included holding their breath to brace, the way many lifters do. Researchers monitored baby with ultrasound the whole time, and baby's heart rate stayed steady before and after the lifts. The researchers concluded that this kind of high-intensity lifting was well tolerated by both mom and baby.
Women who kept lifting through pregnancy did well. Her team also surveyed hundreds of women who continued heavy lifting during pregnancy. Their outcomes were reassuring, and they reported a lower c-section rate than the global average. This was a survey, so it can't prove that lifting caused those outcomes, but it's a good sign that heavy lifting isn't the danger it's often made out to be.
Strength training comes with some real perks. A 2025 review that pulled together many studies found that resistance training during pregnancy was linked to lower odds of high blood pressure in pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders. Most of the training in those studies was light to moderate, which is good news if heavy lifting isn't your thing.
So what's the right number? It depends
There isn't one magic number that's right for every pregnant woman, and that's actually the point. A few things matter much more than what's on the bar.
Your training history. The women in these studies were already lifting before pregnancy. If that's you, you can often keep going with adjustments as your body changes. If you're newer to strength training, pregnancy is still a great time to start. Begin lighter, build up gradually, and consider working with a trusted professional, like a pelvic floor PT, to figure out what's best for you as an individual.
How your body responds. Leaking, a feeling of heaviness or pressure, pain, or feeling dizzy or unwell are all signs to adjust the weight, the movement, or how you're breathing and bracing. They aren't signs that you have to stop moving altogether, but they are worth paying attention to, and they're exactly the kinds of things a pelvic floor PT can help you work through.
Your provider's guidance. As always, your training through pregnancy should be discussed with your provider based on your individual needs and goals. Their recommendations come first.
What this looks like for me
I'm a pelvic floor PT, a longtime lifter, and currently in my third trimester, so I've been living this one firsthand. I'm still lifting, but it looks different than it did a year ago. I adjust the weight and depth as I go, I pay attention to how my body feels during and after each session, and some days that means going lighter than I planned. Other days I surprise myself. Letting how I feel guide each session, rather than a number someone told me, has made training through pregnancy feel a lot less stressful and a lot more fun.
The takeaway
The 20-pound rule isn't backed by strong evidence. For many women, especially those who were lifting before pregnancy, continuing to strength train is safe and comes with real benefits. The best guide is your own history, how your body responds, and your provider's input, not a one-size-fits-all number.
This is the first post in my series, Pregnancy Rules, Revisited, where I'm taking the exercise advice pregnant women hear most and looking at what we actually know now.
If you want help figuring out what training through pregnancy could look like for you, I'd love to help. I work one-on-one with active women in Boise, in your home, your gym, or virtually. Reach out through the interest form, or send me a DM on Instagram with the word ALIGNED.
Research referenced
- Moolyk et al., 2025. Maternal and fetal responses to acute high-intensity resistance exercise during pregnancy. British Journal of Sports Medicine. PMID 39694629
- Prevett et al., 2023. Survey of women who engaged in heavy weightlifting during pregnancy. International Urogynecology Journal. PMID 36331580
- Prevett et al., 2025. Resistance training in pregnancy: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. PMID 40610191
This post is general education, not medical advice. It isn’t a substitute for an evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider.