Staying active during pregnancy is not only safe for most women, but it is also one of the best things you can do for both mother and baby. The Empowered Motherhood Program (EMP) was created to make this easier. It combines aerobic and resistance training with clear trimester-specific modifications and education, allowing women to move confidently throughout their pregnancy (Prevett et al., 2024; RANZCOG, 2023).

If you were active before becoming pregnant, then it is safe for you to maintain higher weekly training volumes, as long as symptoms are monitored and loads are adjusted as needed (Bains et al., 2025). Professional bodies, including RANZCOG, ACOG, and the Canadian guidelines, all strongly encourage regular physical activity before and during pregnancy (Mottola et al., 2018; ACOG, 2021; RANZCOG, 2023).

Benefits of Exercise in Pregnancy

•  Cardiometabolic health: Reduces the risk of gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes, especially when resistance training is included (Prevett et al., 2024).
•  Mental health: Active women have about half the risk of perinatal anxiety and depression compared with inactive women (Prevett et al., 2024).
•  Birth outcomes: Lower risk of fetal macrosomia and no increase in preterm birth, assisted delivery or caesarean section (Prevett et al., 2024; RANZCOG, 2023).
•  Fetal safety: Moderate to vigorous exercise does not impair uterine or umbilical blood flow; typical maternal core temperature stays safely <39 °C (Skow et al., 2019; Ravanelli et al., 2019; Smallcombe et al., 2021; Davenport et al., 2019).
•  For highly active women: Training more than 300 minutes a week late in pregnancy has not been linked to adverse neonatal outcomes when load and symptoms are monitored (Bains et al., 2025; Sperstad et al., 2016).
•  Lactation & long-term: Vigorous exercise does not reduce milk supply or quality and is linked to healthier perinatal growth and a lower risk of childhood obesity (Lovelady et al., 1990; Dewey & McCrory, 1994; Chen et al., 2021).

Not at all. Our workouts are suitable for all fitness levels - from beginners to experienced exercisers. The EMP week by week programs offer workouts for all fitness levels with ability to progress or regress your workouts to suit your fitness and energy levels.

Because we love to move in a variety of ways, we've ensured that the EMP Pregnancy Week by Week Programs include a huge variety of workouts, including pilates, strength, cardio, yoga, stretch classes, fascial release, core and pelvic floor and more! 

Definitely. As a physio-led program, it is really important to us that you learn how to stregnthen and protect your pelvic floor during pregnancy, and prepare it for birth.

Our physiotherapist-designed programs include dedicated pelvic floor and deep core exercises. These help you reduce pregnancy-related complications such as lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain and incontinence, help you to prepare for birth, and support postnatal recovery.

Yes! All workouts are on-demand, so you can access them anytime, anywhere, no special equipment required (just a mat and light weights if you choose).

Absolutely. EMP has week-by-week workouts tailored to each stage of pregnancy. You can safely begin at any trimester.

When you join the EMP, we recommend you complete our Personalised Where to Start quiz so that we can guide you to the best programs and workouts. 

Yes. Alongside workouts, EMP includes personalised support from our Founders, expert education, live Q+As, and a supportive global community of mothers and health professionals, so you’re never alone on your journey.