Climbing Stairs During Pregnancy – Safe or Unsafe?

Pregnancy is an exciting time for a mother-to-be, but it is also filled with significant physical, mental, and emotional changes and massive lifestyle adjustments! During this period, you tend to be extra cautious, as you should, but this also causes you to second-guess everyday things that you previously did without thought.

It is vital that a pregnant woman take extra care during her pregnancy so that her baby is safe, and one of the more apparent concerns women might have is whether it is safe to climb stairs. This is an especially tricky concern if your home is designed so that your main bedroom or bathroom is upstairs! This article tells you everything you need to know about climbing stairs during this crucial period.

Is It Safe to Climb Stairs During Pregnancy?

If you are extremely careful, climbing stairs is safe during pregnancy. The biggest concern is slipping and hurting while walking up or down the stairs. While there are some health benefits of climbing stairs during pregnancy, the injuries sustained during pregnancy can be harmful to the foetus in several ways, leading to hospitalisation, which is why it is best to exercise caution (1). While exercising, remember to avoid exerting yourself, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions. (2)

Why Is Climbing Stairs Good During Pregnancy?

Climbing stairs during early pregnancy is perfectly normal if you are safe and healthy. Some of the benefits of climbing stairs during pregnancy are:

• Lowers the Risk of Preeclampsia: According to some published studies, women who stay active during pregnancy and climb stairs have a lower risk of preeclampsia. This is a life-threatening condition where pregnant women develop high blood pressure, swelling in the hands and feet and kidney problems. (3)
• Lowers Chances of Gestational Diabetes: It is said that climbing stairs during the first trimester can reduce the chances of developing gestational diabetes. This condition is where blood sugar levels are too high, and the body cannot process the increasing amount. (4) 
• Reduces Backaches and Constipation: Physical activities such as jogging, walking or climbing stairs during pregnancy can reduce the occurrence of backaches and constipation. They also help in reducing swelling and bloating. Climbing stairs can also improve the ability to cope with labour. (5)
• Strengthens Muscles and Improves Balance: Activities like climbing stairs and muscles improve muscle strength in your legs and help improve your balance, which is otherwise weaker and unbalanced as your pregnancy progresses. (6)

Also Read: Running while Pregnant

When to Avoid Climbing Stairs During Early Pregnancy?

There are some circumstances during early pregnancy when climbing stairs should be avoided (7):

• If you have had miscarriages previously. If you were wondering if climbing stairs can cause miscarriage, there is a possibility of it happening if you have a history of miscarriages.
• If you experience bleeding or cramping
• If you suffer from dizziness
• If you are carrying multiple
• If you have a lower placenta
• If you have high or low blood pressure
• If your doctor has advised bed rest

Why Is It Unsafe to Climb Stairs in the Second and Third Trimester of Pregnancy?

Climbing stairs during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy can be unsafe. Here are the reasons why:

• Stumbling: If you stumble or slip while climbing stairs, you and your baby could suffer serious injuries.

• Pressure on the Back: As your belly grows, you’ll likely begin feeling the pressure of the increasing weight. This can make you dizzy (8) and pull you downwards when going down the stairs.

• Swollen Feet: If you have swollen feet during pregnancy, climbing stairs may put further pressure on your feet and increase the swelling.

• Breathlessness: Climbing stairs can make you feel breathless. This can impact the foetus as the oxygen supply is reduced when you are breathless.

• Loss of Balance: As your belly grows, your body’s centre of gravity shifts, making it harder to maintain balance.

Also Read: Jumping while Pregnant

Precautions to Take While Climbing Stairs

Here are some precautions to ensure that you are safe and uninjured when climbing sta

• Stroll: Climb the stairs slowly, at an even pace. Avoid rushing up or down the stairs, and take the stairs one at a time.
• Use the Handrail: Make sure you hold the handrail with at least one hand for support. If you have heavy bags or luggage, get someone to help you carry them upstairs.

• Lighting: Ensure the staircase is well-lit to avoid missteps and the risk of hurting yourself.

• Watch out for Slippery Stairs: Do not attempt to climb wet or greasy stairs when pregnant, as you may slip and hurt yourself and your baby.

• Do Not Wear Overflowing Clothes: If you wear overflowing dresses or sarees while climbing stairs during pregnancy, you risk tripping over your dress and injuring yourself.

• Be Careful on Carpeted Stairs: Make sure the carpet is not loose, or it may cause you to trip. Also, lift your feet high to avoid tripping over the rug. Climbing stairs is safe and even beneficial during healthy pregnancy. However, it should be avoided if your doctor has advised you not to exert yourself physically. In the final trimester, it is best to avoid stairs as the risk of injuring yourself is higher.

FAQs

1. Does climbing stairs help in vaginal delivery?

No study indicates that climbing stairs while pregnant induces labour; it can help dilate the cervix and help move the baby further down the pelvis once labour has begun. However, it improves blood circulation (10), and regular exercise boosts immunity, making the exertion of delivery bearable.

2. Does climbing stairs induce labour?

While climbing stairs during pregnancy does not induce labour, it can help aid labour that has already begun. It is said to drop the baby lower into the pelvis and dilate the muscles in the pelvic floor. This encourages cervical dilation, thus furthering your labour. (9)

3. How much should pregnant women walk?

Pregnant woman can walk up to 6000 steps daily, based on the advice of their physician. Light exercise and walks help regulate blood sugar levels.

In a healthy pregnancy, it is safe and even beneficial to climb stairs. However, climbing stairs should be avoided if you have been advised by your doctor to not exert yourself physically. In the final trimester, it is best to avoid stairs as the risk of injuring yourself is higher.

References/Resources:

Also Read:

Climbing Stairs after C-section
Household work during Pregnancy
Treadmill Exercise while Pregnant

Our Editorial Policy

Parenting is a huge responsibility, for you as a caregiver, but also for us as a parenting content platform. We understand that and take our responsibility of creating credible content seriously. FirstCry Parenting articles are written and published only after extensive research using factually sound references to deliver quality content that is accurate, validated by experts, and completely reliable. To understand how we go about creating content that is credible, read our editorial policy here.