Pippa Middleton Opens Up About Entering Third Trimester as She Reveals Go-To Pregnancy Workout

Pippa Middleton is making a splash heading into the third trimester of her pregnancy.

The younger sister of Kate Middleton, who is expecting her first child with husband James Matthews, explained in her latest column for the U.K. supermarket monthly Waitrose Kitchen that swimming has become a go-to way to keep up her fitness routine as she nears her due date.

“From personal experience, I’d confidently say I find it has been the most enjoyable and rewarding form of exercise since I found out I was expecting,” she shared. “It’s comforting to know that it’s safe throughout pregnancy, and you don’t need to adapt and change too much (unlike most other sports). It’s so good for you that you could swim every day – as long as you don’t overexert yourself – right up until the end of the third trimester.”

Pippa, 34, said that while swimming is low-impact and “offers a wonderful feeling of weightlessness” while still getting in a good workout.

“As with other forms of exercise it boosts oxygen levels and strengthens the heart, enabling you to get more nutrients to your unborn child to help them grow,” she added. “It’s also one of the most therapeutic ways to work out, particularly when you become less mobile, and it helps prevent your shoulders rounding forwards – a common symptom as your belly expands. It can also offset the tendency for your pelvis to be out of alignment.”

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Aside from being an awesome alternative to the gym, Pippa explained taking a dip while pregnant has other benefits.

“As the summer weather contributes to feelings of bloating and swelling, swimming will keep your body cooler while exercising, something that is a relief in pregnancy, preventing swelling in the arms and legs,” she said. “But even in the cooler months, temporarily joining a local pool can be worth the investment. If this is the only exercise you do during pregnancy, you’re onto a good thing!”

Photographer Mark Harrison is behind the shot of Pippa posing in a pool (with her baby bump barely visible underneath the water!) sporting a purple and peach one-piece bathing suit by Sweaty Betty. Not only is the swimwear affordable at $120, but it’s currently on sale for $84 — and the suit is also available in a grey and black color scheme.

Pippa officially announced she was pregnant through the column, where she shared how the baby on the way impacted her exercise schedule.

“When I learned the happy news that I was pregnant, I realized I needed to adjust my four to five-day-a-week [fitness] routine,” she wrote, noting that she kept her pregnancy a secret from her gym instructor until the “riskier months” were over.

She also shared how fitness has been an integral part of her pregnancy.

“I’ve noticed my body change, but through exercise I feel it’s being strengthened,” she said. “I’m fanatical about sport and have looked at loads of books and websites on exercise during pregnancy, but have been disappointed by the limited technical information what you can and can’t do.”

Pippa also divulged some tips on how she keeps in top shape while pregnant and the star she looked up: Serena Williams.

“I’ve been a tennis fan since childhood, as a player and spectator, and have been keen to continue playing safely throughout my pregnancy,” she wrote.

“Take Serena Williams,” she continued. “She famously proved that women can play a high level of tennis from two months (when she won the 2017 Australian Open) up to eight months.”

The important thing to keeping healthy and exercising during pregnancy, Pippa explained, is to enjoy “releasing energizing through rallying, footwork and working on core strength.”