Royals Everything New Mom Pippa Middleton Has Said About Her First Pregnancy Kate Middleton's younger sister has already welcomed two nephews this year, but now she's a first-time mom By Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit is a Royals Writer/Reporter at PEOPLE. She has been with the brand since 2016 after graduating from The College of New Jersey and holding previous positions at Seventeen, CBS Radio and more. Follow the proud dog mom on Twitter at @stephpetit_ for the latest on Queen Elizabeth's corgis. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 6, 2018 11:52 AM Share Tweet Pin Email 01 of 16 Flynet/Splash News Six weeks after reports first surfaced of her pregnancy, Pippa Middleton confirmed the exciting news and opened up about her first trimester in her latest column for the U.K. supermarket monthly Waitrose Kitchen magazine. In the column, the mom-to-be revealed that she did not battle severe pregnancy sickness, or Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), unlike her big sister, Kate Middleton. "I was lucky to pass the 12-week scan without suffering from morning sickness. That meant I was able to carry on as normal," Pippa wrote. 02 of 16 IAN WEST/AFP/Getty Images Pippa revealed that despite not feeling ill, she had to make some slight changes to her routine. "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 said, noting that she kept her pregnancy a secret from her gym instructor until the "riskier months" were over. 03 of 16 Danny Lawson - WPA Pool/Getty Images Kate's younger sister 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," the 34-year-old wrote. "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." 04 of 16 Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images "This being my first pregnancy, I had so many questions I felt were still unanswered," Pippa said. "I wanted to know things like, would I strain if I served in tennis, are strokes of swimming safe, can I still do a normal yoga class if I avoided certain positions? Could I still work my abs?" She added, "I've noticed my body change and weight increase, but through effective exercise and sports I feel that it's been strengthened to support a healthy pregnancy, birth and recovery . . . And ensure that post-baby, my old favorite jeans will still fit eventually!" 05 of 16 Neil Mockford/GC Images Pippa, who took in several Wimbledon matches during her pregnancy (in some adorable maternity looks!), also revealed to Waitrose Kitchen that she's looking to new mom Serena Williams for fitness inspiration. "I've been a tennis fan since childhood, as a player and spectator, and have been keen to continue playing safely throughout my pregnancy," Pippa explained. "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." 06 of 16 James Gourley/BPI/REX/Shutterstock "Few of us can relate to this elite excellence, but if you're a healthy, well-trained player with an uncomplicated pregnancy there's no reason why you can't continue a good level of tennis," Pippa wrote. 07 of 16 HGL/GC Images The important thing to keeping healthy and exercising during pregnancy, Pippa said, is to enjoy "releasing energizing through rallying, footwork and working on core strength." 08 of 16 Neil Mockford/GC Images And the best piece of advice she gives when it comes to playing a sport while carrying to term? Pippa says she's been told to "keep two feet on the ground when hitting strokes and to avoid sharp turns and quick movements, particularly as I approach the due date." 09 of 16 PA Images/Sipa In a third column, Pippa reveled 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." 10 of 16 PA Images/Sipa 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!" 11 of 16 Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Pippa has also kept up barre workouts, which are inspired from ballet, as she nears her due date. "I feel far from a ballerina, but I'm equally determined not to break into a penguin-style waddle and plod around with bad posture," revealed Kate's younger sister in another column for Waitrose Kitchen. "It's excellent for pregnant women in all trimesters as you mostly rely on your body weight, so it means little impact for your joints and is generally low risk." 12 of 16 Pacific Coast News In addition to keeping her fit, Pippa explained barre routines will strengthen muscles used in childbirth. "It's hugely beneficial in elongating, strengthening and protecting the back and spine – plus engaging the lower body (hips, abs, buttocks and particularly the legs), said the mom-to-be, who is "determined to keep agile in preparation for labor, delivery and post-natal recovery." 13 of 16 Pepito / Splash News Online Pippa is planning on keeping her barre moves well-practiced post-birth too. "I've heard you can continue your ballet workout once you've had your baby – some gyms now offer 'barre and baby' classes or, better still, you can live stream into classes from home," she wrote. "That sounds like an appealing way to rebuild your strength, pelvic floor and flexibility while bonding with your (hopefully) happy baby!" 14 of 16 Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty "As the final month nears and the bump grows prouder each day, movement is certainly getting more awkward," Pipap wrote as she was near the end of her pregnancy. "The transformations to my body that are taking place as it prepares for childbirth have meant that the sound sleeps and the baby bubble effect have gone. Reality is finally kicking in." 15 of 16 Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage Pippa says she has turned to meditation to help her in her third trimester. "I was skeptical at first, but after practicing this discipline for the past month I have noticed a huge difference in my mental wellbeing and sense of clarity," she wrote. 16 of 16 James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock "I signed up to a beginners' meditation class recently to master the tools essential for performing it effectively," she continuef. "This involved learning to meditate twice daily, ideally for 20 minutes, chanting a mantra, while sitting upright, eyes closed and focused. Our teacher stressed that we should ensure we always make time for this because there's always an excuse not to. "It's a good idea to take some wellbeing time for mummy-to-be now and, most importantly, for the future."