Mum claims her exercise regime resulted in newborn baby's muscles: 'Where them weights at?'

Moderate exercise is considered safe while pregnant and many women continue with their exercise programs right up until they give birth.

Now, a TikTok user is claiming her weightlifting routine while pregnant resulted in her newborn baby's defined shoulder muscles.

And while there is no reason to believe the baby's physique is any different to other newborns, her video has gone viral.

Watch the video above.

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Yoana Banda is a UK-based community sports worker for a local council according to her LinkedIn profile.

She came to worldwide attention this week when she posted a video to her TikTok account, which appears to credit her work in the gym for her newborn baby's girl's defined muscles.

The 13-second video starts with Banda in the gym, where she is working out on an exercise machine.

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Across the screen is written, "When you continue to weight lift throughout your pregnancy and your baby comes out [of] the womb with muscle."

The video then shows her on a variety of gym equipment and performing squats while balancing a fully laden barbell on her shoulders.

It then cuts to images of her newborn baby with what appears to be very developed shoulder muscles.

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She uploaded the video with the comment, "She really came out and said 'Where them weights at'," and the hashtags #viral #babytiktok #babygirl and #strongbaby.

The video has been viewed 9.3 million times in just four days and has racked up 1.7 million likes and thousands of comments.

While many were simply shocked to see a baby with what appeared to be defined muscles, others were full of praise.

"I'm due in less then a week and still lifting HEAVY SETS. People are so uneducated and it shows. Proud of you mama," said one.

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Banda responded, "Thank you and you go girl! Helps so much in labour! Ignoring all the people that are clueless haha."

Some pointed out it was usually OK to continue with an existing exercise regime.

But others had differing views. "Just a message to all mommas. If you're struggling to get off the sofa, and eating lots of treats that's all fine! Every woman is different!"

Banda replied, "So true ! Every mama and every pregnancy is different!"

In a follow up video posted yesterday, Banda listed eight benefits of strength training while pregnant, including a shorter labour.

"Doctors actually recommend AGAINST stopping all exercise during your pregnancy and suggest you continue doing whatever you were doing before pregnancy (with caution)," she wrote. But she added, "Every woman is different and alongside that every pregnancy is different so not everyone will feel 100 per cent or have the energy to continue exercising, and that's fine! Listen to your body."

According to the Australian Government's website, being active during and after pregnancy "is essential for the good health and well-being of both you and your baby."

"You should continue to follow the guidelines for adults, and add pelvic floor exercises. But you might need to modify the exercises you do as your body changes during pregnancy."

It said staying active during pregnancy had many benefits for mum and bub, including preparing for labour and recovery; lower risk of gestational diabetes; less back and pelvic pain; lower risk of incontinence and better mental health, including a lower risk of postnatal depression.

It said women should be active most if not every day and offered guidelines of 2½ to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity or 1¼ to 2½ hours of vigorous intensity physical activity each week.

"Do muscle strengthening activities at least two days each week. Aim to do strengthening activities, such as light resistance training or bodyweight exercises," it said.

But as for whether the baby's muscle tone was related to Banda's weightlifting regime, a US-based a maternal foetal medicine doctor quoted by TODAY Parents gave a resounding 'No'.

Dr Lisa Thiel said there was "no link between a mum and her exercise regime and how fit she is during pregnancy with her baby's muscle mass."

However, she did say a pregnant woman's high-protein diet could play a role in a baby's development.

"There is a role for epigenetics in pregnancy and the best example would be nutrition. A healthy diet in pregnancy can have great health benefits for a child," she said.