Sara Haley is expecting better treatment at the gym.
The personal trainer, who is 35 weeks pregnant, said she's been insulted during workouts at gyms in Santa Monica, Calif.
“Those stretch marks are the worst I have ever seen!” and “Wow, your butt is so big!” are among the put-downs she's heard from fellow fitness buffs, according to the New York Daily News. Others stare or whisper to one another, she said.
"It's like going back to high school, where people gang up and make nasty comments," Haley told the outlet, adding that the rudeness contained an "element of bullying."
Haley told The Huffington Post in an email:
What bothers me most about people commenting on pregnant women in the gym is that perhaps more than anyone there, we need our workout. We are growing a human, which means we need to maintain a healthy vessel. We need to keep our muscles alive and moving so that we have a sound unit to bounce back to after we have our babies.
Haley, who was recently named one of the 50 "hottest female trainers" by Shape magazine, told the Daily News she was also greeted by well-wishers as she performed her six-days-a-week routine of push-ups, dead lifts, lunges and other exercises. (Watch part of her workout above.)
"My message for moms who want to stay fit late into pregnancy is DO WHAT YOU KNOW IS BEST FOR YOU and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY," she told HuffPost via email.
On a similar note, Jezebel weighed in on the reported targeting of the coach, who has a pregnancy fitness DVD. "Shut up, concern trolls. Women know what's best for them and their bodies—not you," the outlet's Rebecca Rose wrote.
While every case is unique, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes:
Recreational and competitive athletes with uncomplicated pregnancies can remain active during pregnancy and should modify their usual exercise routines as medically indicated. The information on strenuous exercise is scarce; however, women who engage in such activities require close medical supervision.
Note: This article has been updated with additional comments from Haley.