Doing regular exercise is important at any stage in your life, that includes during pregnancy. Maintaining a healthy level of fitness is all part of staying well during pregnancy. It is known that exercise can help prevent problems such as pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes. Exercise can improve your general mood and self-image, and you may find that a workout during the day helps you to sleep better at night.
But as your body goes through quite fundamental changes your exercise routine needs to take that into account and be changed a bit as well.
The Does and Don'ts
The best types of exercise during pregnancy are:
- get your heart pumping
- keep you supple
- manage weight gain
- prepare your muscles for the work of labour and birth
- do not cause undue physical stress for you or your baby
Exercises to avoid during pregnancy are:
Sports where you might have a hard fall or be thrown off-balance are not a good idea. These include horse-riding, skiing, gymnastics and waterskiing. Diving is also unsafe during pregnancy. Ball sports such as football, tennis and squash are also risky, because you may be hit in the stomach.
Here are some great tips for you on how to safely exercise when you are pregnant:
- Check with your doctor first
There can be cases where it's safer not to exercise during your pregnancy, so make sure you talk to your doctor or midwife about the fitness routine you plan to do to make sure - Take in enough calories
During pregnancy you need 300 to 500 extra calories a day, especially if you are exercising. So make sure you do it eat well so you have enough energy. - Dress well
During exercises wear loose fitting, breathable clothes. Choose a good bra that offers enough support and dress in layers so you can easily adapt if you start feeling to hot. Also make sure that you wear shoes that fit your feet properly and give good support. In case you experience mild swelling of your feet invest in a new pair of sneakers, it's worth it. - Warm up
As always it pays to prepare your muscles and joints for exercise with some warm up movements. Don't skip the warm up exercises as otherwise your body is not ready for strenuous activity and the likelihood for injury is high. - Drink Water
Drink water before, during and after your exercise. Dehydration can lead to a lack of concentration and to an increased body temperature, which can be dangerous for you and your baby. A good guideline is to drink one cup (8 ounces) of water for every 20 minutes of exercise, one cup before and one after your finish your workout. - Keep moving
Exercises were you stand still for a prolonged time (like lifting weights or doing yoga poses) can decrease blood flow to the uterus and have blood pool in the legs which might make you feeling dizzy. So keep moving, walk in place or switch your position. - No Flat Back
After the first trimester lying flat on your back should be avoided as it puts pressure on the vena cava, which will diminish blood flow to your brain and uterus. Even if you don't feel uncomfortable blood flow to the uterus might still be affected. Place a pillow under your right hip/buttock to avoid undue pressure on the vena cava. - Don't Overdo
Exercise is good, but overdoing it is not. So slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation. Listen to your body. When something hurts, something is wrong and you need to stop. You don't want to punish your body but do something good.
- Get Up Slowly
As your baby grows, your center of gravity shifts. Your balance will be different, that's why it's important to take great care when you change positions. Getting up too quickly can make you dizzy, and may cause you to lose your footing and fall. - Cool Down
At the end of your workout, take a few minutes to cool down your muscles. Walk in place and do some pregnancy-friendly stretching. Your heart rate increases during pregnancy and it may take as long as 15 minutes for your heart to return to its resting rate following a workout.
It is very important to get some kind of exercise while you are pregnant, not only to keep weight gain under control, but also to help make labor easier. Now that you know How to Safely Exercise When You Are Pregnant you are ready to go.
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