Most moms-to-be know that moderate exercise during pregnancy is important. But many women aren’t sure what sort of exercise is safe or how often to exercise. And, what about the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, other than controlling excessive weight gain, of course.
A fitness program done regularly during pregnancy, gives you a stronger body and more resilience when you enter the delivery room, recovery room, and return home. Routine exercise during pregnancy improves endurance, strength, and muscle tone. Along with being more fit, regular exercise during pregnancy will help you feel better by alleviating swelling, fatigue, and backache. Fitness during your pregnancy will require you to exercise your heart, lungs, and major muscle groups.
Depending on your fitness level prior to pregnancy, your exercise program may include low-impact activities such as walking, yoga, pregnancy exercise videos, and swimming. Exercises like these combined with gentle stretching and other low-impact activities, will provide a full-range fitness program.
Be sure to talk to your doctor before engaging in any sporting activity during pregnancy. Even if an activity appears to be safe, there may be risks. Activities and exercises that you enjoy could likely involve a risk of falling or other injury. Bicycling, tennis, horseback riding, and skiing will need to be postponed until after the baby comes.
Depending on which trimester you are in, you will adjust the level of exercise to accommodate your changing body. You and your doctor will reassess your activities and alter your exercise routine as you move into each trimester of pregnancy. You will also discuss with your doctor the dangers of over-exertion during your exercise routine. Complications such as faintness, dizziness, vaginal bleeding, and premature contractions may occur if you carry your exercise program beyond the level that’s right for you.
Your pre-pregnancy state is not the ruler you measure your exercise program by any longer. During pregnancy, your balance changes, your blood flow increases, and your body’s need for hydration has hit an all time high. You must take all these changes into consideration when exercising, even moderately. Simply feeling thirsty during exercise can be the beginning signs of dehydration. When dehydration occurs, you may cause harm to yourself and your baby due to your elevated body temperature.
Many mothers-to-be find they are uncomfortable exercising outdoors, away from home, or in public, especially during the second and third trimester. Your first concerns should be safety and convenience. Leaving home, walking the sidewalk, driving across town to a gym, all may seem foolish, risky, and just plain inconvenient. You may enjoy a 20 minute walk every day, but at some point being away from your bathroom for that long may get tedious. Many pregnant women choose to use exercise videos, specifically designed for pregnancy, to avoid these issues. You can do fun exercise videos, with your doctor’s approval, safely right in your own home, with your own bathroom close by!
It is crucial that you check with your doctor before participating in any exercise program or sports activity. A regular exercise program is beneficial to both mother and child, but certain activities must be avoided. Once you get approval from your doctor, go and enjoy a walk, swim, or your yoga routine. These activities will help ensure your health and the health of your baby. But first, talk to your doctor to make sure you have no conditions or risks that will prevent you from participating in a routine exercise routine. Then go ahead and get healthy and have fun with your exercise program!
Tina Titas is a columnist for FunExerciseVideos.com. For the latest in trends in pregnancy fitness, visit us and you’ll find top pregnancy workout videos at a price you can afford. Have fun while you get fit – what a great idea!