Exercising When Pregnant
Healthy Exercise During Pregnancy
Here are some answers to questions about
health and fitness for pregnant Moms. such as: Is exercise safe? What's
the best type of exercise to do during the various trimesters of pregnancy?
What fitness workouts should you avoid when carrying a baby?
Is Exercise Safe During Pregnancy?
If you are pregnant and in good health, you
can and should try to exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes on most
days. Provided you follow the basic exercise guidelines for healthy exercise
in pregnancy, regular physical activity offers several health benefits.
Diabetes Prevention and Treatment
For example, evidence suggests that exercise reduces the risk of gestational
diabetes, a type of diabetes occasionally triggered during pregnancy.
If you already have gestational diabetes, exercise (together with dietary
changes) is typically recommended to help bring the condition under control.
Pelvis, Muscles and Breathing
Exercise during pregnancy also helps to create the stamina needed for
labor and delivery. Specialist pre-natal exercise classes are especially
beneficial. They teach exercises to strengthen the pelvic region, develop
muscles and breathing movements for delivery.
Back to Top
Exercise Guidelines for
Pregnant Moms
(1) Get Medical Advice
Always consult your doctor before starting
any ante-natal exercise program. Only your doctor can advise you what
type of exercise is best for you and your baby.
(2) Starting or Reducing an Exercise Program
If you already perform a regular fitness
workout, you may need to reduce the intensity and duration of your exercise
routines for optimum health, after the first trimester. On the other hand,
if you are unfit, or overweight when you conceive, you should start with
gentle light exercises and progress slowly. In particular, you should
steer clear of any fitness routine that causes pain, excessive fatigue
or breathing difficulties. As your pregnancy progresses, you will need
to reduce your exercise-intensity level. Don't forget, the increasing
weight of your baby will automatically increase your exertion level, so
be careful not to overdo things.
(3) Physical Activities to Avoid During
Pregnancy
Types of exercise to steer clear of, include:
- Any activity that carries a risk of falling
(eg. jogging).
- All contact sports (eg. football, basketball).
- Any exercise with a risk of abdominal injury. (eg. tennis).
Additional advice:
After the third month of your pregnancy,
avoid all exercise routines that involve you lying flat on your back.
This can restrict the blood-flow to the uterus, which is dangerous for
your baby. In addition, avoid long periods of standing.
In the final trimester, avoid all exercise
(eg. running, jumping) that involves bouncing movements. According to
some health experts, these movements cause straining of the pelvic floor.
Back to Top
(4) Heat Levels
Avoid over-heating when you exercise during
pregnancy. If training indoors, or at the gym, check for adequate ventilation.
If exercising outdoors, avoid hot periods of the day. Drinking plenty
of fluids, before, during and after exercise is also important.
(5) Heart Rate While Exercising
Maintain a safe heart-rate for yourself and
your baby, while exercising. Experts advise that your heart-beat rate
(same as your baby's) should not exceed 140 beats per minute. Please have
this confirmed by your doctor. To keep your heart-rate in the safe zone,
invest in a heart rate monitor.
(6) Best Exercise Routines for Pregnant
Women
The best type of exercise to perform during
pregnancy is low-impact, low or non weight-bearing exercises, including:
- Pre-natal aerobics, yoga or pilates classes.
- Swimming (excellent for Moms-to-be).
- Walking, steady dancing or steady hiking.
- Stationary cycling, stepping.
In general, the less strenuous and stressful
the exercise, the better it is likely to be for pregnancy. So, workouts
involving sudden jerk-like movements, or over-stretching, or intense exertion,
or excessive weight-resistance, are likely to be too risky for the health
of you and your baby.
(7) Kegels
Kegel exercises are especially beneficial
for pregnancy health. Kegels (which involve tightening and relaxing your
pelvic muscles) help to strengthen and prepare the pelvic floor for delivery.
Kegel exercises also help new Moms to recover from childbirth. Do kegel
routines several times a day.
(8) When to Stop Exercising
Warning! Stop exercising and get medical
attention if you experience any of these symptoms during your workout:
- Blood or other fluid coming from your vagina.
- Sudden or unusual vaginal/abdominal pain.
- Severe or unusual headache.
- Heart palpitations (pounding in your chest)
- Dizziness, or unusual light-headedness.
- Unusual or severe nausea.
- Vision problems.
Healthy Exercise During Pregnancy
Exercise is a healthy and beneficial accompaniment
to most pregnancies. Talk to your doctor about your physical limitations
and, for best results, follow an easily manageable exercise program and
always listen to your body. If you start feeling tired or uncomfortable,
it's time to stop. A healthy balanced diet, combined with appropriate
vitamin/mineral supplements, is another important element in ensuring
optimal health during pregnancy.
Back to Calorie-Burning
Exercise
Back to Top
|
