Exercise for pregnant women – 10 Tips you should know
Exercise for pregnant women is highly recommended to get you lean and mean but is also important during pregnancy. It can help reduce common symptoms of pregnancy such as swollen ankles, back aches, sleeplessness, and bloating. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists exercising during pregnancy decreases the risk of preterm birth, caesarean birth, excessive weight gain and gestational diabetes. Not only this, it is also said to increase positive moods, decrease stress, enable better post-partum recovery and is good for your baby too!
But before you rush off to exercise your baby bump, check out these important tips:
Check with the doctor
Before continuing with a rigorous routine or taking on new exercises, check with your trusted doctor that these exercises are suitable for pregnancy.
Keep it cool
Avoid saunas, steam rooms or heated areas and if possible, try exercise where there is air conditioner. Keeping your temperature stable is vital for expecting moms.
Choose carefully
Not all exercise is perfect for pregnancy. Common sense should indicate that taking up skiing or ice hockey when you’re expected is obviously not ideal. Excellent cardio vascular exercises would include swimming which is ideal due to the water holding some of your weight and making you feel lighter. It also helps with nausea, sciatica and puffiness. Walking and squats (no jumping) are also a great and easy to fit into the schedule.
Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated is key to healthy workouts. Make sure you are sipping water throughout your routine to maintain a steady level of hydration.
Dress the part
There may be some wardrobe additions to pregnancy exercising such as belly band or an extra supportive bra which will definitely improve the quality of your workout. You may even need to purchase a pair of pregnancy work out pants. These additions are worth investing in.
Get specific
Join a pre-natal yoga or pilates class where the routine is pregnancy specific and is catered for exactly what you need, with professionals who know what they’re doing. You may even make some friends who are on the same journey as you!
Alter your exercises according to your trimester
Some exercises are great before you start showing but get a bit much when your bump becomes a basketball. Make sure your doing the right moves at the right time to ensure an easier pregnancy and birth.
Know your body
If something doesn’t feel right, stop doing it. If you are feeling very tired on a specific day don’t push yourself rather have a sleep and rest.
Consistency is key
It’s not about doing hours of exercise every day. For most pregnant women, at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is recommended.
Make it fun
If the thought of general exercise just doesn’t do it for you, counter in your daily vacuuming as part of your routine, join a dance class or double up with friends. Exercising needs to be enjoyable to be sustainable.
With these easy tips, you are good to go for getting pregnancy fit.
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