There are several benefits to exercising during pregnancy. Exercise can help to ease the physical discomforts of pregnancy such as backaches, fatigue, constipation, and swelling, prepare you for the physical stresses you will experience during labor, and can make it easier to lose weight after your pregnancy. Exercise can give you an overall healthier feeling during pregnancy.
Always check with your doctor or midwife before beginning a exercise regimen
to ensure that the exercise you are doing is safe for your pregnancy.
The best exercises to do during pregnancy are walking and swimming as there is the lowest risk of being injured during these activities.
Do not participate in activities in which you have the risk of falling or injuring your abdomen. Activities that may put you or your baby at risk include: downhill skiing, horseback riding, mountain climbing, water skiing, scuba diving, contact sports (football, basketball, soccer), and racket sports (squash, racquetball).
If you followed a regular exercise routine before pregnancy, you should be able to continue that exercise during your pregnancy without risk to your baby. If you are just beginning an exercise routine during pregnancy, being slowly and consult your doctor or midwife with safe and practical exercises for your pregnancy.
Eat a snack 30 minutes before you being exercising that is high in carbohydrates in order to give yourself the energy increase you will need while exercising.
Wear
comfortable, breathable clothing while exercising and consider wearing layers
so you can easily shed clothing if
you
are becoming too hot. Also wear supportive shoes that fit properly and a
supportive maternity bra.
Always warm up and cool down for 10 minutes before and after exercising.
Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercising.
Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, extremely tired, faint, nauseous, have difficulty walking, feel contractions, or experience vaginal bleeding.
Avoid exercises that require you to have good balance, as your center of gravity is disrupted during pregnancy.
Do not exercise during excessive heat or humidity.
Do not overdo your exercise or go for the burn or exhaustion. You should try to exercise at 60% of your maximum heart rate. To monitor this, make sure you can comfortably carry on a conversation while exercising.
Do not do exercises that require you to lay on your back after your third month as the baby or your uterus can press down on major blood vessels and lower your blood pressure to dangerous levels and decrease blood flow to the womb.