6 TIPS FOR EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY

Written by Bayo Ajibola.

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for every individual. Everyone is advised to exercise regularly to keep fit, burn off extra fat and release feel-good hormones to lift your spirits. People have a misconception about exercise during pregnancy though. Some assume that since there is a baby growing inside you it is not a good idea to continue exercising regularly.

Doctors actually advise otherwise. Pregnant women should continue with exercise and if they were not on any kind of exercise regime before they should start. It helps with labor and pregnancy pains. They types and intensity of exercises that these two groups will have is very different because the active group has the advantage that their bodies are already used to exercise.

If you were not exercising before the pregnancy you will need to start off slow. You can begin with a short brisk walk and build up to a jog or a run with time. Yoga is also great for relaxing and stretching  your muscles. Mindless of your previous activity level you should do the following with regards to your exercise.

Talk to doctor before you decide what kind of exercise you will be doing regularly. The doctor should be able to give you a thorough assessment and this will determine whether you exercise and the type of exercise that would be best for you. Some women may have some complications or a condition that may be aggravated by some forms of exercise and that is why a doctor’s assessment is important.

Ø  Work with your body; your body will continue changing as the pregnancy progresses so you may have to change your routine as time goes by. If you find that a particular exercise causes undue strain on you then you should change to something else. You can find exercise specialists specifically trained to work with pregnant women and these would be able to guide you through the different appropriate exercises for you.

Ø  Breath; this may sound rather obvious but how you breathe affects the quality of exercise that you have. You should take deep breaths as you exercise to give your body enough oxygen. This revitalizes your brain and makes the workout much better.

Ø  Stay off your back; exercise like yoga and stretching may have you on your back but you will need to adjust this as the pregnancy progresses. There is a main blood vessel that supplies blood, oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus (umbilical cord). Lying on your back when the fetus has grown considerably will put some pressure on the blood vessel and reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to your baby. This will definitely affect the baby’s health and development.

Ø  Stay hydrated; water is still important and you will need to keep your hydration up as you work out. Do not substitute water with other liquids like coffee, tea or juice since they may have different forms of unhealthy activities.

Ø  Watch your technique; pregnant women are already prone to backaches as the pregnancy progresses. Some strength training exercises may require you to lift some weights and if your back is in the wrong position you could hurt yourself further.

There is also the release of the hormone relaxing which actually relaxes your ligaments and muscles. Bones can easily get displaced from their sockets so quick jerky movements at later stages of pregnancy may aggravate this or even cause injury. Pregnancy should not ground you and is still a great time to begin working out. Your best bet at exercises would be those that strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. These help with carrying the baby and in labor when the time comes.