Exercising During Pregnancy
Exercise is beneficial to anyone. For pregnant women, however, exercise has added benefits:
- It helps feel better. Exercise can increase your sense of control and boost your energy level. Besides releasing endorphins, appropriate exercise can:
- relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, butt, and thighs
- reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine
- help you sleep better
- It enhances your looks. Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow.
- It prepares you and your body for birth, reduces the likelihood of complications during labor and actually make labor shorter.
- It makes losing weight after you have the baby easier. You’ll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you exercise. But don’t expect or try to lose weight by exercising while you’re pregnant.
- Exercise can help relieve stress and build the stamina needed for labor and delivery.
- Exercise can be helpful in coping with the postpartum period. Exercise can help new mothers cope with postnatal depression and regain their energy.
Best exercises for pregnant women are:
1. Aerobic Exercise which involves rhythmic, repetitive activities. This type of exercise stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles causing overall body changes. It allows your body to process and utilize oxygen and improves circulation. Your muscle tone and strength increases, which will help relieve backache, constipation and make you better able to cope with a lengthy labor. Try the following low impact aerobic exercises:
- Swimming. In fact, it is one of the best exercises for a pregnant woman because swimming puts no stress on joints and poses little risk of overheating or losing balance and falling.
- Stationary bike riding is an exercise that even the most sedentary woman can begin after she gets pregnant, because she can start slowly and gradually increase riding time as she gets in better shape. Stationary bicycles are ideal because they pose very little risk of falling.
- Walking or step machine
2. Yoga: Most forms of yoga are fine during pregnancy as they emphasize breathing, relaxation, posture and body awareness, thus preparing a woman to dealing with the challenges of pregnancy and birth. Many yoga teachers offer special pregnancy classes, but regular classes are also fine. Just avoid lying flat on your back or overstretching.
3. Pilates: It increases tone, strength and improves flexibility. As some Pilates moves are not recommended for pregnant women, be sure to join a prenatal Pilates class.
Before taking up new activities, consult your doctor.