It’s recommended by most experts that pregnant women maintain a regular exercise schedule. Of course, the range and intensity of the exercises you may perform while pregnant is limited. After all, the most important thing to do is to make sure you don’t put too much pressure on your growing baby. That said, there are a lot of exercise options still open to you during pregnancy that can help you stay active and healthy.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Never put too much pressure on your body. Over-exerting yourself can lead to serious problems. When exercising, your heart rate should remain under 130-140 heart beats per minute. If your body overheats, it can damage your baby, so exercise in moderation and keep well hydrated at all times.
If you’re used to lifting weights and doing aerobics, even before you became pregnant, you can still continue doing so as long as you lift less weight amount and lessen the intensity of your aerobics routine. If you’re not used to lifting weights or doing aerobics, don’t start during your pregnancy. Remember to talk with your physician about what you should and shouldn’t do before you start any kind of exercise program during your pregnancy. Reward yourself on occasion with gifts for new moms.
Things to avoid
Avoid doing squat exercises, as they can sever your placenta from your uterus. Also avoid any abdominal workouts, for obvious reasons. And after the first trimester, avoid any workouts that involve lying on your back. They will put too much pressure on our organs and your baby.
Some Recommended Exercises
1. Yoga
Yoga can help keep your muscles toned and your limbs flexible. Yoga will also help you relax and prepare you for the difficulty of your third and final trimester.
2. Walking
The great thing about walking is that you can do it anywhere at any time without having to spend on expensive exercise equipment. Walking helps you keep your endurance and tone without putting too much strain on your knees and ankles.
3. Sitting exercise machines
You can perform any weight exercise that can be done on a sitting exercise machine. Keep the weight resistance low and do a lot of reps (12-16 is recommended).
4. Swimming
Swimming is probably the best exercises a pregnant woman can do. It works all of your major muscle groups and there is little risk of over-straining your joints.