If you have a regular schedule of exercise when you are pregnant it would help you stay healthy and you would feel at your very best as well. In fact, if you work out on a regular basis when you are pregnant it would help you improve your posture too. It can also relieve some common issues that you face at this time such as fatigue and backaches. In fact, there is enough proof to suggest that physical activity could stop gestational diabetes from happening. This is a form of diabetes that happens at the time of pregnancy.

It can reduce your stress and build greater stamina. All this is going to come in handy when you go into labor and delivery. In fact, if you were physically active before you got pregnant you should be able to keep on doing so when you are pregnant as well albeit in moderation. You should never try and work at your normal level at this point in time though. Stick to doing the exercises that you are most comfortable with when you are pregnant. For example, if you are into aerobics it is always better to do the low impact exercises as opposed to the high impact ones.

If you are a competitive athlete you should always be in close contact with an obstetrician. In case you have never exercised before you got pregnant you can always start such a program safely when you get pregnant. However, it is always better to consult your doctor before you take any step in this regard.

Who should not exercise at the time of pregnancy?

In case you have medical issues such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease it is better that you avoid working out at the time of pregnancy. Similarly, if you also have certain pregnancy-related conditions you should stay away from pregnancy as it can be harmful. Some examples of such conditions may be enumerated as below:

  • spotting or bleeding
  • low placenta
  • history of early labor or premature births
  • recurrent miscarriage or possibility of miscarriage
  • weak cervix

In such a situation it is always better to talk to your doctor before you take any decision in this regard. Your doctor can always provide you some personal guidelines with regards to exercise on the basis of your medical history.

Which exercises are safe at the time of pregnancy?

Most exercises can be done at the time of pregnancy. However, you need to make sure that you are being cautious over here. It is also important to refrain from overdoing them. Following are said to be the most helpful and the safest exercises that you can do at this point in time:

  • swimming
  • indoor stationary cycling
  • brisk walking
  • low impact aerobics
  • step or elliptical machines

In case you are doing aerobics it is important that you are guided by an instructor who happens to be certified.

What exercises should you avoid at the time of pregnancy?

There are a few activities and exercises that you should always avoid when you are pregnant. You should avoid any and every activity where you may have to hold your breath. The same is also applicable for activities such as horseback riding and skiing where there is a high likelihood that you may fall down from a height and hurt yourself. Contact sports such as softball, basketball, football, and volleyball are also a strict no-no in these cases. You should keep in mind that when you are pregnant any exercise that causes even the slightest of abdominal trauma needs to be avoided.

What should your pregnancy exercise program be made up of?

If you wish to be totally fit at this time you need to have a pregnancy exercise program that focuses on conditioning and strengthening your muscles. You should always warm up for 5 minutes and after that you need to stretch for 5 minutes. Your program should have at least 15 minutes of cardiovascular exercises. It may be a good idea to measure your heart rate when you are at the height of your exercise. You can follow this up with 5 to 10 minutes of aerobic exercises followed by ones that become gradually slower.

How can your exercise be affected by your pregnancy?

When you are pregnant you go through some physical changes and these put some additional demands on your body. You need to keep it in mind that when you are working out during pregnancy you have to listen to your body. You also need to adjust in accordance with the same. Since a baby is developing inside you and you are going through a lot of internal changes as well you would need a lot more energy and oxygen for starters.

When should you stop working out?

There are certain warning signs that you should never ignore when you are working out or taking part in any physical activity at this stage of your life. In fact, whenever you experience them you should definitely consult your doctor as well. The first such sign is pain in the breast, abdomen, and pelvic areas. Persistent contractions are a sign of worry as well. If you have a headache then too you should stop your physical activity. If you see your fetus not moving at all or moving less then too you must stop working out.

Conclusion

You may be worried about how soon you would be able to start working out following delivery. The answer to this question varies with respect to you and your unique situation. This is why it is always better to talk to the doctor and see how soon you can get back to your normal regime of exercises after you have delivered your baby. It is but normal that you would want to get back into shape soon enough. However, it is always better to take things slow in this regard. You need to listen to what your doctor has to say and be gradual about it.

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