Exercise During Pregnancy

Many women believe that once they are pregnant, everything is out of bounds. This includes exercise. They do not want to do anything that could harm their child. Doing exercise while pregnant is something beneficial, as long as you follow a few basic rules.

The Health Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy

First of all, it is important to touch on the health benefits of doing exercise while pregnant. This is not about losing weight – that is something that should be avoided while pregnant; this is about strengthening the muscles and improving endurance. Just these two factors alone will help to improve the common symptoms of pregnancy, especially during the later stages.

Types of Exercise Possible

There are a number of options when it comes to doing exercise. Many of these are perfect for the first and second trimester, but there are some that work well in the final trimester. When you are doing your exercises, you need to concentrate on strengthening and conditioning – too much over-exertion will put stress on the baby.

Running and Weights are two possible types of exercise during pregnancy in the first trimester. However, it is likely that the running will need to be cut down to walking as the bump gets bigger and the expectant mother gets heavier. A brisk walk is safe throughout the duration of the pregnancy and is something to add daily.

Swimming is the safest forms of exercise because the water will support the body. Pregnant women feel weightless while in the water, which is beneficial in the final trimester; this is when the baby will be putting more pressure on the joints and back. There are many leisure centers that offer aquanatal classes or many women choose to swim on their own.

Type of Exercise to Avoid

There are some types of exercise that need to be avoided during pregnancy in the third trimester; however, there are others that should be avoided for the entire time. These forms include rollerblading, horseback riding and cycling. This is because there are more chances of slipping or falling, which will cause stress on the baby.

Contact sports and many water sports are forms to avoid. Water sports mainly include water polo and Scuba diving. Water polo, while not a contact sport, is rigorous while Scuba diving involves being at great depths; it is unclear what this can do to the expectant mother and the baby.

Overexertion is important to avoid during pregnancy and weight training is one of those exercises that can cause this. This is not a form to cross of the list completely, but it is one to be careful with. Stick with low weights and be careful not to overheat.

Those Who Have Never Exercised Before

There are some people who have never even considered picking up a weight or thought about going for a run. Those that decide to start exercise when pregnant need to speak to their doctor or midwife; this will help to rule out any possible complications or problems.

When expecting a baby, it is not time to start training for a marathon or the Olympics. It is important to stick with light exercise and sticking to three days a week. It is also important to look into the dangers that are being put on the baby, as well as the signs that something is wrong.

Resources:

Babycenter.co.uk – Accessed 16^th September 2011

BBC.co.uk – Physical Health – Accessed 16^th September 2011