Six Ideal Exercises for Pregnant Woman

Exercise is good for a normal person, and is all the more wonderful for a pregnant woman. Exercise not only makes you healthy and builds your stamina, but it also builds your muscles to prepare you for the hard task of labour and childbirth. It not only keeps you active during your pregnancy but also makes it easier for you to regain your figure after delivery.

However, not all exercises are right for pregnant women. Pregnant women should only indulge in exercises, which are light, gets your heart pumping, builds and strengthens your muscles, keeps you supple and active. Exercises that require rigorous activities, jumping, leaping or sudden twists should be avoided as they can result in injuries and can prove to be harmful for the unborn child and the baby. During pregnancy, a hormone called Relaxin is released in the body to loosen the joints to help in delivery. One must take care not to participate in any exercise that put pressures on the joints.

It is highly important to find out which exercises are ideal for pregnancy and will not harm the unborn child. Exercise under a professional, who is certified to train pregnant woman and chalk out a good working out regimen for you. You can incorporate light running, jogging and weight training in the first two trimesters; however, you will need to modify and slow down your regimen, as you grow bigger in size in the third trimester.

Ideal Exercises for Pregnant Women:

Following is a list of few simple yet highly beneficial exercises for pregnant women. However, consult your doctor before starting any of the following working out routine and stop or modify these in the last trimester of your pregnancy:

Walking : Walking is one of the best exercises, which can be continued throughout the pregnancy period until the end. It is a light form of exercise that keeps you fit, without putting pressure or stress on your joints like knees or ankles. In addition, if pre-pregnancy you were not into exercising then starting with walking can be the best option.
Start with slow walking and then brace yourself up for at least 20 – 30 minutes of brisk walking. End your walking exercise with few minutes of slow walk again. Walk daily. Carry water along with you to walks to keep your body cool and hydrated all along.

• First Trimester:   In first trimester, you need not worry about anything and can continue walking like you did before. Keep water with you and maintain your body temperature, do not over heat. Walk comfortable walking shoes that provide good support to the feet.
• Second Trimester : During this phase, you would have started gaining weight and your abdomen would have started enlarging. You need to put extra attention on your walking position in this stage. Keep your head straight, chin up and your back aligned. Avoid stress on back. Be careful and maintain your balance.
• Third Trimester : be careful in this stage, maintain balance and avoid walking on an uneven train.

Jogging : It is one of the most efficient and quickest forms of exercise, however, only for those women who used to jog before conceiving. One needs to be very careful while jogging, as it can exert pressure on the knees. During pregnancy a hormone, called relaxin, is produced in the body to loosen joints to prepare the body for childbirth. Thus, it can be hurting plus risky if you are not already accustomed to jogging.

• First Trimester : Drink lots of water to keep the body temperature from over heating and to keep your body hydrated. Wear good running shoes.
• Second trimester : You need to be careful in this stage. Maintain your balance and run on flat paths to avoid slipping and injuries.
  
  Third Trimester: Be careful and take a break when tired or out of breath. Run slowly and carefully.

Swimming : Swimming is an excellent exercise that exercises all the muscles in the body. Other than this, water is therapeutic and makes you feel almost weightless. However, consult your doctor before taking the plunge. Choose an easy stroke and kick gently. It also prevents over heating of the body.

• First Trimester: Swim normally for 20 minutes or more.
• Second Trimester: While swimming you feel weightless and the water supports your joints, thus you can continue swimming as before.
• Third Trimester: continue swimming as before but be more cautious. Avoid tiring yourself much.

Yoga : Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise, which along with toning the body calms your mind. It is a scientific and spiritual form of exercising. It is highly beneficial in pregnancy as it relaxes your body and mind, helps you breathe better thus in taking a good amount of oxygen and helps the body adjust to the physical demands of labor and childbirth. It helps in increasing the blood supply, which transports food and nutrients to the unborn baby. Practice yoga under the supervision of an instructor. You can also practice yoga after your delivery to get back in shape.

• First Trimester : Practice breathing exercises and few stretching postures in the beginning. Keep drinking lots of water and avoid postures that put pressure on the joints.
• Second Trimester : Be careful in this stage as your joints are loose and you may loose your balance because of an enlarged abdomen. Get up, sit slowly and carefully in different postures, and take it easy.
• Third Trimester : Be careful and use supports while performing standing postures.

Pilates : Pilates combine exercises that strengthen the muscles and provide flexibility to the body, along with body awareness and breathing exercises. For pregnant women this exercise is beneficial as it releases the tension in back and pelvis muscles and helps in strengthening them. The exercises and positions are mostly based on hands and knees positions.

However, this form of exercise is not ideal for every pregnant woman, and needs supervision of a professional instructor and consent of the doctor.

Aerobics : Aerobics helps in strengthening your muscles and heart. However, it is a high-energy exercise, which requires high kicks, quick turns and other such moves. In pregnancy, you can practice some low impact moves. In addition, you can even practice aerobics at home by watching instructional videos.

• First Trimester : Warm up before and after finishing your work out routine. Take it easy and slow, drink water to keep the body temperature in control, and hydrated.
• Second Trimester : be cautious and consume lots of water before and during work out.
• Third Trimester : take it easy in this stage. You probably might not be able to many postures or exercises due to your increased belly size.