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Exercising during pregnancy can be good both for you and your baby. They boost your energy levels, help in busting stress, relieving backaches, preventing wear and tear on joints and greatly ease labor and delivery.
The selection of exercises during pregnancy should be based on your pre-pregnancy fitness, complications in pregnancy, your interest and the advice of your health expert. You can go in for a combination of cardio, strength and flexibility exercises.
Exercises during Pregnancy
Kegel Exercises help in strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. They can be done sitting or standing anywhere, anytime without people around you noticing that you are exercising. All you need to do is squeeze your vaginal muscles as if trying to control urine midstream for a few seconds and then relax. Breathe normally and don’t contract any other muscles like stomach or legs. This will help in reducing incontinence caused by weight of the baby falling on the bladder.
Walking is a very safe and effective cardio exercise for pregnant women. It is easy on the knees and can be carried out throughout the 9-months of pregnancy. You can start slowly after warming up with a few stretches.
Running or Jogging can be a good exercise during pregnancy if you have been running in your pre-pregnancy days as well. Other women should consult their doctor before taking up running. Wear good shoes and keep yourself hydrated.
Stationary Cycling is also a good exercise for pregnant women as the bike bears most of the weight of the woman. Moreover, since the bike is stationary there is very little risk of falling down. Start gradually and don’t over-exhaust yourself.
Swimming being a low-impact exercise is safe for pregnant women. Buoyancy of water supports most of your weight and helps in toning and strengthening your muscles.
Aqua Exercises can be a great option if you don’t know how to swim and still want to exercise in cool water. They are gentle on your joints and don’t cause overheating.
Yoga helps in toning muscles and improving flexibility. It is a time-tested exercise for pregnant women. Just be careful not to over stretch or do exercises lying on your back especially after the first trimester.
Avoid any kind of jerky and bouncy movements and exercises like skiing, horse riding and rollerblading. Stop exercising if you feel fatigued, experience dizziness, headaches or vaginal bleeding.
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