Exercise While Pregnant - Is It Safe?For many years it was believed that once a woman became pregnant she should just lounge on the couch and rest
for hours on end, each and every day. After numerous clinical studies it was found that most women should do quite
the opposite. In most cases, women should continue with their daily routines, and if they are not doing so already,
they should begin a regular daily exercise regimen.
It has been found that exercising during pregnancy has numerous beneficial effects. Exercising will give you
more energy and stamina, increase your confidence, and give you the extra strength you need for delivering your
newborn. Exercise performed by the mother-to-be during pregnancy has also been found to produce a healthier and
stronger baby. An added bonus for those of you dreading those long hours of child labor is that regular exercise
during pregnancy has been known to reduce the time frame for this process by about a third. This in itself is a
great motivating factor, since every hour spent in labor can seem like a much longer period of time.
While exercise will undoubtedly help you obtain all these wonderful benefits, there are some guidelines you
should follow:
- Always consult our physician before beginning any diet and/or exercise regimen. This is to ensure you will be
able to do this without causing harm to yourself and your recovering body.
- Always start out slowly. Try several activities and do not attempt to perform very strenuous exercises or spend
too much time at the gym. Find some exercises or activities you like and enjoy and do them regularly, but try not to
exceed more than 30 minutes at a time. If you begin to feel exerted or worn out, stop exercising immediately and
rest for a while. The whole purpose of exercising is to help maintain good health and self esteem, not injure or
endanger yourself or your unborn.
- Monitor your heart rate, your breathing, and your pulse. This will allow you to observe your progress and notice
any limitations you may need to be aware of. Knowing this information and making a note of it while exercising
could assist your physician in diagnosing any problems or potential hazards you may face.
- Avoid high altitudes, extreme humidity, or especially warm temperatures when exercising. Getting overheated is
not beneficial to you or our baby, and it could actually cause harm. Be sure you drink plenty of water and keep
yourself hydrated.
- As you move further along in your pregnancy, begin to reduce your intensity level. While your rapidly changing
body will force you to modify your routine as your pregnancy progresses, it is important for you to be conscious of
the types of activities you ask your body to engage in. You could do more harm than good if you over do it as far
as exercise goes.
- Do Kegel exercises religiously since the pelvic floor supports the bladder, uterus, and intestines. Added weight
from your pregnancy can stretch your pelvic floor, and may result in the intestines or bladder dropping. Be sure to
do this exercise several times a day. One of the best times is while urinating, which is always more frequent
during pregnancy, so make good use of that time.
- While you are in your final trimester, try to avoid any bouncing, jumping, or running. These activities can
potentially cause injury to you or your unborn child.
Pregnancy causes many changes for any woman, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Be sure you communicate
openly with your partner and your doctor. Keep all of your limitations in mind and never try to exercise more than
is reasonable for your stage of pregnancy. |
