Learn More About Exercise During Pregnancy

Now that you’re pregnant, you’ll want to know how to avoid those unwanted pounds by discovering the secrets to looking and feeling great during your pregnancy. We all know how important exercise is for our bodies, even if we’re not pregnant, all the more reason to exercise during pregnancy. If you were active before, then by all means keep it up, and if you have been fairly sedentary, then all hope is not lost. If exercise has always been an important part of your life, then all you have to do is limit strenuous activities that involve bouncing, weight lifting, or are hazardous by nature, like down hill skiing or scuba diving. It is important to consult your obstetrician first, of course, especially if complications may limit your ability to exercise.

If you’re experiencing morning sickness during your first trimester, you may not feel up to exercise, but the benefits are many, so get going as soon as you can. Exercise during pregnancy helps you feel better because it increases energy levels, its good for your baby, it relieves backaches, reduces constipation, relieves stress and anxiety, helps you sleep better, and it gives your skin a healthy glow. It also prepares you and your body for an easier and shorter labor and delivery, and helps you regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly after birth. Examples of appropriate exercise during pregnancy are swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, biking, or walking, which all combine cardio, strength, and flexibility. Exercise should be limited if you have pregnancy induced hypertension, early contractions, vaginal bleeding, or premature rupture of the amniotic membranes. Avoid outside exercise during pregnancy on hot and humid days, drink plenty of water, and keep your maximum heart rate below 140 beats per minute. If you can’t talk during exercise, slow down, and stop if you feel fatigued, dizzy, experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual pain in your back or pelvis.

It was once thought that pregnant women should spend nine months prone on the couch, resting comfortable, but that’s no longer true. Visit the American Academy of Family Physicians at www.familydoctor.org, or a number of other sites like www.americanpregnancy.org, www.childbirth.org, or www.exercise.about.com, for more information on exercise during pregnancy. Listen to your body, and feel healthy during your pregnancy by enjoying safe physical activity. Your body and your baby will benefit greatly from it, and you will have a healthy and happy pregnancy, which is just what it should be!