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The best exercises during pregnancy

best exercises during pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most important periods in the life of a woman. As a pregnant woman, you have dual responsibility to take care of yourself as well as the baby’s health and well-being. Along with good nutrition and diet, it is equally important to keep yourself fit and active to sustain a healthy pregnancy. You can get involved in various light physical activities and exercises to make you feel energized. It is effective in alleviating new pregnancy discomfort such as back pain, stress, gestational diabetes, blood pressure and weight gain. However, you must consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking up any form of physical exercise. Depending on the stage of your pregnancy and your fitness level, adjustments may be required to the exercise routine. Following are some exercises that you could try during pregnancy.

Walking

Experts opine that brisk walking is an excellent way to keep your body fit, get sound sleep and tone the muscles. Taking short walks of about 30 minutes per day, three days a week is an ideal program. Do not push yourself to walk fast. Keep the pace moderate. Over-exertion can hurt the fetus as well as your overall body. Drink sufficient water to keep your body hydrated to control body temperature. Maintaining a good posture while walking will prevent back aches. Walking prevents constipation, foot swelling, diabetes and keeps the body fit. You can continue walking as an exercise until the last trimester of your pregnancy or as long as it is easy and comfortable for you.

Kegel Exercises

Pregnancy stretches the pelvic muscles hindering them from proper functioning. Weak pelvic muscles translate to urinary incontinence and anal incontinence. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic muscles which play a vital role during labor. It involves squeezing and lifting the pelvic muscles for a short period of time, of about 8-10 seconds. You must tighten only these muscles and keep other surrounding muscles such as buttocks, abdomen, legs relaxed. It is ideal if this exercise is done in sets of ten or more and attempt for three to four sets a day. You can continue this exercise all through your pregnancy and even after pregnancy.

Stretching

Pregnancy makes the joints and ligaments prone to injury. You should strengthen the muscles around these areas through stretching exercises. It relieves back pain, leg cramps and makes the body flexible. Incorporate exercises that involve stretching of your lower back, hip, chest, neck, thighs, legs, ankles and shoulders. Stretching improves blood circulation and eases the tension in the muscles. Ensure that you breathe deeply and normally as you do these stretching exercises. Hold on to each stretch for about 20-30 seconds or till the time you feel comfortable before you release.

Yoga

Yoga prepares your body mentally and physically for easy child birth. It keeps the body and mind calm and provides the much needed relief that your body experiences during pregnancy. Prenatal Yoga that involves gentle yogic exercises for each trimester. You should consult your trainer to make appropriate modifications to the poses as your pregnancy progresses. The breathing techniques help you to relax and come handy for a safe delivery. Do not overstretch or push yourself to feel discomfort while doing Yoga. Warrior, Tree, Cat-Cow, Cobbler, Downward facing dog are some of the Yoga poses for pregnancy. It is highly recommended to take high precautions and work only in consultation with your yoga trainer to do any pose in prenatal yoga.

Swimming

Swimming is a low impact exercise that provides great relief and benefits to pregnant women. It improves circulation, tones the muscles, and strengthens over all body. It also helps to calm the body and mind. It is known to be a great inducer of sleep. Depending on your fitness levels it is safe for you to swim for 30 minutes a day, thrice a week. However, you must consult your doctor before incorporating this exercise regimen during pregnancy. It is important to stay well hydrated before you start swimming. Breast stroke provides relief to the chest, back and pelvis while back stroke helps you to exercise with water as the cushion for your back.

Low impact aerobics

Light aerobics improve your fitness and body endurance. Aerobic exercises targets core muscle groups in the body. These exercises keep the body agile and flexible and prevent muscle aches and pains during pregnancy. Make sure you do not take up high intensity aerobics as this will strain you and may impact the baby. Floor exercises, wall push ups, toe touches and riding a bike are some of the aerobic exercises that are light for pregnant women. Keep the exercises fun so that you can maintain the exercise throughout your pregnancy. Know your body limits and slow down if you feel uncomfortable.

Abdominal exercises

As your pregnancy progresses, there is increased strain on the lower back causing back aches. Strengthening the abdominal muscles prevents and provides relief to backache. Pelvic tilts and transverse abdominis are some of the abdominal exercises that are safe and effective during pregnancy. You should avoid exercises such as crunches, oblique twists and Pilates since the abdominal wall stretches during the last stages of pregnancy and cannot function effectively.

Dancing

Dance is another form of exercise to keep you fit during pregnancy. Sway away to your favorite tunes that involve gentle movement of the body. However, you should stay away from jumping, leaping and twirling. You can dance at the comfort of your home. There are also special classes of dancing for pregnant women. Dancing is one of the best cardiovascular exercises to keep your energy levels and fitness at its best. Participate in dance for about thirty minutes per day, four to five days a week. Dancing relieves pregnancy discomfort and improves physical stamina. Dancing is known to ease labor and reduces the postpartum recovery period. As with any type of exercise, you must dance under the supervision of a knowledgeable instructor who can help to make modifications to the dance depending on your fitness and your pregnancy stage.

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