Staying active during pregnancy is very good for the health of both mother and baby. However, it is important to consult a doctor to make sure the exercise routine you are doing is safe for your current condition. After the doctor gives the green light, many fun activities can be done to maintain body fitness.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Deciding on the Right Exercise Level
Step 1. Discuss your plans with your doctor
If you and your baby are healthy and there are no signs of pregnancy complications, your doctor may encourage you to do less strenuous exercises. Your doctor may advise you not to exercise if you have the following conditions:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Cervical problems
- High blood pressure due to pregnancy
- Heart or lung problems
- Risk of premature birth
Step 2. Start slowly
You may feel tired more quickly than before you got pregnant. If before pregnancy you used to exercise, continue your exercise in the same period of time, but reduce the intensity. Otherwise, start with five or ten minutes of exercise each day and work your way up to about 30 minutes of moderate exercise.
- Exercise doesn't need to be too long and shouldn't be too intense. Do exercises only to increase heart rate and improve blood circulation.
- If you're out of breath and can't talk, it means you're training too hard.
Step 3. Pay attention to the limitations
You will feel tired more easily as your pregnancy gets bigger. Make sure to drink more water. During pregnancy you are prone to dehydration. Stop exercising immediately if you experience the following symptoms:
- Dizzy or want to faint
- Difficulty breathing
- Back pain
- Nauseous
- Swelling or numbness
- The heart rate increases abnormally or irregularly
Method 2 of 3: Finding a Cardiovascular Exercise Routine
Step 1. Choose a profitable exercise
If you were previously doing cardiovascular exercises and your doctor has allowed you to continue exercising, it will be easier to adjust the intensity of the exercise. The exercises in question include:
- On foot. Walking is a great way to get your heart rate up and maintain leg muscle mass. Make sure you wear shoes that support your feet and ankles well. Buy a sports bra that is of good quality and can continue to support your enlarged breasts. Walking will take you outside in the sun and can be done with a partner or friends.
- Swimming. Swimming is especially good during pregnancy because it doesn't put a strain on your joints when you move. Buy good-quality swimming goggles so you can dip your head into the water while swimming and reduce pressure on your back. Do not swim in the butterfly stroke as it requires extreme spinal movement. If you experience pelvic pain during the breaststroke, switch to a different style. Even if you can't swim well, many swimming clubs offer water aerobics exercises for pregnant women.
- Bicycle. If you cycled a lot before your pregnancy, you might want to switch to a stationary bike. A stationary bike has the advantage of being more stable and you won't fall over.
Step 2. Avoid risky sports
This means you should avoid activities that put you at risk of falling or being hit, collided, or pushed. Activities to avoid include:
- Yoga postures that require you to lie on your back after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This kind of posture can reduce the blood supply to the body and the baby.
- Sports that involve body contact, such as soccer, boxing, and basketball.
- Sports such as tennis or volleyball that require players to make sudden changes in movement.
- Sports that put you at risk of falling include rock climbing, horseback riding, or rollerblading.
- Activities that expose you to hot air include exercising in hot weather, Bikram yoga (hot yoga), steam rooms, saunas and hot tubs.
Step 3. Enjoy the benefits of cardiovascular exercise
Doing safe, less strenuous exercises will benefit you and your baby by:
- Relieves back pain, leg cramps, constipation, bloating and swelling
- Lowers the risk of gestational diabetes
- Improve your mood and give you more energy
- Make your sleep better
- Makes the body strong and lean again due to an easier delivery and faster recovery
Method 3 of 3: Adding a Safe Strength Training Routine
Step 1. Maintain upper body strength
There are several activities you can do to get your arms back in shape as a result of lifting and holding your baby after birth:
- Wall push ups. This exercise can strengthen the chest muscles and triceps. To do this, stand facing a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your palms on the wall at shoulder height. Bend your elbows and lean against the wall until your nose touches the wall. Push yourself back up straight with your hands. Start with a small number of reps and gradually increase it to 15 reps.
- Paddling with a rubber rope (resistance band). Sit in a chair with rubber straps under your legs stretched out in front of you and hold both ends of the rope with your hands. Pull the rope back with your elbows as if you were rowing. Try to do 15 reps. This kind of rubber strap can be purchased at your local sporting goods store.
Step 2. Work your core with V-sit
This exercise can be done in several variations. The best time to do this exercise is the first three months of pregnancy. The following exercises are recommended for pregnant women by the Mayo Clinic:
- V-sit with support. Sit on the floor with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lean back so that your back forms an angle of about 45 degrees with the floor. You can support your body by placing a pillow on your lower back or using a balance trainer (a device commonly used at the gym in the form of a large balance ball cut in half). Raise one leg until your lower leg is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for about five seconds, then lower your legs back to the starting position. Do this movement 10 feet and then switch to the other leg.
- V-sit. Sit on a balance trainer or small bench so that you are about 30 cm off the floor. The legs should be bent and the soles of the feet flat on the floor. Lean back until you feel a tug on your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for about five seconds and then return to the starting position. Do this movement 10 times. Once you can do a good V-sit, you can do it lifting one leg first, then the other.
Step 3. Tighten your leg muscles
This exercise helps maintain your leg muscle mass, flexibility, and balance. Some exercise positions, such as squats, can even be performed during labor to help the baby descend into the birth canal.
- Squats. Stand with your back against the wall and your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower yourself (back against the wall) until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then push the body back into a standing position. It doesn't matter if you can't lower your body too low. You can do it slowly. Try to be able to do 10 squats.
- Leg lifts. Take a crawling position. Then lift one leg and straighten it back until it is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for five seconds, and then lower your legs back to the starting position. Repeat this movement 10 times and then do it with the other leg.
Step 4. Try yoga or pilates
Many women love yoga and pilates for reasons of keeping in shape and communicating with the body. This exercise focuses on stretching and toning muscles.
- If you're taking classes at your local gym or community center, look for classes specifically for pregnant women. Tell the instructor about your gestational age.
- If you practice yoga or pilates at home, talk to your doctor first to make sure they are safe for you. Consider a special video for pregnant women to do at home.
Step 5. Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can help make labor easier and speed up the recovery process. In addition, this exercise also helps women avoid urinary incontinence after childbirth. Do this exercise three times a day.
- Short squeeze. This exercise increases strength. Lie on your back or sit with your feet shoulder-width apart. Tighten the muscles around the anus as if you were trying to hold your breath. Then, at the same time, tighten the muscles around your vagina and bladder as you would to stop the urine flowing. Perform this movement without pressing the buttocks. The buttocks should be relaxed throughout the exercise. As you tighten your muscles, hold this movement for a second or two. Repeat this movement until you feel tired.
- Long squeeze. This exercise increases muscle endurance. A long squeeze is done in the same way as a short squeeze, but you have to hold it longer. For some women holding it for four seconds will be enough to work the muscles. Others may be able to hold it for 10 seconds or longer. Over time you will be able to hold the muscles longer and do more reps.
- If you have severe incontinence and can't do Kegels properly, find a physical therapist who specializes in teaching these exercises properly. Your doctor can give you a referral.
