As soon as women knew they’re expecting, some of them tend to reduce their movement or engage in physical activities due to the fear of creating complications during their pregnancy. It’s natural for pregnant women to wonder what they need to change or do the same during pregnancy. But the truth is, physical activity and exercise are essential for pregnant women, too.
Exercise can do wonders for both the baby and the expecting mothers like you. When you exercise, not only are you improving your overall health, but you’re also reducing the risk of gaining weight during your pregnancy. Furthermore, active and fit women are more likely to experience easier labour and delivery during their baby’s birth.
In simplest terms, exercise is good and safe for pregnant women. Your pregnancy isn’t a hindrance to keep on pursuing physical fitness and exercises. In fact, regular exercise can also help alleviate common pregnancy symptoms, such as backaches, constipation, bloating, or swollen ankles.
Now that you know the benefits of exercising during your pregnancy, you may be wondering how to get started with your exercise. Before lacing up your sneakers, here are five exercise tips for pregnant women.
- Consult Your Obstetrician First
Suppose you think you have a delicate pregnancy, especially if you underwent numerous fertility treatments to conceive a baby. In that case, it’s best to consult your obstetrician first before trying any pregnancy exercises. With your doctor, they can check first how it’s going for your fetus and how well you and your baby can take a few physical activities. Once they’ve given a go signal that you’re safe to try on pregnancy exercises, you can ask for their advice about some of the most recommended exercises for expecting women.
There are also exercise programs created at fitness classes that are specialized for pregnant women. Here are the findings that you can refer to for more information about the perfect at-home pregnancy exercise program for you and your baby.
- Avoid Too Much Sun Exposure
One of the safest pregnancy exercises for women is walking. Brisk walking is beneficial for pregnant women as this provides a cardiovascular workout without exhausting your ankles and knees. Plus, it’s also an activity where you can easily invite your family or friends who are pregnant, too.
While brisk walking is recommended for pregnant women, it’s not commendable for them to walk distances during the hottest parts of the day. Not only are you at risk of getting sunburned, but the humidity can put you at risk of extreme dehydration, which is unsafe for both you and the baby. Plus, dehydration leads to severe tiredness.
Most often, the sun is at its hottest from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Thus, make sure you do your daily walk either from early morning or in the evening. Don’t forget to do it on smooth surfaces while wearing your sunscreen and supportive footwear.
- Keep Yourself Hydrated
It’s only understandable for pregnant women to feel tired and thirsty after a few physical exercises, considering that they’re not only carrying their weight but as well as their baby’s. Thus, it’s essential for pregnant women to always keep themselves hydrated.
Pregnant women should drink at least ten 8-ounce cups of water every day. This is to ensure that while you’re working out, you never run out of fluids in your body, keeping you and your baby safe from dehydration.
- Wear Comfortable Clothes
Regardless if you’re doing strenuous physical activity or simple pregnancy yoga poses, it’s vital that you wear comfortable clothes at all times. It’s best to wear lightweight and breathable clothing to help regulate your body temperature and maintain your body’s cooling system during exercise.
Wearing comfortable exercise clothes will also make it easier for you to do certain movements, especially yoga poses, which require stretching. Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight as you may find it hard to breathe, making it harder to continue your exercises.
- Go Swimming
Aside from brisk walking, another excellent pregnancy exercise that you can try doing is swimming. The best thing about swimming is that you get to do a high-impact sport without straining your body too much. That’s because the water can fully support your belly weight. Plus, you can either do this activity on the beach or, even better, at the pool where you’re not at risk of too much sun exposure.
You can look for local swimming pools around your area that provide exercise classes for pregnant women with professional instructors.
Wrapping Up
Now that you know how to exercise safely during your pregnancy, it’s time to get you and your baby working! Remember that pregnancy will never be a hindrance to pursuing physical activities that are beneficial for you and your baby. Not only will it boost your overall health, but it’ll also help make your labour and delivery experience easier. Remember, consult your doctor before you start getting those endorphins flowing.
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