Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? FIND OUT!

Contrary to popular belief, exercise is actually good for pregnant women and it is safe.

However, research shows that most pregnant women don’t get enough exercise on a regular basis. Exercising regularly will not harm your baby; in fact, it may help in the prevention of some pregnancy-related complications like pre-eclampsia.

Know what you should avoid

Avoid horse riding, scuba diving, football or any contact sport that may cause any type of trauma to your abdomen. Ruling these workouts and sports out, you still have large variety of exercises you can do.

Avoid exercises that require lying on your back for prolonged periods. Lying on your back for prolonged periods during your pregnancy can cause the uterus to push down on your blood vessels. The uterus may put pressure on the vena cava (the main vein that carries blood back to the heart from the lower part of the body), interfering with circulation and causing a feeling of dizziness.

If you’re an active person already, you’ll need only a few modifications in your routine, just be sure to talk to your doctor about it first. However, if you’re not an active person, seek advice on how you can safely start moving. 10-minute walks are a great way to start!

Stay hydrated

Be sure to stay hydrated at all times, especially before, after and during a workout. Hydration is one of the most important aspects of your pregnancy self-care routine. Dehydration can cause unhealthy and potentially damaging effects on you and your baby. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink before you feel thirsty.

Be sure to warm up and cool down

Warming up your body before a workout is important because it prepares your joints and muscles for the workout and prevents muscle strains. This is especially important for pregnant women. Warming up before a workout will also help gradually build your heart rate. Your heart rate is already higher when you’re pregnant so increasing it at a moderate pace will make your workout safer and more rewarding.

In addition, you should also cool down after a workout with 5 to 10 minutes of light stretching.

Understand why you’re working out

You’re not working out to lose weight or to challenge yourself, you’re working out to maintain your fitness and not lose it. Pregnancy is not about strenuous workouts, it’s about feeling healthy for yourself and your baby. If you’re comfortable with 30 minutes, don’t push yourself beyond this limit. As per your doctor’s advice, if you feel any pain, stop immediately.

Beginners should aim for 10 minutes every other day and slowly build up the length to 30 minutes. Be sure to call your doctor if you experience any of the following:

·         Dizziness

·         Chest pain

·         Breathlessness

·         Uterine contractions

·         Vaginal bleeding

Continue moving

Avoid stationery workouts such as holding yoga poses or lifting weights for prolonged periods. Keep moving during your workouts. If you haven’t found your pregnancy workout yet, try prenatal yoga flow, swimming or Pilates.

Written by: Shomaila Issam