EXERCISING DURING YOUR PREGNANCY, GREAT BENEFITS

Dr. Renu Jain(Medical Director, M.B.B.S., M.S.,(Obs. & Gyane), IVF – Specialist GP Shekhawati Hospital And Research Center)

EXERCISING DURING YOUR PREGNANCY, GREAT BENEFITS 

 Exercising during your pregnancy has great benefits – it can help prepare you for labor and child birth and lift your spirits – but you need to approach workout with extra precaution. Whether you're a regular exerciser and want to continue you’re that during pregnancy or a former couch potato looking to get moving, follow these rules to keep you and your baby safe.

 Check with your healthcare provider first

If you exercised regularly before getting pregnant and your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you can most likely continue working out as before, with modifications as noted below. In some cases it's not okay to exercise during pregnancy, though, so talk to your doctor or midwife about your fitness routine to make sure your activities don't put you or your baby at risk.

If you didn't work out much before conceiving, see our pregnancy exercise guide for beginners, and talk to your healthcare provider.

Take in extra calories

Exercise burns calories, so make sure to eat well to help nourish and strengthen your body. While you're pregnant, you'll naturally gain weight as your baby grows. The amount you'll need to gain will very based on your pre-pregnancy weight.

Your doctor will monitor your weight as your pregnancy progresses and can help you figure out how to keep your weight gain on track through diet and exercise.

Stay away of dangerous sports 

Avoid contact sports, as well as activities that might imbalance you, such as horseback riding, downhill skiing, or mountain biking. Regular cycling early in your pregnancy should be okay if you're comfortable on a bike, but it's probably best to stick to stationary or recumbent bikes later in pregnancy.

 Wearing the right clothes

Wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing. Dress in layers so it's easy to peel off a layer or two after you've warmed up or if you feel too hot. Make sure your maternity bra offers enough support, and choose athletic shoes that fit your feet properly and offer good support. If your shoe size has changed because of mild swelling, stash away your pre-pregnancy sneakers and buy a new pair.

  Drink plenty of water

Drink water before, during, and after exercising. Otherwise, you can become dehydrated, which can cause contractions and raise your body temperature, sometimes to levels that are dangerous for you and your baby.

There's no official recommendation for how much water pregnant women should drink while exercising, a good guideline is to drink one cup (8 ounces) before you exercise, one cup for every 20 minutes of exercise, and one cup after you finish your workout. In hot or humid weather, you'll need more.

Don't lie flat on your back

Avoid lying flat on your back after the first trimester. This position puts pressure on a major vein called the vena cava, which will reduce blood to your heart and may diminish blood flow to your brain and uterus, making you dizzy, short of breath, or nauseated.

Some women are comfortable in this position well into their pregnancies, but this isn't necessarily a good gauge of whether blood flow to the uterus is affected. Placing a pillow under your right hip or buttock will allow you to be almost supine without compressing the vena cava.

Keep moving

Standing in one place for prolonged periods – as when you're lifting weights or doing yoga poses – can decrease blood flow to the uterus and cause blood to pool in your legs, making you dizzy. Keep moving by switching positions or walking in place.

Don't overdo it

Don't exercise until you're exhausted. A good rule of thumb: Slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation. In general, the best guideline is to listen to your body. When something hurts, that means something's wrong, so stop. You should feel like you're working your body, not punishing it.

To be extra safe, read our list of 10 signs of danger during pregnancy exercise.

Don't get overheated

Avoid letting yourself get too hot, especially during the first trimester when your baby's major organs are developing. Raising your core temperature above 102 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 10 minutes could harm your baby.  

The increased blood flow and higher metabolic rate that happen when you're pregnant mean you'll feel warmer than usual, and doubly so when you exercise. And since feeling warm is common in pregnancy, you may get overheated much faster than you normally would, even before your belly is big.

Signs of being overheated are largely individual, but pay attention if you're sweating a lot or feel uncomfortably warm, nauseated, dizzy, or short of breath. To cool off quickly, stop exercising, take off layers, and change your environment: Seek out air conditioning or step into a cool shower. Hydrating is key, too, so drink lots of water.

Get up from the floor slowly

As your belly grows, your centre of gravity shifts. That's why it's important to take great care when you change positions. Getting up too quickly can make you dizzy and may cause you to lose your footing and fall.

Cool down

At the end of your workout, take five to 10 minutes to walk in place and do some pregnancy-friendly stretching. This will allow your heart rate to get back to normal and help to prevent sore muscles.  

Make it a habit

Make a commitment to work regular exercise into your schedule. Keeping up a routine is easier on your body than long periods of inertia interrupted by spurts of activity. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, you can safely engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week as long as you have your healthcare provider's go-ahead.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy

Exercise does wonders during pregnancy. It boosts mood, improves sleep, and reduces pregnancy aches and pains. It helps prevent and treat gestational diabetes and may keep pre-eclampsia at bay. It prepares you for childbirth by strengthening muscles and building endurance, and makes it much easier to get back in shape after your baby's born.

Exercise is so beneficial during pregnancy that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends pregnant women exercise at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. The ideal workout gets your heart pumping, keeps you limber, manages weight gain, and prepares your muscles without causing undue physical stress for you or the baby.

The following activities are usually safe for expectant mom's, although some of them may not work for you during the last few months of your pregnancy. Make sure you consult your healthcare provider before embarking on any exercise regimen. And learn the 13 rules of safe pregnancy exercise!

Exercises for pregnant women they can do easily

Walking: One of the best exercises for pregnant women, walking keeps you fit without jarring your knees and ankles. It's also easy to do almost anywhere, doesn't require any equipment beyond a good pair of supportive shoes, and is safe throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

Swimming: Healthcare providers and fitness experts hail swimming as the best and safest exercise for pregnant women. Swimming is ideal because it exercises both large muscle groups (arms and legs), provides cardiovascular benefits, and allows expectant women to feel weightless despite the extra pounds of pregnancy.

Low-impact aerobics: Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and tones your body. And if you take a class for pregnant women, you'll enjoy the camaraderie of other mom's-to-be and feel reassured that each movement is safe for you and your baby.

Dancing: You can get your heart pumping by dancing to your favourite tunes in the comfort of your own living room, with a DVD, or at a dance class, but steer clear of routines that call for leaps, jumps, or twirls

 Flexibility & strength exercises for pregnant women

Yoga: Yoga can help maintain muscle tone and keep you flexible with little if any impact on your joints. But you may have to augment a yoga regimen with walking or swimming several times a week to give your heart a workout.

Stretching: Stretching is wonderful for keeping your body limber and relaxed and preventing muscle strain. Add stretching to your cardiovascular exercises to get a complete workout.

Weight training: If weight training is already part of your exercise routine, there's no reason to stop, although most women should reduce the amount of weight they're lifting (you can do more repetitions to ensure that you're still getting a good workout). If you take the necessary precautions and use good technique (meaning slow, controlled movements), weight training is a great way to tone and strengthen your muscles.