For pregnant women who do not have any contraindications to exercise, physical activity is considered safe and healthy. Pregnancy might be viewed as an ideal opportunity to make lifestyle changes.
With the required adaptations, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been shown to be beneficial for both mother and foetus in most pregnancies.
During pregnancy and the postpartum period, exercise benefits both the mother and the baby’s health and well-being. Pregnancy and the postpartum period are seen as “teachable times,” in which mothers are encouraged to adjust their habits in order to enhance the health of their children and themselves.
This one-of-a-kind window of opportunity allows health care providers, particularly physiotherapists, to educate women about the necessity of adopting healthy lifestyle modifications like exercise.
Regular exercise throughout pregnancy will help you maintain a better posture and alleviate typical discomforts like backaches and exhaustion.
Physical activity has been shown to reduce gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy), decrease stress, and increase labour and delivery endurance.
If you were physically active prior to becoming pregnant, you should be able to keep doing so in moderation. Instead of attempting to exercise at your previous level, do what is most comfortable for you right now. Low-impact aerobics are preferred over high-impact aerobics.
Who Shouldn’t Workout While Pregnant?
Exercise may not be recommended if you have a medical condition such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes. Exercise can be dangerous if you have a pregnancy-related ailment like:
• Low placenta
• Bleeding or bleeding
• Miscarriage risk or repeated miscarriage
• Premature births in the past or a history of early labour
• A weakened cervix
Before starting an exercise regimen, see your doctor. They can also provide you with individualized fitness recommendations depending on your medical history.
Which Exercises Are Safe to Do While Pregnant?
The majority of workouts are safe to undertake while pregnant as long as you exercise with caution and don’t overdo it.
Swimming, brisk walking, indoor stationary cycling, step or elliptical machines, and low-impact aerobics are the safest and most productive exercises (taught by a certified aerobics instructor). These activities are low-risk, beneficial to the entire body, and may be continued until you give birth.
Tennis and racquetball are typically safe hobbies, however quick movements may be affected by changes in balance during pregnancy. Other activities, including as jogging, can be done in moderation if you were doing them before to becoming pregnant. Especially later in pregnancy, you may want to pick workouts or hobbies that do not involve a lot of balance or coordination.
What Exercises Should You Avoid During Your Pregnancy?
Certain workouts and hobbies might be detrimental to your baby if you do them while you’re pregnant. They are as follows:
• During any activity, holding your breath.
• Activities that are likely to result in a fall (such as skiing and horseback riding).
• Softball, football, basketball, and volleyball are examples of contact sports.
• Any workout that involves jarring motions or quick changes in direction, even if it is only moderate abdominal damage.
• Activities involving a lot of leaping, hopping, skipping, bouncing, or sprinting.
• Deep knee bends, complete sit-ups, double leg lifts, and toe touches with the straight leg
• Stretching while bouncing.
• Standing waist-twisting motions.
• Short bursts of intense exercise followed by lengthy periods of inactivity.
• Exercising in hot, humid conditions is not recommended.
What Should a Pregnancy Workout Plan Include?
A pregnant workout routine should build and develop your muscles for comprehensive health.
Warm up for 5 minutes and stretch for 5 minutes before starting. At least 15 minutes of cardiovascular activity should be included. At times when you’re most active, keep track of your heart rate. After your aerobic activity, do 5 to 10 minutes of increasingly slower exercise before stretching gently.
For pregnant women, here are some basic activity guidelines:
• Dress in loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and a supportive bra.
• Wear shoes that are made for the sort of workout you undertake. The greatest way to avoid injury is to wear the right shoes.
• To avoid injury, exercise on a flat, level surface.
• Eat enough calories to suit your pregnancy’s demands (300 calories per day more than before you were pregnant) as well as your workout regimen.
• Eat for at least 1 hour before working out.
• Stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout by drinking plenty of water.
• To avoid dizziness, rise up gently and gradually after completing floor exercises.
• Never push yourself to the point of fatigue when exercising. You are definitely over-exerting yourself and should reduce your activity if you can’t communicate normally while exercising.
Pregnancy Stretching Exercises
Stretching activities keep muscles limber and warm, which is especially beneficial during pregnancy. Here are some easy stretches to do before or after your workout:
• Rotation of the neck Neck and shoulders should be relaxed. Bring your chin forward. Rotate your head slowly to the right shoulder, back to the centre, then over the left shoulder. Rotate four times in each direction at a leisurely pace.
• Rotation of the shoulders. Bring your shoulders forward, then rotate them up toward your ears before returning to the starting position. Rotate four times in each direction.
• Swim. Placing your arms at your sides is a good idea. As though you were swimming the crawl stroke, raise your right arm, extend your body forward, and rotate to the side. With your left arm, follow suit. Repeat the process for a total of ten times.
• Change in thigh position. Place one foot about 2 feet ahead of the other, toes pointing in the same direction. Lean forward, your weight supported on your forward thigh. Repeat on the other side. Repeat four times on each side.
• Leg sway. Sit with your legs and feet stretched out in front of you. Shake your legs up and down in a moderate manner.
• Rotation of the ankles Sit with your legs straight out in front of you and your toes relaxed. Make huge circles with your feet. Make use of your whole foot and ankle. Rotate to the right four times and the left four times.
Kegel Exercises during Pregnancy
Kegel exercises enable the muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and intestines to become stronger. You can improve the capacity to relax and regulate the muscles in preparation for labor and birth by strengthening these muscles during your pregnancy. Kegel exercises are also highly suggested during the postpartum time to enhance perineal tissue repair, boost pelvic floor muscle strength, aid in the restoration of these muscles to a healthy state, and improve urine control.
Imagine you’re trying to stop the flow of pee or avoid passing gas while doing Kegels. When you do this, you are completing Kegel exercises and contracting the pelvic floor muscles. Keep your leg, buttock, and abdominal muscles as still as possible. No one should be able to know you’re doing Kegel exercises. They may be done anywhere!
Five sets of Kegel exercises every day is a good goal. Hold for a slow count of five each time you contract the pelvic floor muscles, then relax. For one set of Kegels, repeat this procedure 10 times.
Tailor Exercises for Pregnancy
Tailor exercises can help treat low back pain by strengthening the pelvic, hip, and thigh muscles.
• Sit in a tailored way. Sit with your knees bent and your ankles crossed on the floor. Lean forward slightly while keeping your back straight yet relaxed. Throughout the day, use this posture whenever feasible.
• Press for tailoring. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet together at the bottom. Grab your ankles and slowly move your feet closer to your torso. Place your hands beneath your knees and close your eyes. Inhale. Press your hands up against your knees while pushing your knees down against your hands (counter-pressure). Hold for a total of five seconds.
People Also Search :
What role does physical activity play during pregnancy?
Staying active throughout pregnancy provides several health advantages for both mom and baby, including labor preparation and recovery. Gestational diabetes risk is reduced. Back and pelvic discomfort are reduced.
How does physical activity and rest affect pregnancy?
Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy can help you stay healthy and prevent you from gaining too much weight throughout your pregnancy. Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and caesarean delivery can all be reduced with exercise.
Can you squat while pregnant?
Squats are quite safe and highly recommended for most pregnant women, according to DeGrace, because they can assist strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Squats also enhance hip mobility and blood circulation throughout the body, all of which aid in the preparation of your body for birth.
