Pregnancy can be one of the most difficult periods of your life, but the outcome of it is worth all the pain! The body is fragile and dynamic. However these days, many women take extra care during their pregnancy, and are reluctant to exercise. They have never been more wrong ever! Exercises for pregnant women’s not just safe; it is one of the crucial things to do for a healthy mother and a healthy baby. So, if want to exercise, but still have apprehensions regarding it, then rest aside all of them and relax!We are going to guide you through all the benefits of exercising during pregnancy and let you choose the best exercise for you! Read to know more.
Importance of Exercise During Pregnancy:
1. Corrects the Posture:
In the later stages of pregnancy, the tummy grows large. As a result your posture becomes wrong due to the extra weight. Thus, exercise is required to keep fit and stay healthy.
2. Fights Backache and Fatigue:
An improper posture and a bulging tummy can cause backaches during pregnancy, added to the fatigue due to the pregnancy hormones. Exercising provides you relief from the pain and reduces fatigue also.
3. Relieves Stress:
Stress is synonymous with pregnancy. However, if the stress levels are high it would be harmful for both you and your child. Exercise relieves us from stress, providing a peace of mind in the process.
4. Prevents Gestational Diabetes (GD):
A lot of women develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. This may cause several health issues, and special care has to be taken of diet as well. Exercising is the best way to prevent GD.
5. Regulates Blood Pressure:
High blood pressure can be dangerous both for the mother and the child. Moreover, it might cause preeclampsia. Exercising is one of the best ways to maintain the blood pressure.
See More: Exercise During Pregnancy Second Trimester
6. Provides Better Sleep:
Sleep deprivation can be highly stressful, which might make pregnancy a really bad experience. Exercising helps one sleep better.
7. Makes Labor And Delivery Easier:
Regular exercise will make it simple for you during labor and childbirth.
8. Prevent Chances Of Fetal Macrosomia:
This is a condition in which the baby weighs more than average. Such a scenario makes the whole process of childbirth difficult. Exercising regularly lets you avoid developing this condition.
Who Shouldn’t Exercise During Pregnancy?
One should always exercise after proper consultation with the doctor. People with the following conditions should avoid exercising.
- Suffer from Asthma
- Heart ailments or diabetes
- Bleeding or spotting while pregnant
- Have a low placenta
- Miscarriages occur recurrently
- Premature birth or delivery experienced before
- Have a weak cervix
The Best Exercises for Pregnant Women:
If the doctor gives the green signal, then these exercises are something that will make your pregnancy period enjoyable.
Exercises during pregnancy have been classified into six broad categories – Yoga, Pilates, Weight Training, Aerobics, Pelvic Exercises, and Dance.
Let’s look at all of them and decide the best exercise for you!
See More: Exercises To Avoid While Pregnant
Yoga For A Healthy Pregnancy:
Yoga is one of the ancient and most effective ways to stay healthy. Certainly, there are awesome exercises in yoga for a happy pregnancy.
1. Extended Side Angle Pose:
Are you suffering from stress and fatigue? Want some energy to light you up? Try the Extended Side Angle Pose.
- For those with strong legs,this exercise relaxes the hips and helps you get rid of all those cramped muscles developed after a busy day.
- This pose is extremely beneficial for the whole body.
2. Triangle Pose:
Though the outcome of pregnancy is a happy occasion, the whole pregnancy period can be highly stressful.
- The triangle pose is one of the best exercises to get relaxed, both physically and mentally. It distresses you completely, providing you with a peace of mind.
- It is also a good exercise for your legs, the side body, hips and shoulders.
3. Sitting Side Stretch:
During the concluding few weeks of pregnancy, sitting side stretch is the preferred exercise.
- During the final trimester, there is exponential growth of the belly. The sitting side stretch opens up the side waste and pelvis and expands your hips. This makes the body more flexible and makes it easier to accommodate the growing baby.
4. Cat Cow Pose:
Pregnancy is a time when there is a persistent on your back due to the extra burden. It shouldn’t be a surprise that back pain is one of the most common problems faced by pregnant women.
- Gently rock, switching between the cat and cow pose,to stretch your back gradually. Since these shift the weight of the baby away from the spine, you experience some relief.
Pilates:
Yoga is mild, but if you want something to strengthen you to the core, there is nothing better than Pilates. Most good Pilates workout strengthen the abdominal muscles, as well as the pelvic floor muscles, which are affected a lot during pregnancy.
Here Are The Best Pilates Exercises For Pregnant Women:
1. The Sword:
After doing this exercise, you will certainly feel like a warrior!!
- If you want an awesome body shape with proper balance, then sword is the way to go.
- It’s a great way to strengthen the leg muscles along with the back and the abs. These are crucial for labor and delivery.
- This exercise also helps regulate your breathing, which is important during labor.
2. Thigh Stretch:
The thigh stretch is another useful Pilates exercise for pregnant women.
- The labor process becomes simple once you properly practice this exercise.
3. Wag The Tail:
An exercise with a funny name! But one of the best exercises nonetheless!
- Wag the tail strengthens the lower back as well as the abs – the two major problems during pregnancy.
- It also improves the flexibility and stability of the body.
4. Sword Arm:
One of the best and perfect Pilates exercises during pregnancy is sword arm workout. Its very helpful any that time, so add this exercise to list of your workout regimen.
- Your arms and hips and abdomen will be strong after do this exercise. Its also greatly works on your back for getting strong.
- During pregnancy every women need to maintain their body’s balance, that will be possible with this sword arm exercise.
Weight Training:
There are many weight training that are absolutely safe for pregnant women.
If you have never lifted weights, it is recommended to not start now as it may overheat your body.
See More: What leads to Cause Abortion.
Some of The Best Weight Training Exercises Are:
1. Shoulder Lateral Raises:
The best and perfect exercise for pregnant women to balance the weight during pregnancy time is the shoulder lateral raise workout which is also called dumbbell lateral raise.
- It makes the shoulders and the abdominal muscles strong, which are quite weak during pregnancy. Moreover, it strengthens the spine and the back, thereby maintaining posture and balance.
2. Seated Row:
- One of the best second trimester exercises, it is one of the best exercises for the whole body.
- It provides balance to rounded shoulders, which occurs very commonly during pregnancy.
- It makes the back muscles strong and expands chest muscles, providing space for the child to grow.
3. Plié Squat:
- Squats are extremely important for those who are going for natural birth.
- An excellent exercise for the second and third trimester, Plie Squathardens the quadriceps, hamstrings and hip muscles, loosens the pelvis making labor easy.
- It helps maintain balance of the body, something which is really shaky during pregnancy.
4. Hip Abductors and Adductors:
- Your lower body needs enormous energy and strength to go through the process of labor and childbirth! Hip abductors and adductors are an extremely fruitful exercise for the lower body.
- These exercises make the outer thigh muscles strong. If you are opting for natural birth, this must be practiced regularly to be able to go through the process smoothly.
Aerobics:
Aerobics is one of the best exercises if done regularly and some of them are absolutely safe for pregnant women.
It is better to join classes, in order to makes sure that the exercises are safe.
Some of The Best Aerobic Exercises During Pregnancy Are:
1. Step Stool Aerobics:
- Step stool aerobics is the perfect and simple method of exercising during pregnancy.
- It helps you to tackle stress, improve sleep and stamina. It helps maintain balance and regulates breathing as well.
2. Swimming:
- Swimming is one of the best aerobics exercises possible.
- It’s a complete workout for the whole body, and fun as well.
- It helps you de-stress, improves stamina and energizes you to the core!
3. Stationary Bike:
- The best thing about a stationary bike is that it can be done at the comfort of your home, watching your favorite movie!
- It helps build stamina and produces a better sleep at night.
4. Walking:
- Regular evening walks can be extremely beneficial as well.
- One of the easiest exercises, it is recommended that you proper walking shoes as the knees may hurt.
- The fresh air refreshes you and is one of the best workouts possible during pregnancy.
Dance:
What can be better than a dance to some really good music? One of the best exercises during pregnancy, care must be taken and one shouldn’t jump, twirl or change direction suddenly.
The Best Dance Forms To Practice During Pregnancy Include:
1. Ballet:
- Ballet is graceful, elegant, and one of the best exercises for pregnant women!
- This gentle dance form rejuvenates the body and makes it stronger. It improves stamina, helps you sleep better and also strengthens your legs.
2. Jazz:
- A good jazz routine will get your heartbeat go crazy and provide with the necessary exercise as well.
- A fabulous way to relax and de-stress, jazz is extremely gentle on a pregnant body.
3. Samba:
- The dream dance for you, no one can miss a Samba dance, with its music and melody!
- One of the best exercises for strength training, it will keep you fit and healthy throughout.
4. Belly Dancing:
• The exotic belly dancing has some gentle, saucy moves which you can do to exercise while you are pregnant.
- An extremely effective way to fight labor pain.
- The belly dancing exercise completely reduces the pain of contractions and also give the more strength to your muscles of pelvic floor.
Pelvic Floor Exercises:
Kegel has to be mentioned when we are talking about pelvic floor exercises! Kegel moves are must For stop the leakage problem of urine every time you sneeze or cough.
Here Are The Pelvic Floor Exercises You Should Practice During Pregnancy:
1. Short Squeezes:
The short squeezes tighten up the pelvic muscles before you cough or sneeze, helping you to control that leakage and making you the master of your bladder!
2. Long Squeezes:
The pelvic floor muscles become very weak after childbirth. Thus, these have to be controlled and long squeezes are one of the most important exercises which help you to do that. This exercise will also help during childbirth.
3. Bridge:
Another excellent method that can be used to strengthen your pelvic floor is with the Bridge. Apart from the pelvic floor, it gives an extremely fruitful workout of the thighs and abdomen as well.
4. Wall Squat:
Wall squats strengthen your pelvic floor by leaps and bounds. Apart from controlling the bladder, this exercise helps in preventing hemorrhoids as well.
When To Stop Exercising:
If any of the following signs are observed, stop exercising and visit the doctor immediately!
- Chest pain
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Continuous contractions and headaches
- Slowing down of or no fetal movement
- Light headed feeling, nauseous
- Vaginal bleeding
- Fluid leakage from the vagina
- Inconsistent heartbeat
- Swollen ankles, hands or face
- Pain in the calf muscles
- Breathlessness
- Weakness in the muscles
- Difficulty while walking
During pregnancy, your body is busy raising a new life inside you. So you have to be the provider and supply it with everything necessary from outside. Exercising will not just help your baby but also make the whole process of pregnancy extremely manageable for you, and a period to remember forever with good memories.
See More: Exercise During Pregnancy First Trimester
However, remember not to be hard on yourself! Pregnancy can be difficult; all you need is some patience and you will be fine! So, work out, within your limits and get proper rest!
