Exercising while pregnant can reduce aches and pains, enhance the health of your unborn child and keep your weight within a healthy range during each trimester. HealthDay News online reports that, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, pregnant women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week unless otherwise advised. However, in the United States most women do not meet this recommendation. Understand the parameters of your workout routine and consult your doctor before engaging in any physical activity while pregnant.
Avoid the Supine Position
After the first trimester, avoid any exercise that requires you to lie on your back--known as the supine position--for prolonged periods of time. In this position, your growing fetus can put pressure on the vena cava--the major vein that runs up the back side of your abdomen and returns blood to your heart, brain and uterus. Discomfort coupled with dizziness, nausea or shortness of breath are negative side effects of the supine position while pregnant. Although you may feel comfortable in this position, comfort is not a good gauge for blood flow restriction. Place a pillow under your right hip or buttocks to achieve a semi-supine position without compromising your vena cava.
Breathe Slowly
Normal breathing is important during exercise to prevent potentially dangerous spikes in blood pressure. Breathe in and out through every movement and avoid holding your breath or straining. When you lift weights during your one-hour routine, exhale on the execution of the lift and inhale as you lower the weight. Additionally, breathe slowly as you get up and lower yourself to the ground to prevent dizziness or light-headedness.
Incorporate Resistance Training
Incorporate resistance training into your one-hour routine because it is good for the maintenance of healthy gestational weight gains. When lifting weights, focus on isolation movements such as single-arm dumbbell curls and avoid any move that is jerky, ballistic or those that require extreme ranges of motion such as walking weighted lunges or weighted squats.
Stretch to Warm Up and Cool Down
The goal of stretching while pregnant should be to increase strength and decrease chances of injury to the tendons and ligaments that are supporting the extra weight. Stretching will facilitate circulation and recovery pre- and post-partum. For these reasons, begin and end your full-body routine with stretches. Optimal stretches for any stage of your pregnancy include upper back, shoulder, chest and neck movements as well as leg and side-lying lower back exercises.
Perform Low-intensity Exercises
There are no scientific studies that set a stop date for exercising while pregnant. Most routines are designed around your level of comfort and approval from your physician. However, it may be best to engage in low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming and stationary biking. During your one-hour full body routine, incorporate at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. These exercises can increase your comfort as your fetus grows and encourage proper breathing with minimal strain to your diaphragm.
References
- Baby Center: Only 1 in 4 pregnant women gets enough exercise
- "The Complete Book of Personal Training;" Douglas S. Brooks; 2004
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