Exercise during pregnancy can boost your mood and increase your energy level, as well as alleviate backache, constipation and bloating. Exercise might even help you have a smoother and easier delivery. Although sedentary expecting moms might worry about the safety of starting an exercise program during pregnancy, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists provides reassurance that even former couch potatoes can reap the benefits of exercise. Before starting to exercise, discuss your plans with your doctor so he can make sure an exercise program is safe for you.
Significance
When starting an exercising program during pregnancy, the goal shouldn't be weight loss or training for a marathon. If you didn't exercise regularly before becoming pregnant, do not begin a vigorous exercise program during your pregnancy. The parenting advice website Babycenter recommends that beginners start by exercising 15 to 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Stay at a mild-to-moderate level of intensity--avoid becoming over-winded or exercising to exhaustion.
Types
The type of exercise you can elect to do depends largely upon your doctor's recommendations and your interests. Prenatal yoga, Pilates, low-impact aerobics classes, water aerobics and swimming are all options for most expecting moms. In an article on the Pregnancy Today website, Lisa Summers, senior technical advisor of professional services for the American College of Nurse-Midwives, recommends that moms new to exercise start with a program of brisk walking. She also suggests bringing a friend along on your walks to make exercise a more social activity, which can encourage you stick with it on a long-term basis.
Considerations
When you begin an exercise program, you might need to boost your caloric intake to accommodate the caloric needs of pregnancy and exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine cautions that sedentary women need about 3,000 calories a day during the second and third trimesters, which means an active mom might need even more calories. The College suggests eating small, frequent meals throughout the day to prevent dehydration and maintain a steady flow of nutrients.
Prevention/Solution
Pay attention to your body's signs to avoid overdoing it when beginning an exercise program. Summers urges pregnant exercises to avoid doing anything that hurts. If you become nauseous, dizzy, light-headed while exercising, or if you experience vaginal bleeding, trouble walking or fluid leaking from your vagina, stop exercising and contact your primary care provider.
Warning
Certain types of exercise are inappropriate for pregnant women since they can potentially jeopardize the health of the expecting mom or her baby. Talk to your doctor about "off-limit" exercises for your situation. After the first trimester, the ACOG suggests avoiding exercises that require you to exercise on your back. Other ACOG limitations include downhill skiing, contact sports, scuba diving, horseback riding, gymnastics and water skiing.
References
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Exercise During Pregnancy
- KidsHealth: Exercising During Pregnancy
- Babycenter: Pregnancy exercise for beginners
- Pregnancy Today: Start Exercising During Pregnancy
- American College of Sports Medicine: Current Comment on Exercising During Pregnancy
