Pregnancy is usually an exceptionally joyous time in a woman's life. Despite this joy, you might worry about gaining too much weight during your pregnancy. If you were overweight before becoming pregnant, you might be especially motivated to control your weight gain in order to have a healthier pregnancy. There are a variety of exercise options you can pursue when you are pregnant.
Pregnancy Weight Gain
Talk to your obstetrician about your weight but in general, if you are normal weight the recommended weight gain is 25 to 37 pounds during pregnancy. If you are overweight when you becomes pregnant, the recommended weight gain is 15 to 25 pounds, unless your health-care provider says differently. Only some of this weight gain is fat tissue. The baby will weigh about 8 pounds, the placenta will weigh 2, and your body will hold up to 6 pounds of extra fluid.
Safe Exercise
There are a variety of exercise options for pregnant women. The easiest is walking, but other beneficial activities include water aerobics, swimming, biking, yoga and Pilates. Women who were runners before becoming pregnant can continue running into the early part of the third trimester. According to the American Pregnancy Association, safe exercise does not increase the risk of miscarriage.
Benefits
Exercising can strengthen postural muscles that support the additional weight of the baby. Exercise also can improve cardiovascular endurance, which can pay off in the third trimester when it requires more work to complete activities of daily living. In addition, you will feel better and look better if you exercise. Most importantly, performing safe exercise when pregnant can decrease the risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
Risks
With pregnancy comes a special set of risks. If you experience early contractions, vaginal bleeding or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, you might need to limit your exercise. Avoid contact sports, scuba diving, and exercise at high altitudes. Its not good for the baby to become too hot, so don's exercise in extreme heat. In the third trimester, avoid any activities that involve prolonged lying on your back, because this can decrease blood flow to the fetus.
Weight Loss
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states plainly that "women are supposed to gain some weight during pregnancy." The purpose of exercise during pregnancy is to maintain a current fitness level and limit the amount of weight gain. The motivation for this activity should be to improve the health of yourself and your baby, and not to lose weight.
Consult a physician before performing exercise while pregnant.
