Safe, regular exercise during a healthy pregnancy can help you maintain muscle tone, manage weight gain, increase circulation, improve energy, help you cope with common pregnancy-related aches and prepare you for labor. By staying active, you can maintain your pre-gestation level of fitness throughout your pregnancy and recover more quickly from labor and delivery. Consult your obstetrician or midwife before you begin a prenatal exercise program.
Kegels
Kegel exercises tone your pelvic floor, which is a sling of muscles that support the weight of your growing baby. A strong pelvic floor can make delivery less stressful, and help prevent labor-induced hemorrhoids and bladder leaks after you have your baby. You can do Kegels almost anytime by contracting the muscles that stop the flow of urine. Don’t do Kegels while urinating, however; repeatedly stopping the flow of urine can lead to a bladder infection.
Pelvic Tilts
Pelvic tilts help loosen and gently stretch your lumbar spine, which can keep your lower back pain-free as your belly grows and your center of gravity changes. You can do pelvic tilts lying on the floor with bent knees, standing against the wall with your feet slightly forward and sitting on a stability ball. In any of these positions, tilt your pelvic bone while tucking your tailbone to create a flat lower back.
Strength Training
Modified strength training is beneficial during pregnancy because it prevents loss of muscle tone and keeps you in shape for the long, physically demanding event of labor. You can strength train with resistance bands without having to worry about how much weight you should be lifting. Body weight exercises, such as squats and wall push-ups, are commonly included in prenatal group exercise classes. You can perform many strength exercises with or on the stability ball, which also engages and strengthens your core muscles.
Swimming
Swimming is considered one of the safest prenatal exercises because your body is buoyant and there’s little to no risk of falling and injuring your abdomen. The buoyancy is also beneficial for relieving aches and pains due to weight gain as your pregnancy progresses. Stay well hydrated while in the pool. It can be harder to gauge your thirst while in the water. Proper hydration is important at all times during pregnancy, since dehydration can cause pre-term labor.
Yoga
A regular yoga practice throughout pregnancy increases circulation, relieves stress and maintains muscle tone. The deep breathing learned in yoga can be beneficial during labor, as can certain poses, if you have an active labor. As your pregnancy progresses, you’ll have to modify some poses and eliminate others to keep your practice safe for your growing belly. A prenatal yoga class is specifically designed for pregnant women of every trimester.
References
- “Healthy Moms Perinatal Fitness Instructor Training Manual”; Sheila Watkins; 2007
- “Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy”; Roger W. Harms, M.D., Editor in Chief; 2004
- American Pregnancy Association: Top Recommended Exercises
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