Regular exercise during your first trimester of pregnancy will help keep you strong as your body begins to change. According to “Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered” by Dr. Christoph Lees leg exercises can help improve circulation in your legs and strengthen your leg muscles in preparation for the added pregnancy weight that you will gain. Practice different leg and thigh exercises during your first trimester to tone your lower body.
Exercise Balls
Work with an exercise ball to tone your thighs. Stand with an exercise ball between the curve of your back and a wall. Pull in your navel toward your spine and step one foot forward. Bend your front knee into a lunge, keeping your back straight and your thigh parallel to the floor. Straighten your front knee and return to standing with feet together. Repeat the exercise 12 to 15 times on both legs. For a hamstring stretch, sit on an exercise ball with hands on your thighs, feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Lean slightly forward at the waist and then straighten your legs. Hold the pose for 15 seconds and release.
Floor Stretches
Do the following hamstring exercise to relieve leg cramps and promote circulation. Lie on your back and place your feet flat on the floor with knees bent. Lift your right leg and use your hands to pull it toward your chest. Hold your leg near your chest for 15 to 20 seconds and then lower it to the ground. Switch and perform the stretch with your left leg. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that you refrain from exercising flat on your back beyond your first trimester of pregnancy.
Standing Exercises
To work your calves, place your palms flat on a wall before you and stand with one foot behind the other. Gently bend your front knee and elbows as you lean into the wall to stretch your back calf muscles. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Switch legs and stretch your other calf. Exercise your outer thighs by standing with your feet together, abdomen tight and your back straight. Place your hands on the back of a sturdy chair. Slowly lift your right leg out to the side and bring it back down to the floor. Repeat two sets of eight to 12 leg lifts with your right leg and then switch and perform two sets with your left leg.
Aerobics
Aerobic activity, such as running, cycling and swimming, during your first trimester can build strength in your legs. According to “Pregnancy and Birth: Everything You Need to Know” by Dr. Mary Steen, stationary cycling is a good aerobic exercise that strengthens leg muscles and increases stamina. If you ran or jogged before pregnancy, continue these activities during early pregnancy. Build up your aerobic exercise slowly, beginning with 15 to 20 minutes three days a week.
References
- "Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered"; Christoph Lees, MD, et al.; 2007
- "The Essential Exercise and Birthball Handbook for Pregnancy and Beyond"; Mark Hibbitts, et al.; 2008
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Exercise During Pregnancy Patient Education Pamphlet; June 2003
- "Denise Austin's Ultimate Pregnancy Book"; Denise Austin; 1999
- "Pregnancy and Birth: Everything You Need to Know"; Mary Steen, Ph.D., 2011
