The information provided by our expert should not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. Always consult a medical practitioner or healthcare provider for a formal diagnosis. By making use of this content, you agree that ConceiveEasy and the expert assume no liability.
You have likely already heard the importance of exercise during pregnancy, but you are unsure of what type of exercises are safe to do. Especially since you may be aware that just a few decades ago, pregnant women were told to rest and not exercise due to the scary possibility of causing a risky situation for you and your unborn baby. And, there are some cultures that still hold that belief, especially in most of the Asian countries like China. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
However, after years of research that has been conducted over a period of time, exercising during pregnancy is not only safe, but it is highly recommended because it is good for you and your unborn baby. Exercise not only helps you stay fit and helps you reduce your risk of developing pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes. However, getting the proper exercises daily will help keep your circulation going which provides your unborn baby the oxygen that he or she needs to develop and grow properly.
Now, at the same time, running a marathon or doing an intense workout for an hour at the gym during pregnancy is not recommended either. You need to know about the safe and recommended prenatal exercises that you can do to keep yourself fit and help your unborn baby to develop and grow. These prenatal exercises are safe and easy to do, and let’s take a look at what they are:
Walking
Walking is a safe and straightforward exercise that every pregnant mom should be doing. And, you don’t need to walk slowly. You can take slightly brisk walks for a half an hour a day. Don’t walk too fast or else you may fall and that could injure you. But you can walk a little faster than taking a slow stroll.
Swimming
If you love swimming but you are afraid to swim due to being pregnant, then you are in luck by reading this because swimming is a safe and even a recommended exercise that pregnant moms should be doing. You may be concerned about accidentally swallowing water with chlorine, and you will want to do your best not to do that.
However, if you do accidentally swallow water from the swimming pool, the levels of chlorine are so low it will not be a cause for concern if you do. Additionally, the great thing about swimming is that you will be working your entire body without putting yourself and your unborn baby at risk by becoming overheated.
Water aerobics
You may be afraid to do aerobics in front of your living room TV due to the worry of straining your muscles and falling. And, this is why water aerobics is the best exercise option for pregnancy. This exercise is excellent to help you maintain good cardiovascular health. And, you do not have to risk straining yourself, becoming overheated, or falling due to losing your balance. Water exercises are also great for strengthening your muscles which you need to do in order to carry those extra pounds during pregnancy.
Stationary cycling
It is true that riding a bike during pregnancy is not recommended because you could easily lose your balance while gravity is challenging you especially during the third trimester. However, it is perfectly safe to exercise on a stationary bike during your entire pregnancy. You will not lose your balance and fall, and you are getting a great workout to help keep your muscles strong and to help keep your circulation going.
Light to moderate resistance training
Weight training is one exercise that many pregnant moms are hesitant to do. The good news is if you enjoy weight training and you are pregnant, you can continue to do so as long as it is light to moderate. Weight training is good for keeping your muscles strong, and lifting lighter weights is perfectly fine to do during pregnancy.
Slow running
Like it was already mentioned, running a marathon is not recommended because that will put the strain on yourself and your unborn baby. However, if you are jogging slowly, that is perfectly safe to do!
Prenatal yoga
There are some yoga workouts that are not recommended for pregnancy, especially if it involves you having to hold your breath for a prolonged period of time. However, there are plenty of yoga workouts that are completely fine to do. In fact, if you enjoy doing yoga, then you will want to look for prenatal yoga classes in your area.
And, if you want to learn about any additional exercise that is safe to do during pregnancy, then it is highly recommended that you look for prenatal exercise classes. Your local gym will likely offer some classes, as well as your local community center.
Exercises During Pregnancy to Avoid
Now, with that said, you will need to know about the exercises that you must avoid during pregnancy as well which will be listed below:
- Exercises that involve you having to stand on your feet for too long as that can cause problems with your circulation.
- Sports that are high-impact and that are considered to be contact sports such as hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, and so on for self explanatory reasons.
- Heavy abdominal exercises.
- Heavy lift training.
- Scuba diving which can put a lot of pressure on the fetus and cause birth defects.
- Gymnastics, horseback riding, water skiing, and skiing must be avoided because of the high chance of losing your balance and falling.
- Exercises that involve you having to lie on your stomach or back.
- Exercising in settings that are located on high altitudes which can result in altitude sickness which can put the unborn baby at risk due to the reduction of oxygen.
- Squash or tennis which will increase your chances of losing your balance and falling.
With this guide, you can see that there are plenty of exercises that you can do during pregnancy that are not only safe but are good for you and your unborn baby. And, at the same time, you can refer to this guide if you are concerned that an exercise that you want to do during pregnancy is safe. And, again, you can always join a prenatal exercise class if you are ever in doubt!
Comments