Exercise during pregnancy is important, because it's the perfect path to faster postpartum weight loss and recovery. Here you'll find easy pregnancy exercises and fitness plans to get you moving (even when it's the last thing your swollen feet want to do). The more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain. It will also help you to cope with labour and get back into shape after the birth.
Keep up your normal daily physical activity or exercise (sport, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking to the shops and back) for as long as you feel comfortable. Exercise is not dangerous for your baby – there is some evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.
Exercise does wonders during pregnancy. It boosts mood, improves sleep, and relieves aches and pains. It also prepares you for childbirth by strengthening muscles and building endurance. And staying active now makes it that much easier to get back in shape after your baby is born. Research suggests that prenatal exercise may even lower your risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. If you already have gestational diabetes, exercise can help you manage the condition and prevent additional complications.
Pregnancy exercise is so beneficial that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies exercise at moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes a day on most or all days of the week. The ideal workout gets your heart pumping, keeps you limber, controls weight gain, and strengthens your muscles without causing undue physical stress for you or the baby.
To get the full benefits, you'll need to exercise at least three times a week, ideally more. Try to find something that you enjoy, as you'll be more likely to stick to it in the longer term. Build activity into your daily life, too. For example, taking the stairs instead of the lift, and doing housework or gardening, counts as exercise.
Avoid doing sports where there's a risk of hitting your bump, or of slipping and falling, such as squash, gymnastics, rollerblading, horse riding and skiing.
Having a fit pregnancy doesn’t have to mean a big time commitment or fancy equipment. The following pregnancy workouts are simple, can be done at home, and are safe to do in each trimester :
- Full Forward Lunges
- Bird Dog Exercise
- Heel Slides
- Single Heel Drops
- Forward Rolls
- Side-lying Knee Lifts
- Kneeling Pelvic Tilts
- Tailor Sitting
- Kegel Exercise
- Sitting Knee Lift
- Step-ups
- Side planks
- Leg lifts
- Fitness ball Squats
- Wall pushups
- V-sits with balance trainer
- Cat Cow Pose
- Hamstring Pulses
- Plie Squat Pulses
- Mermaid Stretch
- Child’s Pose
And some other Safe pregnancy exercises ...
If you have any of the following symptoms, stop exercising and call your doctor right away:
- Contractions
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Calf pain or swelling
- Less movement by the baby
- Headache
- Muscle weakness
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
- Vaginal bleeding
- Notice an irregular or rapid heartbeat
The pregnancy exercises provided by this application are usually safe for expectant moms, although some may not work for you during the last few months or weeks of your pregnancy. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise regimen. If you get the go-ahead to workout, listen to your body and be careful not to overdo it – stop if anything hurts or feels uncomfortable.
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