Regular exercise during pregnancy do a lot for you. It helps manage various complications, ensures smooth labor, lessens pain during labor and many more. Modern hectic life keep many women away from any sort of physical activity and exercise. Sedentary life style causes many women suffer from anxiety, depression, obesity, diabetes and other ailments.
When women suffering from these complications become pregnant the situation worsens further and may go out of hand. Physical activity and suitable exercises give these women a new healthy life and a wonderful pregnancy. Women who have never taken up any sort of exercise and physical activity before becoming pregnant may expect a number of positive gains if they adopt an appropriate programme during motherhood.
Some Startling Facts About Pregnancy Exercise
- Boost Your Energy : Regular exercise boosts your energy to a new level, enable you to meet your daily schedule efficiently and fights against fatigue that most women generally suffer during pregnancy.
- Lowers Risk of Pregnancy Related Complications : Many pregnant women develop 'gestational diabetes' & 'preeclampsia'(very high blood pressure during pregnancy). Regular exercise facilitates smoother blood flow, burns calories and brings down the risk of diabetes and preeclampsia considerably.
- Sound Sleep : Regular exercise enables you burn more calories and tire you out enough to make you fall into a sound and restful sleep quickly for the entire night.
- Removes Aches & Pains : Not to mention, regular exercise builds strong muscles and make you cope with lower back pain and joint pain (normal during pregnancy) more easily.
- Boosts Your Mood : Research has shown that many women suffer from depression and anxiety about their health and future during pregnancy. Daily exercise and physical activity release more endorphins into the blood thereby eliminating depression improving mood. Know more about endorphins and its effects.
- Postpartum Constipation : Constipation is painful and troublesome specially if the mother had suffered from it during pregnancy. A lot of factors may be responsible for this - medication, prenatal vitamins. Daily exercise sends more blood to the pelvic area and makes the muscles strong thereby facilitating movement of bowel easy. Know more about constipation.
Exercises During Pregnancy :
Walking : Walking may be termed as the easiest and a very effective mode of exercise for any age group including the pregnant. The entire body starts functioning at the time of walking. Blood circulation increases and reaches all parts of the body. Walking has an extraordinary effect on the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs.
The muscles of legs, thigh and pelvic become stronger and toned up. A strong pelvic system leads to easy labor for the pregnant. All doctors recommend walking for the pregnant because of its positive effects on the body and mind too. It is the best form of exercise to get rid of tension, anxiety and depression. It may be done in the morning or be taken up as a evening stroll.
While walking practise inhaling deeply through the nose and exhale out of mouth. Keep your backbone straight and both hands should hang by your side and move to and fro. Keep the pace comfortable but it should be such that you sweat a little. At the same time you must not become too exhausted or out of breath.
Cardiovascular Activity : Cardiovascular exercises make your heart pump more blood while your burn more calories.
- Swimming and Water Workouts : Swimming and water workouts fit well in the routine of cardiovascular exercise for the pregnant. It improves stamina and strengthens muscles and eliminates pregnancy swelling in the legs and feet.
- Exercise Machines : Treadmills, rowing machines, step climbers are also part of cardiovascular exercises. Speed is a vital factor while attempting to use these machines and should be set by an expert only. Doctors usually advise avoiding running and jumping exercises specially during the third trimester. So, before taking up any of these activities doctor's advice is a precondition.
- Bicycling : This is a very useful and the easiest form of exercise. Bicycling has also a positive effect over the entire body almost like walking and swimming. What must be borne in mind - avoiding bumpy & uneven terrain, always wearing a helmet, never riding a wet road/pavement and always minding your speed.
Stretch And Breathe With Yoga :
Yoga is an ancient Indian science of exercise and healing discovered and practised in India over 5000 thousand years ago. It's capable of removing all dirt and impurities from any human being and makes one strong from within. Yoga has uncountable benefits of physical, mental and spiritual well being. Yoga has been passed on by teachers to students tradition after tradition.
Practising yoga during pregnancy is perhaps the healthiest and safest form of exercise. Yoga not only helps the mother ready for childbirth happily but also removes all stress, anxiety and complications. When the pregnant suffers from any disorder or ailment the baby within her also gets affected. Yoga gives the mother the feeling of relaxation and complete peace of mind with a super quality of health.
Yoga has mainly two segments :
- Yogasanas(Posture) : Practising yogasanas makes the mother so flexible along with strong pelvic muscles that she finds the delivery with less pain and discomfort. The postures keep the body always alert relieving tension around the cervix resulting in reduced labor pain. With yogasanas the mother gets completely ready for a easy childbirth. There are hundreds of Asanas but a good and expert teacher can only show the pregnant mother which Asanas are best suited to her and teach how to practise them. At present almost every country and all cities/towns have got some Yoga training centres with expert trainers. WARNING : Never start practising Yogasanas during pregnancy by just reading a couple of books but always seek advice and training from an expert.
- Pranayam(Deep Breathing : Accurate breathing style can make you feel Godly and is capable of destroying any tension, anxiety, repentance and anger from anyone. It is powerful than any anti depression drug on earth. With this powerful weapon the mother can combat any mental stress and fear during pregnancy. Pranayam is so strong that the first lesson of practising meditation is learning pranayam. Sahaj Pranayam(Easy Breathing Technique) may be practised by anybody including pregnant mothers reading books or learning online and doesn't cause any harm. We must not forget, learning from an expert is always better.
Dos & Donts of Exercise During Pregnancy
DOS :
- Loose and comfortable clothing is of utmost importance
- Do drink enough water to prevent dehydration
- Skip back exercises as they are not safe during pregnancy. Since back exercise are important, instead try switching to pelvic tilts or lying on your side or on your hands and knees and concentrate on bringing navel toward spine. Better try yoga to do this. Consult an expert.
- Never try heavy weights, bouncing or jerking movements specially during third trimester. They may cause serious injury to ligaments and bones making you susceptible to serious injury.
- Don't try exercises that require you to lie on your back that may cause undue pressure on your spine during pregnancy. Always consult an expert and your physician.
- Body temperature running above 102 degrees may be critical for yourself and as well as for the baby. So, try to do your exercises always in air conditioned environments.
- During pregnancy you need a lot of rest too. So you must not be doing workouts more than 3 to 4 days a week.
- No exercises that twist or put lot of pressure on abdomen, torso or spine irrespective of yoga or any other form of exercise. The warning is always consult an expert or physician before any attempt.
- Never try any sports that may throw your out of balance and cause a destructive fall.
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