Everyone is different and every pregnancy is different, so advising you whether you should workout while you’re pregnant and if it’s safe is impossible. However, there are some generalizations that can be made that will help guide you. Always check with your health care professional first, even if this isn’t your first pregnancy and you worked out your last pregnancy. Most women who have had more than one child understand that not only is each person different, so is each pregnancy. It’s always better to take precautions and be informed before you begin any exercise program.
There are lots of considerations to determine the type of exercise you should do.
Have you been working out? Chances are, you can continue, as long as you make modifications along the way and avoid certain types of exercise. High impact exercises, ones that involve contact or ones where you could potentially fall, should be avoided. If the exercise has jarring movements that could cause shock to the body, it should be looked at closely. Basketball, skiing, volleyball all have the potential of hard contact or falls, so they might be better if avoided. Avoid exercises that put pressure on the abdomen, such as full sit-ups, leg lifts, toe touching or deep knee bends.
There are a lot of benefits to exercising, but even mild exercise can be dangerous for some pregnancies.
People with preexisting conditions, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes need to discuss the potential for exercise closely with their health care professional before beginning any program of exercise. Anyone with a history of miscarriages, premature births, a weak cervix, spotting or low placenta also need to be careful and base your decision on the recommendations of medical experts.
Take it easy if you’ve never exercised before getting pregnant.
If you led a sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy isn’t the time to start a rigorous exercise program. For those people, taking up less intense exercise programs are the best. They can be as simple as walking, riding a stationary bike, swimming or using a step machine. Regular bike riding should be avoided because of the potential for falling. Avoid any type of workout, include walking, in excessive heat.
- You’ll find your pregnancy and delivery is easier and your recovery is quicker if you’ve kept exercising during pregnancy or even started a walking or swimming program when you first discover you’re pregnant.
- No matter how fit you are, avoid exercises that involve twisting at the waist, HIIT—high intensity interval training—workouts and those with high impact. Avoid holding your breath during stretches or bouncing.
- Get your arms ready to carry the baby by working out with light weights. Using wrist weights when you walk is one way to do this. Never lift weights when laying on your back.
- Exercises like the kneeling or standing pelvic tilt can help relieve and prevent back pain during pregnancy Squats and Kegels help improve delivery. Cardio workouts also help during delivery.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C Fitness