Exercise is a big plus for both you and your baby (if complications don’t limit your ability to exercise throughout your pregnancy). Does exercising sound too much like a chore? There are many reasons why you will actually love it!
Feel better:
At a time when you wonder if this strange body can possibly be yours, exercise can increase your sense of control and boost your energy level. Not only does it make you feel better by releasing endorphins (naturally occurring chemicals in your brain), appropriate exercise can:
- Relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, buttocks, and thighs
- Reduce swelling of your distal extremities especially your ankle and toes
- Reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine
- Prevent wear and tear on your joints (which become loosened during pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes) by activating the lubricating fluid in your joints
- Help you sleep better by relieving the stress and anxiety that might make you restless at night
Look better:
Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow.
Prepares you and your body for birth. Strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labour and delivery. Gaining control over your breathing can help you manage pain. And in the event of a lengthy labour, increased endurance can be of help.
Regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly. You’ll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you continue to exercise (assuming you exercised before becoming pregnant).
But don’t expect or try to lose weight by exercising while you’re pregnant. For most women, the goal is to maintain their fitness level throughout pregnancy.
*Some studies have shown that exercise may even lower a woman’s risk of complications, like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes.
What’s a safe exercise plan during pregnancy?
It depends on when you start and whether your pregnancy is complicated. If you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant, continue your programme, with modifications as you need them.
If you weren’t fit before you became pregnant, don’t give up. Begin slowly and build gradually as you become stronger. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes (that’s two hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week for healthy women who are not already highly active or doing vigorous-intensity activity.
If you’re healthy, the risks of moderate-intensity activity during pregnancy are very low, and do not increase risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, or early pregnancy loss.
Before you continue your old exercise routine or begin a new one, you should talk to your doctor about exercising while you’re pregnant. Discuss any concerns you may have.
You may need to limit your exercise if you have:
- pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
- early contractions
- vaginal bleeding
- premature rupture of your membranes, also known as your water (the fluid in the amniotic sac around the foetus) breaking early
Exercises to try
That depends on what interests you and what your doctor advises. Many women enjoy dancing, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, biking, or walking. Swimming is especially appealing as it gives you welcome buoyancy (floatability or the feeling of weightlessness). Try for a combination of cardio (aerobic), strength, and flexibility exercises, and avoid bouncing. Many experts also recommend walking. Whether you’re a pro or a novice, go slowly for the first five minutes to warm up and use the last five minutes to cool down.
Whatever type of exercise you and your doctor decide on, the key is to listen to your body’s warnings. For example, many women, become dizzy early in their pregnancy, and as the baby grows, their centre of gravity changes. So it may be easy for you to lose your balance, especially in the last trimester.
Your energy level may also vary greatly from day to day. And as your baby grows and pushes up on your lungs, you’ll notice a decreased ability to breathe in more air (and the oxygen it contains) when you exercise. If your body says, “Stop!” — stop!
Your body is signalling that it’s had enough if you feel:
- fatigue
- dizziness
- heart palpitations (your heart pounding in your chest)
- shortness of breath
- pain in your back or pelvis
And if you can’t talk while you’re exercising, you’re doing it too strenuously.
It also isn’t good for your baby if you become overheated because temperatures greater than 102.6° Fahrenheit (39° Celsius) could cause problems with the developing foetus — especially in the first trimester — which can potentially lead to birth defects. So don’t overdo exercise on hot days.
When the weather is hot, try to avoid exercising outside during the hottest part of the day (from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or exercise in an air-conditioned place. Also remember that swimming makes it more difficult for you to notice your body heating up because the water makes you feel cooler.
Exercises to avoid
Most doctors recommend that pregnant women avoid exercises after the first trimester that requires them to lie flat on their backs.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it’s also wise to avoid any activities that include:
- bouncing
- jarring (anything that would cause a lot of up and down movement)
- leaping
- a sudden change of direction
- a risk of abdominal injury
Typical limitations include contact sports, downhill skiing, scuba diving, and horseback riding because of the risk of injury they pose.
And check with your doctor if you experience any of these warning signs during any type of exercise:
- vaginal bleeding
- unusual pain
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- unusual shortness of breath
- racing heartbeat or chest pain
- fluid leaking from your vagina
- uterine contractions
(The writer is Chief Physiotherapist, Motivation Charitable Trust and visiting Lecturer, University of Peradeniya)
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