Most people are well aware that during pregnancy you need to rest, and probably sleep, a lot - paticularly at certain stages. Fewer people are aware though, of the multiple benefits there are to taking exercise during pregnancy. Now we're not talking entering races or slogging on the treadmill, but gentle exercise, such as swimming, walking and yoga are not only safe for most pregnant women, but can help you in several ways.
Being fit will help you to adjust to the huge physical and even emotional changes you'll experience during pregnancy and help ease the discomforts pregnancy can involve. What's more, good stamina, flexibility and controlled breathing can make all the difference during labour itself. And as a final incentive, regular safe exercise during pregnancy will help prevent you from piling on unnecessary pounds during pregnancy and the established good habits will help you get back into shape following birth.
How should I excercise?
The most important aspects of exercise during pregnancy are that it should be gentle and low impact. You want to work up a little sweat, but you don't want to push yourself too hard and leave yourself pufffed out, dehydrated or open to accidents.
If you're not used to exercise then start off very slowly and gradually increase the amount of exercise you take. Four or five sessions of between half and hour and an hour a week can reap big rewards, but always remember to listen to your body and rest up when you need to: this isn't the time to push your physical limits.
Be particularly careful when exercising in hot weather as you'll become tired and dehydrated more quickly.
Whatever form of exercise you do remember to leave time to warm up before, stretch and warm down afterwards.
When is exercise not safe in pregnancy?
There are certain incidences when your doctor will advise you against exercise during pregnancy, particularly if you are thought to be at high risk of miscarriage. To be safe, always check with your doctor before starting an exercise programme during pregnancy.
Good ways to exercise for pregnant women
Swimming
Swimming is a great form of exercise for pregnant women. A gentle but effective workout, swimming is both good for cardiovascular function and requires you to use a wide range of muscles - particularly in your arms and legs. At the same time it's a low impact sport that's easy to vary in terms of intensity. Inportantly, the water offers good support to pregnant women giving a sense of weightlessness and making the risk of injury very low.
Water aerobics
If the idea of a watery workout appeals but you find it difficult to motivate yourself to exercise alone, why not try a water aerobics or water fitness class specific to pregnancy?
Yoga & pilates
Yoga and pilates are great for building up muscle tone, developing flexibility and for helping you relax. Both also have the advantage that there are pregnancy-specific courses and exercises for all stages of pregnancy.
Walking
A good brisk walk for about thirty minutes will get your heart going - though if you're not used to the exercise then start off with shorter walks and build up with a few extra minutes each time. If you want to be a bit more serious about it and work out your arms too you could try Nordic walking, using supportive poles to pump your arms as you walk.
You'll probably find you're happy walking medium distances until birth and in fact, walking can be a great stress and pain reliever when it comes to labour itself.
Cycling
As long as you stick to normal cycle paths and roads, cycling can be a great low impact workout that you can continue into pregnancy though it isn't as low-risk as walking or swimming, as there is always the chance that you could fall off your bike. You'll probably find that as you get bigger cycling will become uncomfortable or you may find you're not confident in your sense of balance, in which case it's time to switch to different forms of exercise.
