Pregnancy Exercise and Fitness
Engaging in regular exercise during pregnancy can help you stay fit and healthy. Exercise can benefit you by easing some pregnancy discomforts such as back pain and fatigue. It also helps you improve your posture all throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, studies show that regular exercise can help prevent high risk pregnancies such as having gestational diabetes (pregnancy-induced diabetes). It also relieves stress and aids in building up stamina for labor and delivery. If a pregnant woman is physically active before her pregnancy, she can still continue with her activities as long as they are done in moderation. She should not try to exercise at her previous level instead she can do whatever is comfortable for her now that she’s pregnant. A pregnant athlete however, should be closely monitored by her physician. Low impact exercises such as aerobics are encouraged over high impact. Lastly, she should not let her heart rate go over 140 beats per minute. If an expecting woman has never exercised before pregnancy, she can safely engage in a program, but consulting her OB-Gynecologist should come first. She will be advised not to do any strenuous physical exercise and as much as possible to start with walking as this is considered the safe. A 30 minute exercise program in a day is recommended as long as the pregnancy is not high risk or complicated. Contraindications Exercise may be contraindicated to pregnant women with medical condition such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma. It can also be harmful to individuals with pregnancy-related conditions such as a low lying placenta, bleeding, a threatened or a previous miscarriage, premature labor and unhealthy cervix. If you have one or more of these, you need to talk to your doctor before exercising. She can also recommend exercise programs and give you guidelines based on your medical and obstetrical history. Generally, exercise is safe during pregnancy as long as you take care of yourself and do not overdue an activity. The safest forms of exercise for pregnant women are swimming, low impact aerobics, brisk walking, or use of step machines, stationary biking, and pregnancy yoga. These exercises are low risk of injury, beneficial to the whole body and can be continued even after birth. It is important to choose exercises that will not need great coordination or balance especially during the last stage of pregnancy. Sports like tennis are safe but changes in balance that happens during pregnancy may affect the rapid movements. Running or jogging is also safe especially when you’re already accustomed to it before you got pregnant. Exercises That Are Not Safe During Pregnancy There are exercises that should be avoided and should not be done when you’re pregnant. These are:
To achieve optimum health and fitness, choose an exercise program that can help strengthen your muscles especially those you will be need during pregnancy and childbirth. To avoid accidents, it is advisable to warm up for 5 minutes and do stretching exercises for 5 minutes before starting an activity. Do not forget to measure your heart rate during the peak of each activity. Do slow aerobics for 5 to 10 minutes and end with gentle stretching. Basic Exercise Guidelines for Pregnant Women
WARNING SIGNS: When to call your doctor You need to stop exercising and call your doctor if you feel any of these:
How soon after delivery can I begin exercising? Most postpartum women can start low impact exercises one to two weeks after a normal spontaneous childbirth and three to four weeks after a Cesarean section. It is best to consult your doctor on how soon you can start with your exercise routine after pregnancy.
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