Best exercises during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a very exciting, happy and wonderful time for all mothers- but it can also be downright terrifying. When it comes to your baby, you’re prepared to steer clear of anything that may cause he or she harm; but exercise shouldn’t have to be one of those things. In fact exercise can actually help prepare you for childbirth by strengthening your muscles and building endurance. It will also help in the long run once the baby is born and you want to get your body back into shape.
So what can and can’t you do? Exercising when pregnant should include activities that get your heart pumping and your muscles working, without causing undue physical stress for you or your baby. While you should always discuss your exercise regime with your doctor and adjust accordingly the further along you are, there are some exercises that are generally safe for expectant mothers.
Walking
Walking is one of the exercises that can be safely done throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. It’s one of the best cardiovascular exercises and can easily be adjusted to suit your fitness level and stage of pregnancy. Walking is also a great way to keep pregnant women fit without jarring knees and ankles.
Swimming
According to babycenter.com.au, “healthcare providers and fitness experts hail swimming as the best and safest exercise for pregnant women.” Swimming is great for exercising arms and legs and raising the heart rate without the risk of injury. It also allows for pregnant women to feel weightless, a rare luxury during the long nine months! Most swimming clubs also offer aqua-natal classes, which involve a series of movements in the water that can help lessen swelling in the legs, a common symptom in the later stages of pregnancy.
Yoga
Yoga is great for maintaining muscle tone and keeping you flexible with little to no impact on your joints. It can help you become more supple as a result of its relaxation effects, which assists your ligaments in becoming more pliable. A combination of walking for cardio and yoga for strength and flexibility is perfect for expectant mothers.
Pilates
It’s not such a surprise that the stomach and pelvic floor muscles are the ones that weaken most during pregnancy. Thankfully, a majority of Pilates exercises target those areas, which will help make them stronger and more resilient. Many Pilates exercises are also performed in a hands and knees position, which is ideal for pregnant women. It helps to take a lot of stress off your back and pelvis, and towards the end of your pregnancy can help to position your baby ready for delivery. Many fitness clubs and Pilates studios offer ‘pregalates’, which is a Pilates class specifically designed for pregnant women, so keep an eye out for those!
Weight training
If you already use weight training as part of your exercise routine, there's no reason that you can’t continue this during the early stages of your pregnancy. Choose low weights and medium to high repetitions, avoiding heavy weights all together. It’s also important to make sure you position yourself correctly and don’t overexert yourself.
Also…
While exercising when pregnant is generally safe and often beneficial, it’s important to remember a few points:
- Avoid raising your body temperature too high. Don’t exercise to the point of heavy sweating and reduce your exercise level on hot and humid days.
- Don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion.
- If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day, then don’t. Listen to your body and only do what you feel you’re capable of.
- Don’t increase the intensity of your exercise regime while your pregnant.
- Always work at less than 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate.
- If you feel unwell at any stage, stop immediately and always consult your healthcare professional if you have any concerns.
Do you think it’s beneficial to exercise while pregnant? Did you exercise when you were pregnant? If so, what did you find worked best for you?
31 Member Comments
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pilates definitely found exercising very useful!
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I've just started at the gym with gentle walking as suggested and I have found it keeps me flexible. I'm only half way through my pregnancy but I'm starting to tighten up which is sooo uncomfortable! Great tips BH!
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I think that light forms of exercise such as walking and swimming would be best when pregnant.
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I think that light forms of exercise such as walking and swimming would be best when pregnant.
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Im currently 6 months pregnant and doing a 2km hill walk/nature loop daily with my puppy and 4 year old son. It's making a huge difference to how I feel mentally, and I'm glad I got our beautiful pup to motivate me to get off the couch daily! It's helping keep the kilos steady as well!
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I enjoyed Pilates and walked regularly, although for the last month, I was so darn tired, I did much shorter walks
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I have never been pregnant but I know walking is great for anyone.
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i think those are great exercises for pregnant women, walking is great :)
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Nice tips, wslking is great for anyone.
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great tips! some of these are good for non pregnant people too!
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I did lots of lap swimming during my first pregnancy - mainly because I didn't have a toddler yet and with my first pregnancy it was all about me! First pregnancies are wonderful like that! With my second pregnancy lap swimming was impossible though because my toddler demanded my attention and it was not just about 'me' anymore! I was rearing (literally!) a family!!! (That's three exclaimation marks for three children.) Exercise flew out the window pretty much - unless you include my gentle gardening activity and family beach visits that I did while preggas with my 2nd. Not too much physical effort needed there though!
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I did exercise when I was pregnant but towards the end all I wanted was the baby out so walking in the latter part was my main exercise!
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I think exercise is good for pregnancy, something that's not too strenuous.
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Great advice for expecting women!
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Good advice for those expecting
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Looking after my 2 year old is enough exercise for me, I am totally exhausted by the end of the day! I have low blood pressure as well which makes it even harder because I feel so light headed all the time. :/
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Great advice, I'm pregnant and I've been walking around almost every day for an hour or so, which I find is great for exercise and to beat the boredom
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Good advice for those expecting a baby.
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Love the way there is so much sensible information now for young ones.
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Interesting article with great tips
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This is a very interesting and helpful article,
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