Exercises for pregnant women varies, your main goal of exercise should not be to lose weight or look good with a swimsuit but to keep your body and your baby healthy.
Benefits of exercises for pregnant women
Exercises for pregnant women plays a major role in maintaining glucose levels during pregnancy; your body does is not utilizing glucose properly and that can lead to high glucose levels. Exercise helps regulate glucose levels.
- It makes you stronger and feel better
- Improves posture
- It promotes muscle strength and endurance
- Reduce stress and back pain
- Strengthen the abdominal muscles that helps with delivery
Now, let’s go over some of the exercises that can be done for pregnant women.
Exercises for pregnant women
Yoga and stretching are also an excellent form of exercises for improving posture and reducing back pain. It promotes relaxation, flexibility, concentration and deep breathing to keep the mind relaxed and stress free.
Low intensity exercises such as walking, running, swimming or running on a treadmill, this can help strengthen the abdominals and the posterior chain.
Free weights and resistance bands can be used to increase muscle and joint strength. When lifting weights use less weight than normal, use free weight exercises such as;
Curl and lift
How to do it
- Hold a 5-8 kg weight in each hand with your hands by your side.
- Curl the weight up then lower the weight under full control. You can do this either standing or sitting.
Also, you can do some light bodyweight stretching exercises such as;
Squats
Squat exercises are great for your glutes and legs to prepare you for an easy delivery.
How to do the squats
- Stand shoulder width apart.
- Bend your knees while keeping your head and back straight.
- Lower your body slowly, being very careful that your knees do not extend pass your toes.
Sitting exercise
This is a very important yoga activity helps to open up a woman’s pelvis and hips.
How to do the sitting exercise
- Sit in a comfortable position with your back upright while putting the base of the legs together facing each other.
- Hold for a few seconds.
- You can also stretch to both sides of your body for a few seconds.
- Repeat at least 10 times.
Abdominal exercise
This is an excellent exercise as it helps relieve lower back pain and pelvic pain.
How to do the abdominal exercise
- While kneeling, place your hands on a stability ball, keeping your body straight.
- Now, brace your core.
- As you do this focus on breathing.
What to Consider When Exercising During Pregnancy
- New exercise; Start slowly and take enough rest breaks.
- Always make sure to exercise in low intensity.
- Do not exercise in hot and humid conditions.
- Drink a lot water.
- Avoid HIIT as this is a high intensity exercise.
- Stay away from any multi-joint exercises.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms;
- Pain
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Uterine contraction.
Conclusion
In most cases, exercise is safe during pregnancy and is often recommended. Proper exercise routines for pregnant women can help reduce labor pain and time.
Find out what type of pregnancy you have and how your mind and body behave in each trimester and adopt an exercise to fit around your symptoms. Be sure to do it under proper supervision.
