Exercise is not only safe during most pregnancies, but it also may ease many pregnancy discomforts and possibly shorten your labor and delivery and recovery time.
The Do’s of Pregnancy Exercise
- Exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes on most days.
- Stick with low-impact exercises such as walking, yoga, and swimming.
- Stay cool and drink plenty of water. Dehydration can lead to overheating, which is dangerous for the fetus. Drink before, during, and after exercise.
- Wear workout clothes that don’t constrict your rib cage as you breathe.
- Stretch before and after exercise.
- Build your strength. Focus on your back, shoulders, chest, and biceps so they will keep you strong enough to pick up and hold your baby as often as he/ she needs you to.
- Do Kegel exercises daily to help prevent urinary incontinence. They are simple: Repeatedly contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles as though you’re stopping and starting the flow of urine.
The Don’ts of Pregnancy Exercise
- Don’t work out to the point of exhaustion. Make sure you can still carry on a conversation while you are exercising.
- Don’t keep exercising if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
- Do not lie flat on your back for long periods, particularly after 16 weeks, because the weight of your bump presses on the main blood vessel bringing blood back to your heart and this can make you feel faint.
- Do not take part in contact sports where there is a risk of being hit, such as kickboxing, or squash.
- Don’t get overheated. Avoid working out in hot environments; consider-early-morning or evening walks or go to an air-conditioned gym.
- Don’t lift heavy weights, lie on your stomach or back, or use machines that require wearing a belt around your waist.
- Don’t tackle high-impact sports or activities in which you risk falling or injuring your abdomen.
- Don’t exercise if you experience any of the following: an incompetent cervix; pregnancy with multiple risk factors for premature labor; persistent second- or third- trimester bleeding.
Written By:
Grace Wairimu,
Physical Therapist
Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Health Centre
PREGNANCY EXERCISE- DOs AND DON’Ts
