When those two lines first pop up on the pregnancy test, it’s a moment in your life you’ll never forget. What follows is a lot of planning, preparation, and questions— What comes next? What will have to change? What can stay the same?
At the top of the list of priorities for the next nine months is staying physically active. Having a regular workout routine is one of the best ways to stay healthy and feel your best— particularly when you’re pregnant. No matter what your pre-pregnancy activities look like, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind to ensure you’re exercising safely for you and your baby. Keep reading to see our top tips for expectant moms working out while pregnant.
Whether you were physically active before your pregnancy and want to continue with your current workout routine or you’re someone new to exercise looking to set yourself a routine, you must talk to your doctor, or a midwife who has the requisite qualifications like a direct entry MSN, and get clearance before you start exercising while pregnant.
The Benefits of Exercising While Pregnant
Before we jump into covering our top tips, let’s go through some of the benefits of staying active while pregnant. Having regular exercise as part of your routine during pregnancy can help ease the body into all of the changes it’s going through, as well as prepare the body for childbirth and recovery post-birth.
Exercising throughout your pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits, including;
- Strengthening muscles and joints
- Reducing back and pelvic pain
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Increasing your energy levels
- Decreasing the risk of pregnancy complications
- Fewer complications in delivery
- Improved postpartum recovery
Tip #1: Find Pregnancy-Safe Exercises
There’s no doubt staying physically active during your pregnancy is good for you. However, you must keep in mind not every exercise will be appropriate. Depending on the trimester you’re in and how you’re feeling generally, the types of exercises you can do will vary.
Some suggested exercise activities that are generally safe and productive to do while you’re pregnant, even for beginners, include;
- Walking
- Jogging
- Yoga and stretching
- Pilates
- Swimming
- Aquarobics
Before starting any exercises, consult a qualified doctor who can provide guidance on safe pregnancy exercises and address any concerns or health conditions you may have.
Tip #2: Avoid Overheating and Stay Hydrated
Ease into each exercise with a five-minute warm-up and always remember to cool down afterwards. While you’re exercising, be aware of the intensity level and make sure you’re not getting too hot. The body’s temperature is higher during pregnancy so doing intensive exercises can cause your core temperature to rise to an unsafe level for your baby. This also means you should avoid strenuous exercise in hot or humid weather.
Going hand-in-hand with avoiding overheating your body is making sure you’re staying hydrated. Drink plenty of water, or other hydrating liquids, before, during, and after exercising to replenish fluids lost from sweating.
Tip #3: Try to Keep Active Daily
Exercising during pregnancy doesn’t mean you have to follow an elaborate workout routine every day of the week— just 30 minutes of walking a day can be enough. Whatever exercise you choose to incorporate into your routine, whether it’s a mixture of yoga, pilates, and aqua aerobics classes or simply going for walks every day, you must be consistent and try to keep active on a daily basis.
If you don’t have enough time to do your exercises all in one go, the good news is that you don’t have to. Break up your exercise routine throughout the day. Remember, any physical activity is better than none!
Tip #4: Listen to Your Body
The physical changes your body goes under when you’re pregnant create extra demands on your body that you shouldn’t ignore. Always listen to your body and adjust any activities or make exercise modifications in your routine accordingly.
Staying active and working out while pregnant is beneficial for both the mom and the baby. Once you’ve consulted a doctor, found pregnancy-safe exercises, and started keeping active daily, make sure you’re always listening to your body and stopping, or making changes, when you feel discomfort or pain.