Exercising while pregnant is essential for expecting mothers. It helps keep the mind and body healthy to manage the stress of pregnancy as well as promote sleep. Moreover, it helps reduce risks of pregnancy conditions as well as having a c-section. With these benefits, it is a good idea to stay active and move while pregnant, but many expecting mothers may still have some questions about staying safe while pregnant. Here are some of the most common questions about exercising while pregnant:
Is it safe to exercise and how much exercise do I need to do?
For most pregnant women, exercising is essential to making sure the expecting mother and the baby are healthy. However, at your first prenatal check-up, be sure to ask your provider if it is safe for you to exercise. Once approved, expecting mothers should aim to do 2.5 hours of aerobic activities each week—about 30 minutes each day. These activities should make you sweat a bit and raise your heart rate (such as, taking a brisk walk). A good indicator of working too hard is being unable to talk normally during the exercise.
What kinds of activities are safe during pregnancy?
Remember: be sure to check in with your provider for their recommendation on how much physical activity you can do while pregnant. Moreover, you don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to stay active while pregnant. Some examples of exercise that is safe to do while pregnant are:
- Walking: Taking a brisk walk is a good way to stay active every day!
- Swimming and water workouts: The water helps support the weight of babies as well as keeping your heart rate steady. This is a good workout for mothers who are experiencing lower back pain.
- Riding a stationary bike: This is a safer option than riding a regular bike—expecting mothers are less likely to fall off a stationary bike.
- Strength training: Lifting weights can help build muscle and make your bones stronger. It is safe to lift weights while pregnant if they’re not too heavy. Be sure to talk to your provider to see if strength training is good form of working out for you.
What activities are unsafe to do during pregnancy?
Be sure to check with your provider when choosing a physical activity. While pregnant don’t do:
- Activities that may hit your belly such as hokey, boxing, soccer, or basketball are not safe to do while pregnant.
- Activities that have a lot of bouncing or jerking movements that can cause a fall such as horseback riding, skiing, gymnastic, or skating are not safe to do while pregnant.
- Any exercise that makes you lie flat on your back (after the first trimester): When you lie on your back you can cause your blood pressure to drop and limit the flow of blood to your baby (such as sit ups)
- Activities that cause you to hit the water with great force such as water skiing, surfing, or diving.
- Exercising at high altitude unless you already live at a high altitude.
- Activities such as hot yoga or working out during hot, humid days.
- Skydiving or scuba diving.
Resources and References:Â
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy.aspx
