Benefits of Pregnancy Exercise

 

 Benefits of Pregnancy Exercise

 Exercising regularly is beneficial because it helps build your bones and muscles, increases your energy level, and keeps you healthy. Exercise during pregnancy has the added benefit of helping you look and feel your best at a time when you're experiencing many changes in your body.

Read the following information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and learn how pregnancy affects your ability to exercise and how exercising during pregnancy can benefit you.

Pregnancy Changes
Many of the physical changes caused by pregnancy affect your ability to exercise:

Joints
Due to pregnancy hormones, the ligaments that support your joints become more relaxed. Because of this added mobility in your joints, your risk of injury increases. For this reason, you should avoid bouncy, high-impact or jerky exercises.

Balance
As your pregnancy progresses, the extra weight in your belly shifts your center of gravity and stresses your joints and muscles — particularly those in the pelvis and lower back. The result is greater instability, back pain, loss of balance, and increased risk of falling.

Heart Rate
Because your weight increases during pregnancy, your heart has to work harder. Exercise increases your heart rate and the flow of oxygen and blood to muscles and away from other parts of your body. It's crucial not to overexert yourself.

The Benefits of Pregnancy Exercise
Exercising and staying active during your pregnancy can help you with some of the symptoms of pregnancy like feeling tired and sluggish, and gaining too much weight. Exercise during pregnancy is beneficial because it:

• Reduces backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling
• Increases energy and stamina
• Lifts your spirits and balances your mood
• Improves posture
• Helps build better muscle tone and strength
• Promotes better sleep
• Gives you a sense of control and self-confidence
• Provides you with time for yourself to do something for yourself
• Gives you the opportunity to do some socializing. A pregnancy exercise class is a great way to befriend other pregnant women.

In addition to keeping you fit and healthy now, regular activity during pregnancy also helps improve your ability to cope with the rigors of labor. And after baby is born, it is easier for you to get back in shape if you've been staying fit all along. While moderate and pregnancy-safe exercises are good for you, it's not advisable that you exercise for weight-loss purposes during pregnancy.

Exercise During Pregnancy Excerpted from Pregnancy For Dummies™

 During pregnancy, exercise helps your body in two ways: It keeps your heart strong and your muscles in shape, and it relieves the basic discomforts of pregnancy — from morning sickness to constipation to achy legs and backs. Studies show that the earlier in pregnancy a woman gets regular exercise, the more comfortable she is likely to feel throughout the nine months. Some evidence shows that regular exercise makes for shorter labor, too.

No matter what your particular exercise regimen may be, keep in mind the basic rules for working out during pregnancy. The following is a list of things to consider when keeping up activities as your baby grows larger and larger.

If you have a moderate exercise routine, keep it up. If you've been pretty sedentary, don't suddenly plunge into a strenuous program; ease in slowly.

Keeping up a regular schedule of moderate activity is better than engaging in infrequent spurts of intense exercise.

• Avoid overheating, especially during the first six weeks of pregnancy.
• Avoid exercising flat on your back for long periods of time; doing so may reduce blood flow to your heart.
• Try not to beat yourself up if you find that pregnancy makes it harder to continue the workout routine you're accustomed to. Modify your program according to what you can reasonably tolerate. Listen to your body. If weight-lifting suddenly hurts your back, lighten up. You may find it easier to perform nonweight-bearing exercises like swimming or bicycling.
• Watch how your center of gravity shifts. You probably should avoid surfing, horseback riding, skiing, or any other sport that can cause injury if you're out of balance. Also avoid anything that puts you at risk of being hurt in the abdomen, and high-impact, bouncy exercises that can tax your loosening joints.
• Carry a bottle of water to every exercise session and stay well hydrated.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes an adequate supply of carbohydrates.
• Talk to your practitioner about what your peak exercise heart rate should be. (Many practitioners suggest 140 beats per minute as the upper limit.) Then regularly measure your heart rate at the peak of your workout to make sure that it's at a safe level.
• Stop exercising — and talk to your doctor — if you experience any of these symptoms:
• Shortness of breath out of proportion to the exercise you are doing
• Vaginal bleeding
• Rapid heartbeat (that is, more than 140 beats per minute)
• Dizziness or feeling faint
• Any significant pain
• Types of exercising to consider while pregnant

Here's a more specific look at how pregnancy affects the most common kinds of exercise:

• Aerobics: Like running, high-intensity aerobics are not for pregnant beginners. Take a class designed for pregnant women, or take a regular class and modify the workout according to your abilities and limitations. Your instructor should be able to help; make sure that he or she knows you're pregnant. Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back or overstretch your joints. Throughout the nine months, low- or moderate-impact workouts make more sense than high-impact ones. During the third trimester, you may have difficulty keeping your balance all the way through an aerobics class or tape.
• Bicycling: Bike riding is nonweight-bearing — the bicycle supports your weight — and that makes it good for pregnant women. Still, biking entails some risks. As your center of gravity shifts, you may be more likely to fall. Your heavier abdomen can also put stress on your back as you lean toward the handlebars.
  
  Stationary bicycles are ideal because they pose very little risk of falling. In fact, stationary bike riding is an exercise that even the most sedentary woman can begin after she gets pregnant, because she can start slowly and gradually increase riding time as she gets in better shape.
• Downhill skiing, water skiing, horseback riding: All of these activities put you at risk of falling with significant impact, which could injure you or your baby. While they may be fine early in pregnancy, talk to your doctor before doing any of these sports in your second or third trimester. Cross-country skiing is less risky, especially if you're experienced.
• Golf and bowling: They're perfectly okay, but be careful not to overextend or overheat.
• Running/jogging: If you're a runner, you can keep on running. Competitive runners often maintain their training during pregnancy. But if you haven't been running for a while, starting up during pregnancy doesn't make sense. You put yourself at risk of musculoskeletal injuries — knee and hip problems and the like — especially after the body's center of gravity shifts significantly in the third trimester. Better to try brisk walking, 30 to 60 minutes a day, which can also raise your heart rate to fitness range. Many runners find that later in pregnancy, fatigue keeps them from going their usual distance.
• Overheating: Try not to overheat or become dehydrated, and if you feel fatigued, dizzy, faint, or nauseous, by all means stop. On very hot or humid days, don't exercise outdoors.
• Stair-climbing machines: Stair climbing is weight-bearing, but most machines help lighten the load so that it isn't as weight-bearing as aerobics or running. And the stationary machines pose little risk of falling. As your stomach grows, you put more stress on your back muscles. But all things considered, stair climbing is an excellent form of exercise for pregnant women, especially if the room you're in gets plenty of fresh air.
• Stretching and body sculpting: These are fine as long as you don't do them flat on your back or overextend. You don't get any cardiac benefit, but stretching does help you maintain muscle tone and flexibility, which can come in handy during labor and delivery. Kegel exercises, which involve targeting and contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor (around the opening of your bladder and vagina), may not help so much during pregnancy. But afterward, they can make it easier for your pelvic muscles to return to normal, and they may prevent problems with urinary incontinence later in life.
• Swimming: If you swam before you got pregnant, keep swimming now. In fact, swimming is one of the best exercises a pregnant woman can do because it puts no stress on your joints and poses little risk of overheating or losing your balance and falling. However, most doctors advise that you avoid scuba diving because the dramatic pressure changes could have adverse effects on the baby.
• Yoga: Most forms of yoga are fine during pregnancy and may even relieve some of your stress. Many yoga teachers offer special pregnancy classes, but regular classes are also fine. Just avoid lying flat on your back or overstretching.

Exercises to Help You Prepare for Childbirth Compiled by Terri Isidro-Cloudas

 Get your body ready for childbirth with the following exercises from the Mayo Clinic. Check with your doctor to make sure you don't have any limitations before you attempt any of these exercises.

Tailor sitting
You'll find this exercise is not difficult to do, and it feels great. Your body is more flexible during pregnancy, and this exercise capitalizes on your newfound flexibility.

• What is tailor sitting? This is an exercise that strengthens and stretches muscles in your back, thighs, and pelvis, and improves your posture. It also keeps your pelvic joints flexible, improves blood flow to your lower body, and eases delivery.
• How do I do tailor sitting? Sit on the floor with your back straight in the "butterfly position" (the bottoms of your feet together and your knees dropped comfortably). As you press both knees gently toward the floor using your elbows, you should feel a stretch in your inner thighs. Don't bounce your knees up and down rapidly. If you find it difficult at first to keep your back straight, use a wall to support your back. Hold the position for 10 or 15 seconds and repeat the stretch 5 or 10 times.

Kegel exercises

• What are Kegel exercises? The pelvic floor muscles help support the pelvic organs: the uterus, bladder, and bowels. If you tone them you'll ease many discomforts of late pregnancy such as hemorrhoids and leakage of urine.
• How do I do Kegel exercises? Try to stop the flow of urine when you are sitting on the toilet without tightening your abdominal, buttock, or thigh muscles. When you're able to successfully start and stop urinating, or you feel the vaginal muscle contract, you are using your pelvic floor muscle, the muscle you should be contracting during Kegel exercises.
  
  You can do Kegel exercises two ways: either by holding or quickly contracting the pelvic floor muscle. To do slow Kegels, contract the pelvic floor muscle and hold for 3 to 10 seconds. Then relax and repeat up to 10 times. To do fast Kegels, quickly contract and relax your pelvic floor muscle 25 to 50 times. Relax for 5 seconds and repeat the set up to 4 times.

Squatting

• What is squatting? Squatting is helpful during labor because it opens the pelvic outlet an extra quarter to half inch, allowing more room for the baby to descend. But squatting is tiring, so you should practice it frequently during pregnancy to strengthen the muscles needed.
• How do I do squatting? An exercise called a wall slide is especially helpful. Stand with your back straight against a wall, place your feet shoulder width apart and about six inches from the wall, and keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Slowly and gently slide down the wall to a squatting position (keeping your back straight) until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds, slowly slide back to a standing position. Repeat 5 or 10 times.

Pelvic tilt

• What is a pelvic tilt? Pelvic tilts strengthen abdominal muscles, help relieve backache during pregnancy and labor, and ease delivery. This exercise can also improve the flexibility of your back, and ward off back pain.
• How do I do a pelvic tilt? You can do pelvic tilts in various positions, but down on your hands and knees is the easiest way to learn it. Get comfortably on your hands and knees, keeping your head in line with your back. Pull in your stomach and arch your back upward. Hold this position for several seconds. Then relax your stomach and back, keeping your back flat and not allowing your stomach to sag. Repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times. Gradually work your way up to 10 repetitions.

These exercises can yield great benefits with minimal effort. The exercises require no special equipment except comfortable clothes, and a little space to do them.

Pregnancy Exercise Performance Tips Compiled by Terri Isidro-Cloudas

 Most women who perform regular weight-bearing exercise prior to pregnancy note a progressive decline in performance beginning in early pregnancy. Here are some tips from Elizabeth Pryor, MD, to help keep you moving at a rate that's safe:

• Keep it regular. Exercise regularly (at least three times per week) — this is preferable to intermittent activity.
• Easy on the heart. Keep your target heart rate at 140 beats per minute or less.
• Don't lie on your back. Avoid exercise that requires you to lie flat on your back after the first trimester. Such a position is associated with decreased cardiac output in most pregnant women.
• Eat a healthy diet. Pregnancy requires an additional 300 calories per day. Thus, women who exercise during pregnancy should be particularly careful to ensure they're eating an adequate diet, and one that's providing all the necessary nutrients.
• Less oxygen, less intensity. The amount of oxygen available for aerobic exercise decreases during pregnancy. Be aware of this fact, and modify the intensity of your exercise according to your symptoms.
• Resume exercise gradually after pregnancy. Many of the changes of pregnancy persist four to six weeks postpartum. Thus, prepregnancy exercise routines should be resumed gradually based on your physical capability.
• Know when to call it quits. Stop exercising when you feel fatigued and don't exercise to exhaustion.
• Don't overheat. Take care to not become overheated when exercising during the first trimester. You can protect against this by ensuring adequate hydration, appropriate clothing, and optimal environmental surroundings (not too warm) during exercise.
• Weight-bearing exercises. Weight-bearing exercises may, under some circumstances, be continued throughout pregnancy at intensities similar to those prior to pregnancy. Non-weight-bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming will minimize the risk of injury and facilitate the continuation of exercise during pregnancy.

Depending on your needs and the physiologic changes associated with pregnancy, you may have to modify your specific exercise regimen. Your expectations of exercise performance may in turn need to be modified during your pregnancy. Ask your doctor about the changes you may need to make in your exercise program.

Walking During Pregnancy Compiled by Terri Isidro-Cloudas

If you're pregnant, doctors recommend exercising so that your body will withstand the rigors of labor and delivery more easily. Walking during pregnancy is a great way to feel good and become more fit. Read these tips about walking while pregnant and start walking your way to a healthier pregnancy.

Best Walking Tips While Pregnant
Before you get walking, learn some easy and sensible tips to make the most of your walk:

• Stand tall. Stand up straight and use your abdominal muscles to support your back. Practice relaxing your stomach, then pulling it back in so you get a feel for what it means to hold in your abs. If you're very pregnant, you may want to wear a maternity belt under your clothes for additional abdominal support. A maternity belt has is a wide band that goes under your tummy for support. You can buy one in a maternity store or catalog.
• Look ahead. Look at the ground a few steps ahead of you — not straight down (which strains your neck and hunches your shoulders) or far off into the distance (in case you have to dodge people or tackle tough terrain).
• Get into position. Keep your elbows close to your body, your shoulders back slightly, and your elbows bent. Hold your hands in light fists, as if you're grasping an egg.
• Start off small. Begin walking in short strides. Long ones can hurt your hips and pelvic area, which are loosened by hormones released during pregnancy.

Flexibility is Key
It's important to do some gentle stretches before and after you walk. When you're pregnant, a hormone called relaxin loosens your joints and muscles, making it easy to overstretch, so be gentle.

• Back and arms. Clasp your hands behind your back. Keeping your back and arms straight, lift your arms up as far as you can, then lower them back down to your butt. Repeat five times.
• Full body. Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Gently bend your knees and roll your head and torso forward do you're looking down at the floor. Slowly come back to standing. Repeat five times.
• Shoulders and spine. Extend both arms out to your right side while looking over your left shoulder. Slowly switch to the other side. Swing back and forth, holding for about 30 seconds at a time.
• Shoulders. Pull your shoulders forward, then up to your ears, then as far back as you can, and then down toward your feet in large circles. Go in the opposite direction. Repeat five times.

Four-Day Walking During Pregnancy Routine
This four-day plan can actually be done on any four days of the week, but it's best to space out walks so your body has time to recover. Modify walks according to your trimester as suggested below.

• Monday: Walk slowly for 5 to 10 minutes to warm up. Then stretch to avoid soreness. Next, walk at a comfortable pace for about 15 minutes. Finally, walk slowly again for another 5 to 10 minutes to cool down.
• Wednesday: Repeat Monday's routine, and add some slow stair climbing if you're not feeling overheated.
• Friday: Repeat Monday's routine.
• Saturday: Take a fun walk — maybe with friends — and don't press yourself to walk for a certain length of time. Do gentle stretches afterward.

Pregnancy Walking Tips by Trimester
Your body changes with each trimester, and you'll have to adjust your walking routine accordingly. Read our tips to learn how:

• First Trimester Tips: You may be surprised by how strong you feel — your blood volume doubles with pregnancy giving you extra oxygen — but you shouldn't push yourself to get fit. Make it your goal to maintain fitness. Add an extra five minutes to the walking portion of your routine if you're really feeling good (for a total of 20 minutes walking, not counting warm up or stretching).
• Second Trimester Tips: As you gain weight you may have to slow your pace. You can keep the duration of your walks the same, but pare down the intensity. In other words, don't go as fast or as far.
• Third Trimester Tips: During pregnancy's final stretch, walkers should really slow down. You should be able to stick to your four-day-a-week plan, but stop timing yourself and just walk for as long as you're comfortable. Avoid beaches, trails, and rough terrain since your center of balance has shifted and you're more prone to falls.

 prepared by SRS...