Exercise During Pregnancy – Make Mommy & Baby Healthy!

Exercise During Pregnancy - Helps grow a healthy baby
What’s healthy for you is healthy for your baby - be active...

Pregnancy and Exercise
We’re pregnant! Two amazing words for a couple wanting to have a baby.

For the mother to be – over the next nine months her body is going to go through a myriad of changes, including both necessary and unnecessary weight gain. Her biggest challenge will be to balance good nutrition without putting on too much weight, all the while remaining fit and healthy.

Of the many questions that crosses the mind of a pregnant woman is whether she should exercise during her pregnancy, and if so then what kind and how much to exercise. Many pregnant women do not feel motivated to exercise however exercising can have many positive effects. If you have already been exercising or plan to start now, you must discuss your exercise regimen with your doctor, to ensure that it is safe for you and your baby.

Benefits of exercise

1. Exercise improves energy levels and helps you cope better with the hormonal changes taking place. Pregnancy can sap your energy. Regular exercise helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system and tones muscles and keeps fatigue at bay.
2. It also relieves backaches and improves posture by strengthening and toning of back, butt and thigh muscles.
3. Reduces constipation
4. Prevents wear and tear on your joints
5. It may lower your risk of pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes.
6. Improves sleep - With all the extra weight around your tummy, you may end up tossing and turning for a long time trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. Exercise helps to burn extra calories and gets you tired enough to fall into a deeper more restful sleep.
7. Prepares you for childbirth. Childbirth requires stamina, determination, and focus. When the heart and muscles are stronger, labor becomes easier and may become shorter. Control over your breathing can help you manage pain better.
8. Reduces stress. During pregnancy, one goes through changing emotions and mood swings. Exercise boosts levels of serotonin, a brain chemical linked to mood swings, putting you in a happier mode. Improves self image.
9. Your weight will increase at a very fast pace especially during the second and third trimester. Regular physical activity will ensure that you gain less fat weight. You should not try to lose weight by exercising; the goal is to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy.
10. Exercise improves blood flow to your skin giving you a healthier glow.
11. Gets you back in shape faster. If you've maintained your strength and muscle tone throughout your pregnancy, your body will find it easier to bounce back after childbirth.

Precautions: You may have to limit your exercise if you have conditions like, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, early contractions, vaginal bleeding, unusual pain, a history of miscarriage etc.

Its best to avoid exercises where there is a high potential for hard falls. These include horse-riding, downhill skiing, gymnastics and waterskiing.

Popular safe exercises include yoga, walking, jogging, stationary cycling, and swimming.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), you can safely take part in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise every day, as long as you don't have a medical condition or complication that needs to avoid or limit the amount of exercise. At the end of the day – exercise makes for a healthy pregnancy, baby and post delivery beautiful body.

By Poonam Vaswani
Senior Dietitian, Nutritionvista.com