Always engaging in a regular exercise during pregnancy is safe both for the health and the baby. Meanwhile, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it was stated that there are many benefits of moderate exercising for pregnant women such as reduced back pain, healthy weight gain, and improved overall fitness. When one decides to exercise during pregnancy, it will not lead to any form of miscarriages or low birth weight based on few claims. With that now being cleared, you are probably wondering what exercises are best to practice during pregnancy. To help you out, we highlight the 7 best exercises for pregnancy recommended by health care experts.
1. Stationary cycling
For the fact that you lose balance during pregnancy, experts now advice a stationary cycling as a better alternative to bicycle riding. It was further stated that, you avoid any form of exercises exposing you to the risks of falling, and with this, of course, includes bicycle riding. Riding a stationary bike requires more strength and endurance which is great for you to maintain physical fitness and which one study found had no negative effects on newborn size and overall health. Just make sure you drink plenty of water and take regular breaks to prevent overheating.
2. Swimming
This form of exercise naturally belongs to aerobic exercises. However, it is different from other forms of cardio workout in that it doesn’t carry the burden of gravity. According to a published article in American Family Physician, it was explained that pregnancy leads to a shift in the woman’s gravity center, lumbar changes, joint loosening, high oxygen demand, and other things that can make exercising difficult and that increase the likelihood of injury. This is why swimming is considered a safe pregnancy workout as women get to get their bodies moving without the risk of sprains, fractures, and blood pressure problems.
3. Walking
I know this form of exercise is something you can do throughout all 9 months of your pregnancy, lol. Well, also there’s no need for equipment and it can simply be done anytime, anywhere. While walking during pregnancy may seem hard due to back pain, shortness of breath, and feet swelling, you still should encourage yourself to walk at a slow pace for at least 30 minutes each day. Most women, unfortunately, don’t meet physical activity guidelines according to a study on 36 pregnant women in their 20th and 36th week of pregnancy. The scientists concluded that physicians should encourage women to increase their activity levels especially during the later stages of pregnancy.
4. Pre-natal yoga
Yoga is good on so many levels which is why it is a frequent favorite of pregnant women. One systematic review on the health benefits of prenatal yoga found that it helped reduce pelvic pain, decreased stress and anxiety levels, improved physical condition, and lead to better delivery outcomes (no delivery complications or preterm labor). Prenatal yoga is also great for the later stages of pregnancy when most have difficulties with moving. The stress-reducing benefits of yoga will also be beneficial for your baby as stress during pregnancy was found in studies to increase the chances of developmental problems.
5. Aerobics
Its an exercise that stimulates oxygen intake, improves blood circulation, and leads to better overall fitness. When you go to the gym with other pregnant women, it’s also great as it helps you to socialize and share your experiences among yourselves. Based on a systematic review, Findings has it that there are not enough studies that examine pregnancy outcomes in women who exercised regularly, but the studies conducted show that women who practiced aerobics had same pregnancy duration’s as women who did not. This review further found a small number of studies that showed favorable outcomes for babies in women who practiced aerobic exercises such as better birth weight and larger placentas.
6. Moderate strength training
This days, women now are practicing strength training that involves weight lifting during their pregnancy. If this is carried out in an appropriate way, its very safe for both mother and baby based on recent finding on 32 pregnant women who did strength training for 12 weeks. There’s no woman having unfavorable outcomes and strength training exercises even improved their back muscles making these a perfect pregnancy back pain treatment. However, do speak to your doctor before starting a strength-training program to rule out any pregnancy complications such as cervical insufficiency.
7. Pelvic floor exercises
This form of exercise is also known as Kegel exercises and is advised to prevent incontinence in the later stages of pregnancy and after delivery. There is increased pressure on the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy. Along with hormonal changes, these types of strain can lead to urinary incontinence in 41% of all pregnant women. Practicing pelvic floor exercises was found to reduce the chances of urinary inconstancy according to one systematic review. The exercise involves squeezing and releasing muscles that you use when you want to hold urine.
Include these 7 exercise as quick and rough guidelines for your pregnancy exercise program and you will be very fit throughout your pregnancy and ensure your baby is healthy too. Finally, its going to be helpful when you know your pregnancy week by weeks on good knowledge about the effectiveness of each exercise in the different stages of pregnancy…