While pregnant, it is always important to take care of your body and stay healthy for both yourself and the baby. Although some women during their pregnancy hesitate to exercise due to the fear of harming themselves or the baby, the results are actually the complete opposite! Surveys have shown that 86% of women have agreed that exercise during pregnancy is important*. Exercising doesn’t mean you have to do extreme cardio or bench press. Keep to a pace that you are most comfortable with without overdoing it.
Some safe ways to exercise during pregnancy are:
- Swimming
- Brisk walking
- Indoor stationary cycling
- Step or elliptical machines
- Low-impact aerobics
- Yoga
- Kegel exercises
The benefits of keeping your body moving will not only help during your pregnancy but something you will be thankful for in the long run:
More tolerable labor – A human being is going to exit your body so labor is never going to be easy. However with kegel exercises and re
gular aerobic exercise, you can strengthen and have more control of your muscles, build higher stamina, even shorten your labor time.
Higher Energy – with the extra weight that you are carrying, things such as getting up to go to the bathroom can be tiring. If you do something as simple as take a quick jog, it will vastly improve your mood and give you that energy boost that you need!
Reduce backache, bloating, and swelling – Back ache and swelling are one of the more physically noticeable side effects of being pregnant. With water workouts, yoga and pelvic tilts, these can offer relief and reduce swelling so you don’t have to avoid wearing those shoes that you don’t think will fit anymore.
Help prevent/treat gestational diabetes – Another common result of pregnancy is gestational diabetes due to the high blood sugar therefore putting you at risk for developing type II diabetes. Exercising during your pregnancy can reduce and prevent the risk of gestational diabetes.
* Be sure to consult your doctor about what kind of exercising you can do based on your medical history so you can have a safe and healthy pregnancy!