Our elders have always said that the entire journey of pregnancy and childbirth gives a new life to the female who is going to be a mother. During pregnancy a female’s body experiences and goes through numerous changes including hyper hormonal fluctuation as well as bodily changes. With each passing day, the fetus grows therefore the belly of a pregnant woman also grows. If the pregnant woman develops a habit of regular physical activity, it not only gives her health benefits but also prepares her body for labor and childbirth. Before pursuing any type of exercise, the pregnant woman should first consider discussing it with her health care provider because her pregnancy could have some complications. The female
should perform only those exercises which are suggested by the practitioner.
Good elements of exercise during pregnancy
Physical activity during pregnancy has many potential physical as well as emotional benefits. Some symptoms of pregnancy can be managed with regular exercise and it also gives confidence that you are fetching satisfactory time for yourself. Major advantages include:
● Better sleep whenever you feel sleepy (very common during pregnancy)
● Healthy and beneficial weight gain for you as well as baby
● Improvement in fitness prepares you for childbirth and its aftermath.
● Boosted up energy levels.
● Improvises your emotional health as during this time brain feels a roller coaster of emotions.
● Relaxed bowel movement and defecation, reduce constipation (a common condition).
● Stress management if you practice meditation and simple yoga.
● Reduction in complications associated with the gastrointestinal area.
● Reduces chances of C-section childbirth and increases the chances of normal vaginal delivery of the baby
Comfortable physical activities during pregnancy
If you were active before the pregnancy and you were regularly practising physical exercise and yoga then it is quite safe for you to continue, but discuss it with your doctor first. Although heavy exercises are not prescribed during pregnancy, slight changes in the routine can ease up physical activities. If you were not physically active before pregnancy even then it is no problem although this is the right time to pick an easy routine to maintain your fitness. You can start with 5 to 10 mins of walking and slowly make a routine of 30 to 45 mins.
Let’s discuss the work out activities prescribed for pregnant women:
● Walking: Brisk walking is one of the easiest and most fine activities which acts on your muscles and joints. Quick start your exercise session with a walk. Minimize using elevators instead use a staircase, it is a very simple exercise that can be done any time of the day.
● Yoga: There are many yoga instructors which operate training schedules for pregnant women. To be specific with yoga poses during pregnancy, it is advised to avoid poses which include lying on your belly or lying flat on your back as it can harm the fetus.
● Aerobics: Pregnant women are advised to perform low-impact aerobics. Aerobics include running, jumping jacks, or jumping ropes but during
pregnancy, these are avoided. For low-impact aerobics, the pregnant woman pursues walking or stationary bike riding.
● Riding a stationary bike: Riding a regular everyday used bicycle is not safe during pregnancy instead stationary bike is advisable. Stationary bicycles are easily available in the nearest gymnasiums. Stationary bicycles can be continued even after your belly is grown.
● Swimming: Swimming is a perfect exercise to reduce back pain as well as to strengthen muscular strength. After 5 or 6 months of pregnancy is quite not safe as it increases the heart rate.
● Weight training: You can lift lightweight under the supervision of your trainer, lifting very heavy weights is strictly restricted as it can affect the uterus. Weight training makes the bones strong.
What type of exercises arent preferred during pregnancy?
Pregnancy changes the female’s body system completely. It affects the blood circulation, digestion, endocrinological secretions, weight, muscles, joints even the centre of gravity of the body. Let’s discuss the activities which are unsafe during pregnancy:
● Don’t play outdoor games such as hockey, tennis, etc as it exposes your belly to the possibility of direct hits from a ball or any other substance.
● Don’t try horse riding, skiing, or cycling as you can fall off on your belly.
● Never go for scuba diving or sky diving as an extreme change in the pressure can hurt you badly.
● Never lift heavy weights.
Warning signs against exercise during pregnancy
If you face any of the following issues immediately stop your physical activities and get in touch with your doctor.
● Shortness of breath
● Fatigue, dizziness
● Headache, backache, chest pain, or pain in pelvic or pubic regions
● Heart palpitation
● Swelling or pain in calves
● Difficulty in walking or standing position.
● Amniotic fluid leakage or vaginal bleeding
● Contractions and cramps in the belly
● Sudden restricted fetus movement (a symptom of stillbirth).
Recommencement of physical activity after childbirth:
Although the new mother should practice a proper nutrition intake and take proper rest after childbirth so that she can rebuild her body and take care of her infant. If you are interested to resume the exercise schedule then talk to your health care provider first. Before resuming the schedule following points are noticeable:
If you have given vaginal birth to your baby without any complication then you can resume it as soon as you feel fighting fit.
You may have to wait for a longer time if you had complications during pregnancy and had to undergo C-section childbirth. Your doctor after checkups can better determine the time to resume your schedule.
If you were physically active before and during pregnancy it would be easy for you to get back into the schedule of regular physical activity.
Conclusion
Staying physically active during pregnancy is profitable for both mother and fetus. The pregnant woman requires to be physically active to make herself strong enough to carry a baby in her womb and also increase her stamina to give vaginal birth to the baby. If you pursue exercise before pregnancy, it would be easy for you to pursue it during pregnancy and after childbirth.
We at Diva clinic, take pride in leading women to better health. We hope, with this article you have got the answer to your doubts related to pregnancy exercises. Still, if you need any assistance, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Shalini Vijay best gynacologist in pune. Here, you will get the best gynaecologist services in pune. Moreover, People are actively getting the results with our gynaecologist services in Pune , so if you are looking for gynaecologist services, consult us now.