Learn to stay fit during pregnancy the right and effective way in order to experience less troubles during labor and to have a healthy post delivery phase. Exercising or involving in moderate amounts of activity is not a taboo during pregnancy. On the contrary, abstinence from exercising may cause some unexpected troubles especially after delivery. Consult your doctor before indulging in strenuous exercises or jarring movements since they may cause discomfort.
1. Swimming
One of those beautiful and graceful exercises that involves almost all your major muscle groups, swimming is a safe workout for women of all age groups. Pregnant women especially gain several benefits because buoyancy of water helps them ease their back pains. The exercise is low impact and helps them remain flexible and stress free. The activity can be continued for as long as possible until and unless your doctor cites specific reasons not to swim.
2. Yoga
Yoga is another low impact mode of exercising. However, there are some poses that are especially conducive to pregnant women. There also are poses that are not recommended for this community of women and it is important to seek advice from your doctor and yoga practitioner before doing any pose. Yoga helps you stretch and strengthen your muscles and can be continued until labor. Effective breathing helps you in more ways than one and yoga insists on the right breathing technique.
3. Kegels
This is a common term during pregnancy and most pregnant women may have been educated on the process. Kegels are the pelvic floor muscles that hold your bowel, bladder and uterus. Many times, pregnancy causes strain on this muscle group and many women find the problem of a leaking bladder post delivery. To avoid this embarrassing issue, kegels are beneficial. After emptying your bladder, in a more relaxed position, contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles. To begin with, hold the contraction for three seconds and gradually build up to ten seconds.
4. Walking
You can indulge in low impact running in the initial period of pregnancy. However, there will come a time when running would seem impossible. At such a time, switch to walking. Walking is another one of the safest exercises during pregnancy that keeps you fit and active. Besides deriving the benefits associated with walking, you get more than a few breaths of fresh air to keep yourself and your baby healthy and rejuvenated.
5. Get on All Fours
This exercise is ideal to strengthen your abdomen. Get down on all fours with knees below your hips and hands below your shoulders. Place your back straight and your neck and head in line with your spine. Expand your belly while breathing in and pull it upwards while exhaling. Continue the process and contract your abdomen simultaneously.
Fit women tend to have more stamina during labor when they need all the strength, for post partum recovery and also to make weight loss easier. Stay fit during pregnancy for trouble-free and happy times.