5 Types of Exercise Just Right for Expectant Mothers
Being pregnant changes your exercise routine, especially as you move out of your first trimester and start to show. Whether you were a certified couch potato before your pregnancy or you were training for your next marathon, your workout routine needs to look different when you were carrying a baby. A healthy pregnancy with a proper diet and exercise can lead to a healthier baby, an easier pregnancy, and even smoother labor and delivery. How do you decide what kind of exercise is appropriate when you’re pregnant? Choosing from this list is a great place to start.
Yoga
Filled with bending and stretching exercises, yoga will keep you flexible and help with many of those pregnancy aches and pains. Ideally, you should choose a prenatal yoga workout routine, particularly as your pregnancy progresses and you find that you can’t get into all the positions you could just a few weeks before. If you don’t have a prenatal yoga workout, modify poses as necessary. By practicing yoga, you can keep your body flexible, increasing your overall comfort level. You’ll also find that yoga will help improve your balance, making it easier for you to move around as your belly gets bigger.
Regular Walks
You don’t have to be wearing a fitness tracker and aiming for 10,000 steps a day to benefit from a brisk walk. If the weather is nice, get outdoors. Hold hands with your partner, take a long walk, and dream about what life will like when your new baby gets here. If you already have kids, get them in on it. Walking is a great way to get in some exercise, increase your energy levels, and absorb some vital Vitamin D from the sun. Not only that, it’s an easy form of exercise that you’ll be able to handle even when you’re nine months pregnant and simply bending over to reach your shoes feels like a workout!
Swimming
Swimming is a great way to get in a low-impact cardio workout. When you reach your third trimester, you’ll find that getting into the water has another benefit: it takes some of the stress off of your body, lifting the weight of your body and relaxing joints and muscles that are under plenty of additional strain thanks to your growing baby. Whether you enjoy swimming laps or simply play in the pool with your older children, you’ll find that swimming has plenty of pregnancy benefits.
Choose a Machine
If you have a gym membership, now is a great time to take advantage of it! Choose a machine, from an elliptical to a stationary bike, and get moving. With indoor cardio machines, you can easily choose your pace and hold to one that’s comfortable for you. Take it slow and steady to get in a great workout without putting too much strain on your body.
Strength and Toning Exercises
Pregnancy isn’t the time to test your ability to lift heavier weights than ever. After all, you’re already carting around some extra pounds! You can, however, do some basic strength and toning exercises with light weights or try body weight exercises to help build strength. The increased muscle will be valuable both during your pregnancy and after, when you need to carry around baby and all of that extra gear.
If you’re ready to set up an exercise routine that will get you through your pregnancy, make sure that you’re working with your doctor to choose exercises that will be safe for you. While some discomfort is normal, if you experience pain or bleeding following your exercise routine, make sure you discontinue the exercise and let your doctor know.