Exercising and Pregnancy

When I was pregnant with my first child I didn't really exercise much at all, unfortunately this led to me gaining over 20kg and not feeling the best towards the end of my pregnancy. Now having lost that weight and feeling fit and strong and about to start trying for our next baby I have decided there is no way I am going to let this happen to me again. I am planning to exercise the whole way through my pregnancy (if everything is going well) I did some research because I wanted information about exercising while pregnant . This is what I found.

Research has shown the following benefits from exercising whilst pregnant:

Greater ability to handle the discomforts of pregnancy and labour.     

• Easier to get back into shape and regain you're normal weight after pregnancy.
• Fewer caesarean surgeries, and less likely to require epidural analgesia.
• Faster labour, with less need for induction with pitocin.
• A more positive, healthier feeling pregnancy.

With exercise improving your muscle tone, strength and endurance, woman who train regularly throughout their pregnancy are greater prepared for the physical stress that carrying a baby and labour produce.

Make sure you have the all clear from your doctor to exercise, Here are some guidelines to follow while exercising during pregnancy.

• Drink plenty of fluids, before, during and after any exercise; be careful not to get overheated especially during your first trimester and in warm humid conditions. Exercise causes sweat, the bodies natural way of cooling down, remember your baby has no way to cool down, so drinking fluid is vital.
• For woman who trained prior to pregnancy, regular exercise is preferable to sporadic exercise, ideally 3 times per week. Varied research has suggested that woman who have not exercised previously should not begin to after 26 weeks gestation due to the development of the placenta.
• Avoid any form of exercise that may cause you to lose your balance, especially in the third trimester. Sports with a high risk of hard falls, such as skiing or basketball should be off limits.
• Dress wearing loose fitting clothing, with a good support bra, and comfortable non slip supportive shoes.
• Don't exercise flat on your back after your first trimester, as your uterus would have grown out of your pelvis, and the weight of it, when you are on your back reduces your blood and oxygen flow to your baby.
• During aerobic exercise, you will have less oxygen available for yourself, so lower the intensity of your normal routine. Monitor your heart rate regularly to avoid exercising to exhaustion and slow down if you can't hold a conversation comfortably.
• Stop exercising immediately if you have any of the following; vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking, contractions, light-headed or feeling faint, shortness of breath, dizziness and nauseated.
• Avoid bouncing and jerking exercises, and deep knee bends, as your joints are more prone to injury because of the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which softens ligaments and tendons to allow your bones to spread for the birth of your baby.
• Your metabolism speeds up during pregnancy so remember to eat a well balanced diet with an additional 300 calories a day.