Fitness affects all aspects of life, but what about during pregnancy. While the topic is a stretch for me, when Krisca Te brought the topic up I thought it would be great to share. Too often I’ve heard women complain about trying to stay active during pregnancy. Krisca digs into 7 exercise secrets for expectant moms. Check it out.
You’d be surprised at the number of people who still consider pregnancy to be a free pass to indulge in every possible culinary delight, stay in bed past noon on week days and avoid all strenuous exercises for fear of bringing on a miscarriage. While it is certainly true that expectant mothers should eat differently, get enough rest and follow a customized exercise routine, nothing could be worse than virtually becoming a vegetable for the duration of your pregnancy.
Ignore all the taboo surrounding pregnancy and exercise; if you want to have a smooth delivery and regain your pre-pregnancy body quickly, you need to get your work out in as regularly as possible. Follow these seven effective and perfectly safe pregnancy exercises to increase your energy levels, strengthen your core and avoid putting on unnecessary weight.
1. Swimming
Okay, so this isn’t an exercise step, but swimming is one of the single most effective exercises for expectant mothers and can easily be done all the way up until your due date. It gives the entire body a thorough workout by toning muscles and getting the heart rate up without putting undue stress on joints and muscles. If you live near a swimming pool, try to do a few laps each morning to start the day out right.
2. Basic Yoga
While you probably don’t feel up to standing on your head or twisting yourself into unnatural positions, especially if you never practiced yoga prior to your pregnancy, some of the basic yoga moves work well to keep pregnant mothers relaxed and energized.
Do a simple routine every day using five of the most basic yoga poses; mountain, forward bend, upward dog, downward dog and child’s pose.
3. Pelvic tilt
This exercise is great for strengthening both your back and abdominal muscles. As anyone who has ever been pregnant will know, carrying a baby around can put a lot of strain on your back, so keeping those muscles strong can prevent a lot of back pain.
Kneel down on your hands and knees with your back straight and your head in a relaxed position. Then exhale and pull your shoulders in while you let your lower back slowly downwards. Hold this pose and count to five, then relax and repeat.
4. Squats
Doing squats is not only a good way to burn calories and get the heart rate up, it will also help to prepare you for the pushing stage when you go into labor.
Keep your knees over your toes and hold the squat position for around ten seconds. You can repeat this in sets of five or ten and break it up with some of the other exercises from this list. Make sure you don’t overexert yourself and stop immediately if you feel any discomfort in your joints.
5. Kegels
This is not an exercise to get your heart rate going, but it is known to be very effective during pregnancy as it helps to prepare you for labor, and recover after labor, by toning your vaginal muscles. It has also been known to make sex even more pleasurable, an added bonus.
During Kegel exercises you will be working your PC (pubococcygeal) muscle by contracting and relaxing it. Squeeze the PC muscle for at least five seconds and then release it. Repeat this in sets of ten, and try to work up to doing as many as 100 Kegels a day.
6. Standing crunch
The standing crunch is another exercise that strengthens your core, which ultimately will ease any back pain and help you to stay active throughout your pregnancy. Unlike regular crunches, the standing crunch works your muscles in the same way that they are actually used during your daily activities.
To do this exercise, stand with your feet apart (at hip width). Place your fingertips behind your ears and pull your bellybutton in towards your spine. Then lean forward in the same way you would if you were doing regular crunches and feel your stomach muscles contract. Repeat this in sets of 15.
7. Power walking
Getting your heart rate up and your blood pumping will keep you feeling energetic and alert. Power walking can burn just as many calories as jogging, but unlike jogging, it is low impact and can be done during every stage of your pregnancy. Aim to walk for about 30 to 45 minutes a day, followed by some of your basic yoga poses to stretch and relax the muscles.
About the author: Krisca Te works with Open Colleges, Australia’s leading provider of TAFE courses equivalent and fitness courses. When not working, you can find her actively participating in local dog show events – in support of her husband.
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