Safe Exercise During Pregnancy

Safe Exercise During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time in the life of every woman where they
make major lifestyle choices such as giving up smoking or
quitting alcohol. Some also decide to get fit. Irrespective
of whether you work out everyday, or have never exercised
in your life, safe exercise during pregnancy is highly
recommended for pregnant women as it is supposed to
beneficial for both you and your unborn baby. Some of the
benefits you'll reap include a better posture, increased
endurance levels, and enhanced body awareness.

Exercise is also said to reduce the risk you run to
contract gestational diabetes and to lower the physical
discomfort which is an accompaniment of pregnancy. If you
exercise daily, you will feel a boost in your self-esteem
and will feel healthier, and also feel less tired and find
more pleasure with the way your body is changing. In women
who are fit, the labor period is usually shorter and there
is a lower chance that caesarean delivery or forceps should
be required for the baby's delivery.

The status of your health during pregnancy can have an
effect on the health of your child when he or she is a
neonate, a toddler or an adolescent through a phenomenon
known as 'fetal programming'. If you happen to be obese or
overweight, not very active and also suffer from
gestational diabetes, there is a very high chance that your
child will also be obese and might also get diabetes. The
risk is much lower in the case of mothers who were healthy,
of the correct weight and exercised daily during pregnancy.

You should consult a doctor on what kind of exercises you
should do when you are pregnant and then also decide what
kind will give you pleasure. Pregnant women usually like
dancing, Pilates, yoga, walking, swimming or cycling. You
could also opt for a combination of strength,
cardiovascular and flexibility exercises. Start every
session with a mild warm-up and always end it with a cool
down. It is imperative that you ask the advice of your
doctor or midwife irrespective of whether you've exercised
before pregnancy or chalked up a new fitness regimen for
pregnancy.

It is important that you exercise at a comfortable level
and do not over-exert yourself or do any anaerobic
exercise. Your baby will be more sensitive to high
temperatures during the first trimester, so you should try
to avoid overheating yourself during that time. Wear light,
comfortable clothes while exercising and be sure to drink a
lot of water. If you are more than 16 weeks pregnant, do
not lie down on your back as this might cause the vital
blood vessels to press up to your heart and thus, limit the
amount of blood your baby gets. Avoid contact sports such
as skiing and horse riding.

Safe exercises during pregnancy can help with your labor
period and to keep you feeling healthy, but you should stop
exercising if you have hypertension, an incompetent cervix,
ruptured membranes or vaginal bleeding. Consult your doctor
every step of the way.

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Mary Meade is an avid fitness guru as well as a mother of
3. She provides an informational website that provides tips
and guides for safe exercises for expecting mothers.Learn
more at http://www.pregnancyandexercise.org/