Exercising is beneficial in just any point of life and women should exercise when pregnant as well. If you are expecting a baby it doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything.
How much antenatal exercises to have?
The main point of these exercises is to strengthen the muscles and minimizing the injuries of the joints and ligaments. It is known that in this period the ligaments are weaker and women are more prone to injuries.
Regarding the frequency, there are some antenatal exercises that you can do on a daily basis, such as stretching, Kegels, strengthening and relaxation.
Also three times a week you could have low or no impact aerobic exercises like cycling or swimming, naturally after and before having proper warm-up and cool-down.
It might be a good idea to check for abdominal muscle separation every week in case you want to exercise when pregnant.
When performing stretching and strengthening you should have 5-10 repetitions a day and you should hold positions or stretch for 20-30 seconds. Remember not to stretch to the extreme, because the joints are looser while being pregnant.
In case you opt for aerobic as antenatal exercises then you shouldn’t exercise beyond moderately heavy perspiration. You should go on with the exercises for 15-20 minutes, as long as you are able to comfortably speak without grasping for air.
Advantages of women who exercise when pregnant
As a result of performing some exercises in this period, you will have a better appearance and posture. The majority of pregnant women have to face back pain and the exercises could offer you some degree of relief.
The strengthened muscles will help you have an easier labor and they will support the joints that are looser while being pregnant. Your circulation will also improve as a result of antenatal exercise and you will become more flexible.
Every kind of exercise improves the endurance and the exercises will improve your mood and energy level so you won’t experience that much fatigue. The muscle tension will also decrease and so it will be easier for you to relax. It is also important from an emotional point of view, because you will feel better about yourself and you will have a better self-image.
What to keep in mind if considering exercise when pregnant?
In some cases these kinds of exercises could promote uterine activity and they might lead to certain problems. Before you actually start working out you should find out a little about premature labor.
As a general piece of advice, you should tilt your pelvis and straighten your back to have the right posture. When performing antenatal exercise you should be aware of the way you breathe and you should do only the amount of exercise that allows you to comfortably talk and walk while exercising. You should stop if you feel tired and never exercise to exhaustion.
Exercise when pregnant should be done regularly, about three times a week. Aerobic kind of exercise shouldn’t be done more than five times a week.
