Pregnancy is a time when you would experience a mix of emotions. Happiness is the dominant emotion. But, you cannot rule out a feeling of apprehension and anxiety that keeps creeping into your mind from time to time. If you keep yourself fit you will be in a better position to address these apprehensions and anxiety. But keeping fit during pregnancy need not necessarily mean any strenuous or big-time activity using fancy gadgets. It requires just simple routines to keep you flexible.
Advantages of exercising during pregnancy
Learning about the benefits that workouts during pregnancy done in the right way at right amounts could do to ease your delivery and problems during pregnancy will keep you motivated to do these simple exercises regularly. The benefits include
- Less or no back pain
- More energy
- Better body image
- Returning to shape faster post pregnancy
But the word of caution, however, is that you should consult your doctor before you start the exercise program
Exercises
Pregnancy is a time when your body undergoes rapid changes making it difficult to do certain exercises. Therefore, the exercises that can be done in different trimesters is listed.
1. The first trimester
The safe exercises for the first trimester include
Walking
It is a good pregnancy exercise that you can continue right up to your third trimester. If you were not doing walking as an exercise prior to your pregnancy, you could start with 10 minutes per day, 3-4 times in a week. Then you can slowly increase the time to do up to 30 minutes a day.
This is one simple routine exercise during pregnancy you could be doing without any worry. If you are already a regular walker continue it as long as you are comfortable and reduce the time only if you find it exhausting.
Swimming and water aerobics
There are a whole lot of prenatal water exercises that are taught by Water exercise experts which you can embark on once your doctor gives the nod for it. If you are a regular swimmer, you can continue it for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week.
Stationary bike spin
You could exercise on a stationary bike without fear of falling off. once you adjust the height of the handlebars and ensure that your back is not in a strained position, it is the simple and the best exercise to do.
Yoga
This takes care of both your physical and mental health and getting trained under an expert will ensure that you do the right amount and right kind of yoga exercises to suit the body condition in the first trimester. This is again one of the exercises you can keep changing according to the trimester you are in but can continue until your third trimester.
2. The Second Trimester
Simple exercises:
Side-Lying Inner and outer thigh
This exercise is meant to strengthen the core and the inner thighs. Lie on your side. Support your head on your forearm. Keep your left leg straight. The right leg should be bent at 45-degree angle while the left leg is straight. Lift the left leg to about your hip height and keep repeating it. Then repeat the same with the other leg.
Plank
This refers to straightening body to resemble a plank. Ensure that the wrists are directly under the shoulders. You lift your knees and the legs behind you to form a straight line. This can strengthen your core arms and the back.
Curl and lift
Make sure you sit on the edge of a sturdy chair. Have a straight back. Hold 5-8 pound weight in each hand palms facing your body. Form a 90-degree angle by bending your arm at the elbows. Keep repeating this with both arms. It will strengthen biceps and shoulders.
One-arm Row
Place your right knee and the right hand on your seat. While you stand on the left floor. Hold about 5-8 pound weight in your left hand with shoulder and palm facing in. Bend the left elbow TO FORM 90-degree angle. Switch sides and repeat it. It will strengthen the back, triceps, and biceps.
Yoga
There are special exercises in yoga that can do a lot to strengthen your cores.
3. Third Trimester
The exercise ball
The exercise ball could help you to keep the pelvis aligned and keep the baby in optimal position. Sitting on an exercise ball is a wonderful exercise.
Leaning
You can lean on counters, tables, scrub floors etc anything to get you bend forward. The gravity will help pull the baby to its optimal position.
Pelvic rocks
It is also called cat cow stretch. This can help you to flip a posterior baby to te anterior position.
Butterflies
This exercise will help open upop the pelvis and keep your lowerback comfortable.psit down, put soles of your feet together lift it upa nad dwn to feel the stretch.
Forward-Leaning Inversion
This exercise will untwist the lower uterine ligaments. This exercise is to be followed only with consultation from the doctor and if you do not have any other complications.
Tide over pregnancy comfortably with simple exercises.
