Activity guidelines during pregnancy

It is best to use your own body, your own health, and your own regular activity level as a guide to what your exercise program will be. Women who are very active before they get pregnant can generally continue their exercise program with some changes made to the intensity level and duration. Women who did not exercise regularly before they got pregnant will want to start slowly. Women who have medical conditions affecting their pregnancy (previous history of miscarriage or premature labor, hypertension, anemia, placenta previa, vaginal bleeding, intrauterine growth retardation, and others) must discuss with their health care provider which activities are safe. 

1. 1. If you have been getting regular exercise before you became pregnant, you should be able to maintain that exercise program. Depending on the types of exercise you did before your pregnancy, you will probably only need to make minor adjustments to your program.
2. 2. If you are just starting to exercise now to improve your health during your pregnancy, you should start very slowly and be careful not to over-exert yourself.
3. Regular exercise (at least 3 times per week) is better for you than spurts of exercise followed by long periods of no activity.
4. Listen to your body. If something hurts, if your heart rate is above 140 beats per minute, or if you can not hold a conversation while exercising, slow down or stop.
5. Never exercise to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. This is a sign that you and your baby are not getting the oxygen supply you both need.
6. Wear comfortable exercise footwear that gives strong ankle and arch support.
7. Wear a good fitting support bra to protect your breasts.
8. Take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water. 
   
9. Monitor your heart rate during your exercise program. During pregnancy, your pulse should be at or below 140 beats per minute while exercising. 
   
10. Avoid exercising in very hot weather. During the summer, try to get your physical activity in the early morning or in the evening when it is cooler. 
    
11. Contact sports should be avoided during pregnancy. 
    
12. Weight training during pregnancy should focus on improving your muscle tone in the upper body and abdominal area. Avoid lifting weights above your head and using weights that strain your lower back muscles. 
    
13. After your fourth month of pregnancy, avoid exercises that involve lying flat on your back, because that position will decrease the blood flow to your uterus. 
14. Include relaxation and stretching before and after your exercise program. You should spend at least 5 minutes warming up before exercise and 5 minutes cooling down afterwards. 
    
15. Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. (Click here to go to the Nutrition section  for more information on diet).

Activities that should be avoided during pregnancy include: 

• downhill skiing
• water skiing
• scuba diving
• horseback riding
• high impact aerobics
• anything that involves jerky and bouncing movements.

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There are many types of exercises that can be performed by all pregnant women who are not having complications with their pregnancy. These include: walking cycling (using a stationary bike is safer than riding a bike on the road since your sense of balance is off during pregnancy) low-impact aerobics water aerobics swimming (diving and jumping are not advised, however) stretching and toning exercises (calisthenics) Kegel exercises

 

A good prenatal workout should include: 

1. A 5 to 10 minute warm-up. 
2. A 20 to 30 minute low impact, low intensity aerobic activity session (swimming, cycling, walking, aerobics, or other safe exercises). 
3. Careful heart rate monitoring (your pulse generally should be at or below 140 beats per minute during the aerobic activity session). 
4. A cool-down period with gentle stretching, relaxation, and breathing exercises. 

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• pain
• bleeding
• faintness
• irregular heartbeat (skipped beats or very rapid beats)
• pelvic pain
• difficulty walking.

Remember, if you have had any problems during your current or previous pregnancies, you should check with your health care provider before doing any kind of exercise during pregnancy. 

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In addition to your heart, the three muscle groups you should concentrate on during pregnancy are the muscles of your abdomen, pelvis, and back. 

• Strengthening your abdominal muscles will make it easier to support the increasing weight of your baby.
• Strengthening pelvic muscles will permit your vagina to widen more easily during childbirth and prevent urinary problems (leaking urine when you cough or sneeze) after delivery.
• Strengthening back muscles and exercises to improve your posture will minimize the strain of pregnancy on your lower back and help prevent discomfort caused by poor posture.

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Kegel Exercises 
A kegel is another name for a pelvic floor exercise. The pelvic floor muscles are attached to the pelvic bone and act like a hammock, holding your pelvic organs. By exercising these muscles by doing kegels, you will be less likely to tear your perineum during birth, less likely to need an episiotomy, more likely to have an easier birth, and less likely to have urine leakage when you sneeze or cough. Doing kegels is easy and convenient. They can be done anywhere, anytime and no one will know that you are doing them! 

 

Tailor Exercises

The following exercises help to strengthen and tone the muscles you will be using during labor and delivery. Try to perform these exercises every day.