Exercising while pregnant can help you stay healthy and feeling great. There are an abundance of pros to staying fit while pregnant.

Exercising while pregnant can help you improve your posture, decrease certain discomforts like fatigue, reduce stress, build stamina, and prevent gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that develops during pregnancy.

If you were active before the pregnancy, you should be able to continue in moderation without much difficulty. It is important to not exercise at your previous level; instead, try activities like low impact aerobics and pregnancy yoga. A good rule of thumb when exercising while pregnant is to not allow your heart rate to go above 140 beats per minute.

It is best to consult your doctor if you are new to exercising; he or she will be able to provide an exercise regimen that will fit your needs and be safe for the pregnancy.

There are certain instances when exercising is not permitted. If you have diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, exercise may be harmful. There are also a number of obstetric conditions that can affect exercising while pregnant such as:

• Bleeding or spotting
• Weak Cervix
• Previous premature births
• Threatened or reoccurring miscarriage
• Low Placenta

What are Safe Exercises to Perform During Pregnancy?

The majority of exercises are safe. However, it is important to not overdo it and know when your body has had enough. I personally love to run, although that is a little too strenuous for certain stages of pregnancy. During my last pregnancy, I started walking and jogging. Walking is the safest but I found that jogging was perfectly okay for my body, as long as I did it in moderation.

A few other popular exercises to perform while pregnant are stationary bicycling, swimming, and yoga because they benefit your complete body, can be performed until birth, and they carry little risk of injury.

 

Which Exercises are Not Safe During Pregnancy?

There are a number of exercises that should be avoided while pregnant as well:

• Any exercise that involves contact like football or volleyball
• Exercises where falling is likely such as horseback riding
• Activities that involve a rapid change in directions
• Exercises that require an extensive amount of jumping
• Full sit ups, straight-leg toe touches, and deep knee bends
• Exercises that require twisting of the waist
• Exercising in hot, humid weather

 

Exercising is great for your health, pregnant or not but please do not overdo it. Remember to always consult a doctor before making any big changes while pregnant.

What are your favorite pregnancy exercises?