Being Healthy & Strong During Pregnancy Is Made Easier With These 6 Exercises

Congratulations! You’re pregnant! Despite your best efforts, your baby will continue to grow inside your uterus regardless of how much exercise you do. Maintaining your regular workouts during your normal pregnancy is usually fine, especially if you have been exercising regularly, whether it is running, yoga, biking, swimming, or even strength training. Exercise plays a key role in a healthy pregnancy.

Why Exercise Is Beneficial During Pregnancy?

Exercising during pregnancy is proven to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Both you and your baby will benefit from it as well. Some of these benefits are:

• It reduces your risk of gestational diabetes and its complications.
• It reduces pre-eclampsia risk.
• Possibly reduces the risk of a C-section delivery.
• Reduces back pain.
• Helps you maintain your balance as your baby grows.
• Eases constipation.
• Boosts your heart’s strength and circulation.
• It improves your endurance and stamina, both of which are helpful during parenting!
• Reduces the amount of weight you gain during pregnancy after delivery.
• It eases pregnancy-related stress and can even be helpful during fertility treatments.

When It Comes To Exercise During Pregnancy, How Much Time Is Enough?

An average pregnant woman exercises 150 minutes a week, which divides into 30 minutes each day, five days a week. Exercises that are moderate in intensity are recommended for pregnant women, such as brisk walking, jogging, running at a slow pace, swimming, dancing, and even low-impact fitness classes. If your doctor approves, strength training can be an excellent activity. The definition of moderate exercise includes activities that move your large muscles (arms and legs) and raise your heart rate; you can talk, but singing is challenging.

New exercisers should gradually increase from five to ten minutes of activity a few times a day to 150 minutes of exercise per week. Before resuming vigorous activity individuals who were more active than moderate (distance runners or competitive athletes) must obtain a doctor’s approval.

Remember to always take good care of your joints. Your ligaments are relaxed during pregnancy due to the hormones you produce. Your joints are more vulnerable to injury when you engage in high-impact activities. You should also keep in mind that your balance will be affected as your pregnancy grows. Be cautious when walking and avoid activities that could cause you to fall. When you’re pregnant, your body requires more oxygen, so you can’t exercise as hard as you might have before.

Try These 6 Exercises For Being Strong During Pregnancy:

1. Cardiovascular Workouts:-

Exercises such as walking, easy jogging, swimming, and stationary bicycling are the best cardiovascular exercises during pregnancy. You can reduce your risk of diabetes and improve your heart health, circulation, and blood pressure by participating in cardiovascular activities. Talk to your doctor if you want to continue your usual cardio routine if you’re used to a more strenuous workout.

You can keep yourself in shape, strong, and limber with these strength training exercises. Take a 1-minute break in between each set of 10-15 reps.

2. Squats:-

The squat is an excellent exercise for pregnant women. You can strengthen your lower body during labor with this move, which is completely safe.

Place your feet wide apart. Straighten your back, bend your knees, and lower your bottom (like preparing to sit down). While rising back up, align your knees with your ankles (you may need a mirror depending on your size) and push through your heels.

3. One-Arm Row:-

Pregnant women typically experience back pain towards the end of their pregnancy. Your back muscles need to be strengthened in order to minimize the risk of back pain. Exercise like this is extremely helpful. Make sure you are using light weights, about 3 pounds to 15 lbs., depending on what you’re used to and what your doctor advises.

Your arm should be resting on a sturdy piece of furniture or a countertop aligned with your hips. Straighten your back and tighten your core. Keeping your weight close to your side, lean forward and lift a hand weight or dumbbell alongside your body. When you have completed your desired number of reps, switch to the other arm.

4. Bicep Curl:-

Place your feet firmly on the ground, hold a weight in each hand, and keep your arms at your sides. Hold the weights at your sides and flex your bicep muscles while lifting them. After that, slowly lower the weights with a controlled motion.

5. Shoulder Press:-

In addition to strengthening your arm muscles, the shoulder press also helps your upper back. The shoulder press can also be performed from a seated position if necessary.

Raise your arms to shoulder height, bend your elbows, and hold a weight in each hand. You should have your hands at ear level. You now have to lift the weights above your head. Both of them should be nearly touching. In a controlled motion, slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

6. Plank:-

Core strength has many benefits; it keeps your back strong (less back pain) and may even help during childbirth. It may become harder for you to perform a traditional plank as your pregnancy progresses. Alternatively, you can modify it into a side plank.

Lie face down while balancing on your forearms and feet. Straighten your body from head to toe without raising your bottom. Hold the pose for 20 seconds (or as long as you can). If you feel capable, add a few seconds to your hold time until you can hold for one minute.

Remember Always:

• Exercise should never be performed without a doctor’s approval during pregnancy.
• Don’t overdo it and always stay hydrated. Don’t take any chances with your health.
• Whenever you feel pain while exercising, stop and see your doctor immediately.

It is a major goal of parents-to-be to ensure that their pregnancy is as healthy and happy as possible. You can achieve that goal by exercising. You may contact Hegde Fertility if you have any fertility concerns or would like more information on how to stay fit during pregnancy.