There is No Excuse - You Must Still Exercise During Pregnancy!

To some of those who are expecting, the idea of getting energetic and doing some exercise during pregnancy is very unappealing. The very fact that they are expecting is often used as the excuse to have a break from the normal exercise regime.

To find reasons to stop is easy: the first three months there is morning sickness and exhaustion. In the second trimester they are beginning to show and in the third it is too hard to walk the short distance to the bathroom, much less go on the treadmill for any length of time.

On the other extreme, there are some women who do not let something as little as a pregnancy stand in their way of exercise. These are the women we might see actually teaching a class at the gym, or speed walking throughout our neighbourhood with their protruding bellies.

But most of us probably, hopefully, fall somewhere in the middle. Exercise during pregnancy is something all women should do, as not only does it help control weight gain, but it will be beneficial at the time of delivery as well. However, there are some things to keep in mind in order to protect yourself and your unborn little one.

First of all, as you are working out, you need to keep an eye on your heart rate. It could be dangerous to your child if you let your heart rate rise too high, especially in your first trimester. It is good to maintain a steady heart rate. To ensure you stay at a safe level, you can do the talk test throughout your workout. The talk test is to have a conversaion whilst working out and make sure that you can do this without breathing difficulties. If you are huffing and puffing more than getting out actual words, then you are working too hard and need to slow down. Doctors recommend that you work at a pace where you can still talk.

It is not recommended trying out new exercise routines during your pregnancy. Stay with the routine that you have been doing and that your body is used to. You might find that you have to make some changes to some of your exercises as your pregnancy progresses. For example, sit ups, crunches and push ups can be done until about 14 weeks or so. After that, no floor exercises are recommended.

If you were not exercising before you got pregnant, now is a good time to start, strange as that may seem. To eat well and engage in a form of moderate exercise regularly throughout your pregnancy is the best thing you can do for yourself and unborn child. You will find most medical officials will advise that walking is one of the better exercises for expecting mums to undertake so long as they are not a high risk. Walking at least thirty minutes, three times a week is a safe way for a pregnant woman to stay active.

Walking is something you can do throughout all three trimesters though by the third trimester you might find yourself moving at a slower pace. Another great benefit to walking, especially as you approach your due date, is that walking can actually bring on labour. Most women who walk the complete time of their pregnancy have a more trouble-free delivery and recovery time.

So, the days of pregnant women putting up their feet and not moving off the couch for the entire pregnancy are days of the past.


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Look no further for safe and effective exercises, hints and tips for to undertake exercise during pregnancy.