Tips for exercising safely during pregnancy

Studies have shown that exercising during pregnancy can reduce the risk of obesity later in the child’s life. Apart from this, there are several other benefits that a mother-to-be enjoys by regularly exercising during pregnancy, reports The Guardian. Maintaining weight, improving sleep, regulating blood pressure and helping to cope with labour pains are some of the advantages, says Dr Daghni Rajasingam, consultant obstetrician and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Fix number of hours per week

Doing moderate-intensity workout for not more than 150 minutes a week is advisable. The workout should be kept to bouts of 10 minutes and should depend upon the fitness level of the mother-to-be. Dr Rajasingam recommends that women with health conditions should seek medical advice prior to starting an exercise regime.

Cater to your body’s needs

Women should avoid any exercise that leads them to be overly breathless. “Do what feels right for your body,” advises Dr Rajasingam. The woman must also keep up daily activities as long into her pregnancy as she is comfortable. Charlie Launder of the personal training service Bumps & Burpees says the key is to take sufficient breaks and enough rest days. “You may not be able to push yourself as hard as you could before.”

Do low-impact exercises

Kick-boxing, judo, gymnastics and similar exercises must be avoided at all costs. Any exercise that involves the risk of falling down is a no-no. Running, light weights, cardio and some form of abdominal exercises are good alternatives for pregnancy exercises. There are a lot of misconceptions of the kind of workouts that can be done. But it depends on person to person. So it’s best to seek medical advice before starting a regime.

Change your routine to suit your needs

Each pregnancy of each woman is different; so one’s exercise regime has to adapt to how your body is feeling that day. Warming up and cooling down is vital, during each stage of the pregnancy. Cathy Finlay, an antenatal teacher said that “during pregnancy, your joints become looser and your centre of gravity shifts”. This means that one is more prone to muscle sprain. Dr Rajasingam recommends incorporating abdominal exercises to strengthen abs.

Respect that each body is different

Pregnant women sharing their workout routines on social media empowers other woman to exercise with their bumps. If you are already an avid fitness enthusiast, modify your existing routine to suit your body’s new needs. It would be disastrous to stop exercising altogether. At the same time, if you are a newbie at exercising, then take baby steps towards your fitness goals.