It is so exciting to be waiting for a baby to come and fill your life with joy and fun, isn’t it? Your bump is starting to show and your body is undergoing serious changes that make you feel very different. While waiting for your little angel to come into this world, it is very important to keep yourself active. So yes, exercising is a great way to feel better and preserve your health, as well as your baby’s!

If you are not aware of the benefits of working out during pregnancy, here’s a glimpse of some pros that will encourage you to move. Besides maintaining a good level of fitness that will set you up for an easier and shorter labor, working out lessens your chances of complications, protects you from lower back and pelvic pain, helps normalize the birth weight of your baby, helps you avoid pregnancy diabetes and high blood pressure, and those reasons just make the tip of the iceberg.

However, a few changes must occur to your exercise routine in order to stay safely active. Consider pregnancy a time for maintenance, not for new fitness goals or for working out at high intensity. It is also important to let your doctor know of all your fitness activities, drink plenty of water during workouts and stop immediately if you ever feel dizzy or uncomfortable. Now let’s tackle the exercises to avoid:

1 – Avoid exercises that position you on your back after the first trimester, as this may slow the blood flow to and from the heart. So always ensure to keep your chest lifted by supporting yourself on your elbows.

2 – Give up kickboxing or any other exercise that may cause trauma to the abdominal area until the baby is born.

3 – Avoid exercises in high-heat environments and wear loose comfortable clothing.

4 – Avoid long periods of motionless standing as this can cause changes in your blood pressure.

5 – Avoid any exercise that may cause loss of balance or put you at risk of a fall.

6 – Reduce intensity whenever you and your doctor think you should.

7 – Because your range of motion is changing, you might not feel comfortable while twisting or jumping, so be easy on yourself.

8 – If you are participating in a class, don’t worry about keeping up with your classmates! Also, don’t hesitate to ask your instructor about the changes you should make.

The key is to respect what your body wants during this time and don’t be harsh on yourself. Remember that you are only maintaining your fitness!

 

Mirella Haddad