Exercising While Pregnant: What’s Recommended and What To Avoid

Becoming pregnant is a transformation that will have varying degrees of changes for women, both mental, emotional, and of course, physical. While in the past it was not considered safe to exercise while pregnant, nowadays there is more awareness of the fact that it is actually quite beneficial for pregnant women to exercise regularly, as it can be quite beneficial both physically and mentally. While there are some things that should be avoided, there are a lot of ways to incorporate exercise during pregnancy that are safe and beneficial.

There are a lot of  uncomfortable experiences pains and associated with pregnancy including back pain, constipation, and bloating. Exercise will help alleviate some of these symptoms while also help prevent gaining excessive weight throughout the pregnancy. Maintaining and even improving cardiovascular health is very important during this time, and some studies have shown that it can also help later on during the labor and delivery processes.

In addition to alleviating some uncomfortable physical aspects of pregnancy, regular exercise can help maintain mental health during this time of constant change. Since exercising is a great way to naturally improve your mood, it’s important to stay active in order to release those feel-good endorphins, which can help avoid depression.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, exercise can also help with improving quality of sleep, especially to expectant mothers that may experience interruptions in their sleep. Exercise can help combat restlessness and help you fall asleep faster when trying to get some rest.

While there are plenty of benefits of exercising while pregnant, it is important to keep some safety precautions in mind in order to stay safe. First of all, it is important to consult with your doctor to determine what the right kind of exercise makes sense for you during your pregnancy, especially during different stages of the pregnancy.

Something important to adhere to is to make sure the exercises you engage in are low impact. This can include walking, swimming, stationary bike, yoga (preferably prenatal), and other low impact workout moves. That being said, you should always listen to your body’s cues and if anything feels uncomfortably or bad, immediately stop.

While this is important for everyone, it is especially important for pregnant women to stay hydrated during a workout. If you feel like you’re losing too much sweat, adjust the intensity of the workout as needed.