Exercise and Pregnancy

So, you may have realized that you would like to keep the rest of your body in shape while your stomach, which you have no control over at this point, continues growing larger and larger. This is perfectly normal! In this section, you can learn about the types of exercises that are appropriate for women who are pregnant. Please remember that during pregnancy, your regular pre-pregnancy workout routine may not be suitable now.

#1 Walking— Probably considered one of the best exercises when pregnant, walking is very helpful. It is safe to continue walking throughout your entire pregnancy, even when you're 9 months and ready to pop! You should walk about 30 minutes a day, if possible, and if you would like you can walk more than that as long as you do not feel extremely exhausted, dehydrated, or out of breath.

#2 Swimming— I know this is probably not possible for all women especially considering the weather and temperature in some area's but for those of you that have access to a pool (even if you don't have one, you can always swim at the YMCA), swimming is great during pregnancy. The breast stroke is a particularly good form of swimming that is beneficial during pregnancy. Remember, never over-do it. If you feel exhausted, take a break.

#3 Prenatal Yoga— This exercise is particularly one of the funnest! You should sign up for a prenatal yoga class at your local gym.

#4 My personal workout plan— Some of you may be interested on what I do to stay in shape during pregnancy. I start off with stretches. Pregnant or not, it is always important to stretch first before doing exercise. I sit on my butt and stretch my legs together out in front of me and lean forward, as forward as possible, and then hold for 10 seconds. I continue doing this for about 5 minutes. Then, I open my legs wide and stretch from the left side to the right side (every 10 seconds), with my toes kept pointed. Next, I lye on my back and keep one leg bent while stretching the other as far toward my face as the leg can go. Then, I do 10 sets of kicks backward and forward, then reverse and do the same for the other leg. After I am finished with that, I lye on my right side with my head held on my hand and my toes pointed. I kick my left leg up 10 times.. then I roll over onto my left side and kick the right leg as high as it can go 10 times. After this, I am ready for my squats. I do a set of 20 squats. I do 10, take a breather, and 10 again. Squats are great for keeping the hips, legs, thighs, and buttocks in shape. After my squats, I do a short jog in place for about 3 minutes. I use the last stair of my steps and I step up down, up down switching legs each time. After this, I take my weights.. I am using 4 pounds weights (you can use up to about 15 pounds during pregnancy) and stretching my arms, lifting up, then down in a cycle for about 40 times each arm. After I am finished doing my leg and arm exercises, I go for a short 15 minute walk.. I make sure to have water with me at all times; it's important to stay hydrated especially during pregnancy. I feel as though this workout has really helped me out and I do this workout 5 days a week. It's okay to have a few days of a break from exercise.

ACTIVITIES TO AVOID DURING PREGNANCY!

Avoid contact sports (such as football, volleyball, dodgeball), skiing, gymnastics, horseback riding, sit-ups, snowboarding, surfing, tennis, and amusent park rides.