Is It Safe To Exercise During Pregnancy? By Helen R. At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Many women are nervous about doing anything that may harm their baby, but exercise is recommended for uncomplicated pregnancy women and it is a good idea to get some exercises everyday.

Moderate exercise is helpful because it improves the mother’s mental status and provide health benefits for the baby that include increasing oxygen flow to the fetus and decreasing risk of trauma for both baby and mother during birth. Some studies have shown that exercise can reduce the length of labour, shorten the recovery time, and even help with postpartum weight management.

The types of exercise that pregnant women should do are

• Aerobic exercises such as swimming and walking. These exercises will increase the heart rate and pump oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

• Kegels exercises (Pelvic floor exercises). These exercises are very important because they decrease risk of tearing of the perineum during birth and help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which tend to loosen after labour. All the pregnant women need to do is squeeze their pelvic muscles for a few minutes everyday.

• Flexibility exercise such as yoga that is the good way to improve the flexibility and this type of exercise is very popular in pregnant women. However, not all Yoga exercises are safe for pregnant women. Look for a prenatal Yoga class that is tailored to pregnant moms.

There are recognized contraindications for exercising during pregnant such as incompetence cervix, intrauterine growth retardation, pregnancy induced hypertension, preterm labour (during previous pregnancy), early contractions, vaginal bleeding and premature rupture of the membranes.

What should the pregnant women be careful about?

• Avoid exercising at extreme altitude or in hot, humid environments because it is critical that the pregnant women become overheated.

• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

• Avoid activities that increase the risk of falls or injury, such as contact sports or vigorous sports.

• Avoid long periods of standing.

• Avoid contact sports and activities that quickly change the center of gravity.

• Wear good exercise shoes to help support the back and ankles.

Before starting any exercise program, the pregnant women should first discuss their plans with their doctor and have regular appointments with their health care provider.

What problems should the pregnant women tell their doctor about?

• Shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Dizziness
• Dim or blurry vision
• Sudden or severe abdominal or vaginal pain
• Contractions that go on for 30 minutes.
• Chest pain and palpitation.
• Blood or fluid coming from the vagina
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling
• Decreased movement of the baby

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