Part. 1 Exercise Guidelines & Precaution
Part. 3 Specific Considerations and Exercise during 1-3 Trimester
Part. 4 Training in The third Trimester
Part. 1 Exercise Guidelines
According to American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists(ACOG), women who exercised before pregnancy should be able to continue exercising at the same level as before without compromising their baby’s health or development. If you’re in good health and have already been exercising, go ahead and continue your routine. With the proper guidelines you can safely exercise throughout your entire pregnancy. Exercise will promote muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance to help you through the stresses of pregnancy including; carrying extra weight, circulating extra fluids and the physical demands of labor. Being active during your pregnancy can also reduce the physical discomforts of backache, constipation, fatigue, and swelling; can improve your mood and self-image; and can even help you sleep better. It will make it easier to get back into shape after the baby is born. Let your doctor know you plan to continue your workout routine.
Dr. James F. Clapp, one of the leading researchers in the world of prenatal fitness, has confirmed the following benefits from his decades of research:
- Enhanced fetal heart rate variability
- Improved thermoregulatory system
- Increased blood volume from better placental growth
Other benefits:
- Assists in regulating fatigue levels
- Helps to maintain or slightly increase muscle tone, strength and endurance
- Improves posture
- May improve sleep
- Assists in prevention of low back pain, urinary incontinence
- Decreases risk of blood clots, varicose veins, leg cramping and swelling
- May help improve mood, body image and reduce postpartum depression
General Guidelines:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation: pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. Moderate intensity means you are moving enough to raise your heart rate and start sweating. You still can talk normally, but you cannot sing.
- Do not exercise to exhaustion. You have less oxygen available for aerobic exercise while pregnant. Make it a practice to monitor your heart rate while you’re exercising(50%–70% of HRmax), and slow down if you can’t carry on a conversation.
- Activities like walking, jogging, swimming, stationary cycling, stair climbing, elliptical training, and rowing, are all considered good, safe exercise during pregnancy, as long as you don’t overdue it.
- Most sports are safe during the first 2 trimesters as long as there is no risk of impact or trauma. Avoid any contact sports, ones that would throw you off balance or chronic impact.
- The hormone relaxin makes you especially susceptible to strains and injuries, so do take care in choosing your activities.
- During the first trimester, it is especially important that you avoid overheating. After the first trimester, you’ll also need to eliminate exercises that are performed while flat on your back or while you’re standing in one place for long periods, as both can reduce blood flow to the fetus.
- If you’ve never exercises before, you can begin as long as you get the clearance from your health care provider. Begin with engaging in mild to moderate exercise. Stick to low-impact activities such as walking or swimming, and keep workout sessions short.
- As your pregnancy progresses regardless of pre-pregnancy exercise status, you will naturally be inclined to scale down your exercise routine to accommodate your growing baby and uterus.
- The goal during pregnancy should not be to increase fitness level, but to minimize fitness loss and keep both mother and baby safe.
Precautions:
Sometimes exercise during pregnancy is strictly forbidden to protect the health of the mother, the baby or both. Check with your doctor or midwife before starting or continuing any exercise program to determine if you are at high risk for activity. According to ACOG, the warning signs to discontinue exercise while pregnant are:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Regular painful contractions
- Amniotic fluid leakage
- Dyspnea (difficult or labored breathing) before exertion
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Muscle weakness affecting balance
- Calf pain or swelling
- difficulty walking
- contractions or unusual absence of fetal movements
Always listen to your body. While exercise is recommended throughout pregnancy, if something doesn’t feel right, you must listen to your body and regress or take a break.
Sources:
American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists( www.acog.org)
STOTT Pilates Prenatal Matwork Workshop
