When to stop exercising during pregnancy

 

Exercising regularly during pregnancy has many benefits ranging from making you healthy, improving body posture, reducing common pregnancy discomforts such as fatigue and backaches to preventing gestational diabetes, relieving stress, and building more stamina that is useful during delivery.

For beginners, one can start exercising safely by checking in with their health care provider whether exercising during your pregnancy is good for you.

How much exercise should I perform during pregnancy?

Exercising during pregnancy should at least be 5 times each week for 30 minutes or simply 150 minutes each week. These 30 minutes do not necessarily refer to 30 continuous minutes, one can break this into various intervals say 10 minutes per walk throughout the day.

Is exercising during pregnancy safe for you?

Despite the many benefits one can achieve by exercising during pregnancy, not everyone can be advised to exercise for instance those with medical conditions like heart disease, gestational diabetes, severe anemia, and asthma.

Exercise is also not recommended for those with various pregnancy conditions like;

ü  Weak cervix

ü  Recurrent miscarriage

ü  Low placenta

ü  Spotting/ bleeding

Other special cases where intense exercising during pregnancy is not recommended is when one is pregnant with twins or multiples with various risk factors that can promote preterm labor.

Visiting a health care provider before beginning your workout routine is the surest way to know if exercising during your pregnancy is safe for you. The doctor can also recommend a customized workout guideline that suits you.

Initiating an exercise program during pregnancy is dependent on one’s experience with exercise and their medical history.

Benefits of exercising during pregnancy

ü  Reducing the chances of gestational diabetes, hypertension, and the possibility of having obesity.

ü  Better emotional health and sleep patterns by enabling you to manage stress.

ü  Improved heart health

ü  Prepares your body for labor and delivery

ü  Minimizes the chances of cesarean birth (C-section)

ü  Reduce the cases of pregnancy discomforts e.g. leg swelling, back pain, etc.

ü  Accelerate recovery following delivery

What type of exercise is safe during pregnancy?

As long as you do not overdo exercises, most of them are safe can be performed with caution during pregnancy. Activities with low chances of falling, injury, and damage to the joints and the ligaments should be picked.

Brisk walking

Experts agree that walking is a perfect way to jump start your exercise routine during pregnancy since it does not strain muscles and joints. This kind of activity has many advantages such as;

ü  It’s free

ü  You can be joined by family members

ü  Suitable for anyone anywhere

Swimming

Swimming or moving against water is great and safe for expectant women as it makes them forget the extra weight they carry as well as allowing motion without straining the joints.

Choosing a stroke that feels relaxed and doesn't strain or injure the neck, back muscles or shoulders is crucial. Breaststroke can be a good choice for that. The use of a kick-board will help to strengthen the muscles of the leg and the buttock.

Water aerobics makes cardiovascular fitness perfect. Such water sports are safe because body weight is supported by water without straining muscle.

Stationary cycling

This is a cardiovascular workout that aims at improving the muscles of the legs. Stationary cycling is safer for one expecting as balancing a bike can be a difficult task especially during the third trimester.

One of its benefits is its ability to improve the heart rate while joints and pelvis have minimum strain.

Weight training

Weight training plays a great role in the strengthening of the bones, building muscles, and building stamina required during labor.

Using weight machines and free weights for moderate resistance training during pregnancy do not have effects on mothers who were exercising before pregnancy.

Research studies have shown that those engaging in weight training exercise tend to have increased flexibility and strength which aid the body in adapting the physiological changes occurring pregnancy for instance, one can tolerate heavier body weight.

It’s worth noting that weight training which promotes lifting heavy weight is discouraged.

Pilates

Pilates involves a sequence of movements and positions aimed at improving your strength and coordination by utilizing deep breathing and relaxation techniques.

The movements concentrate on the muscles, tummy, and back of your pelvic floor, all of which are key to good posture, strength, and balance that will not strain your body.

Doing Pilates regularly will help you in strengthening areas that usually cause problems during and after delivery, for instance;

ü  Strengthen muscle of your tummy

ü  Minimize back pain- Pilates strengthens your back and pelvis muscle thus reducing back pain.

ü  Improve your balance – as the baby bump grows one may lose balance as they walk but with regular Pilates, one can strengthen their core and finally stabilize whenever they walk.

ü  Strengthen pelvic floor

ü  Helps you relaxing and breathing – crucial for labor

Yoga

Yoga is an activity that focuses on physical and mental well-being by using some of the body positions and respiratory exercises. Pregnancy yoga uses techniques of relaxation and breathing together with an appropriate position to reduce anxiety and improve your sleep.

Studies have proven that yoga has a positive effect on both pregnancy and the health of the baby.

Caution- Avoid holding the breath in a difficult position as it a clear indicator that you are exerting much pressure on yourself.

When to stop exercising during pregnancy

Exercising during pregnancy requires one to stay hydrated, pay keen attention to their body, and how one feels generally.

One is free to continue with the exercise program until the last minute where one does not have a complicated pregnancy.

As an expecting mother, you should stop exercising and seek medical attention once you start showing the following signs and symptoms;

ü  Muscle weakness or swelling in your lower legs- a sign of deep vein thrombosis.

ü  Headache

ü  Regular contractions or pain

ü  Shortness of breath – before exercising

ü  Vaginal bleeding

ü  Fatigue

ü  Reduced baby movements

ü  Chest pain

You don’t need to show these signs and symptoms for you to stop, sometimes it’s important to consider how comfortable you are with exercising. Monitor each activity and its impacts on your body and make the necessary adjustments.