Safe Exercise During Pregnancy

Exercise is a must for every human being. It helps to tone up the muscles and provides exercise to the heart which is necessary for proper blood circulation throughout the body. The period of pregnancy involves lots of stress and strain to the body of a woman. Especially during labour, a lot of effort is involved to push out the child. Because of this reason it is necessary for a pregnant woman to continue some form of exercise during pregnancy so that her body remain active.

If you had been doing regular exercise before pregnancy there should be no reason to discontinue. If you had been leading a sedentary life then caution is required. It is necessary to consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme. Also if there is a problem of any sort like spotting or pain in the abdomen, exercise should be discontinued and the doctor consulted. Different exercises that can be done include the following:

• Walking is the best and safest exercise during pregnancy. Walking helps build muscles of the lower part of the body needed for smooth delivery.

• Jogging is another exercise that can be done by a pregnant woman. Caution should be taken to avoid jerks. This will instantly increase heart beat and improve circulation.

• Swimming- if you had been swimming regularly you should not discontinue it after pregnancy. Ensure that the water of the pool in which you swim is clean and preferably a filtration system has been installed. Swimming will tone up all muscles of the body.

• Yoga exercises involve exercise of specific regions of the body. This has been proved to be very useful during pregnancy. Care should be taken not to do yoga exercises involving movement of stomach area. Deep breathing can be of great help. Yoga teachers are available to provide directions.

• Dancing can be continued even after pregnancy. All forms of dance where the dancing rhythm is not very fast can be practiced. Avoid the dances involving jumping or leaping, as this may jerk your internal system. As dance is associated with music, it will soothe and relax you fully.

• Weight training should not be started after pregnancy with the object to keep weight under check. If you had been practicing with weights before pregnancy you can continue. The weights have to be reduced as compared to earlier times. Also certain postures have to be avoided. It will be better if there is a trained instructor to give proper directions.

• Kegel exercise for pregnant women, is a very simple exercise but has an appreciable effect on vaginal muscles. You just have to take a deep breath and practice as if you are trying to stop urinating.

All exercises should be done under proper care, and in case of discomfort of any sort these should be discontinued pending medical advice.