In this discussion of exercise during pregnancy you will
learn which muscle groups you should concentrate on when
you exercise. Tips for exercising during pregnancy are
also offered. You will find out what kind of exercises you
are allowed to do and when you should stop exercising. You
should not exercise to lose weight while you are pregnant.
When should I start exercising?
Childbirth is among the most physically stressful challenges
a woman ever faces. Regular exercise during pregnancy:
- strengthens muscles needed for labor and delivery
- helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and
swelling
- improves posture
- gives you energy and improves your mood
- lessens some of the discomforts of pregnancy
- helps you feel less tired and sleep better.
Exercise in preparation for pregnancy and childbirth should
begin when you are planning to get pregnant. The sooner you
begin exercising, the better you will feel.
A big mistake many women make is not starting an exercise
program until the last 3 months of pregnancy, when they
start childbirth classes. Some exercise can be more
difficult during the last 3 months because your enlarged
uterus and breasts cause a shift of the physical center of
gravity, affecting your balance. Also, due to hormonal
changes, your joints become looser, which makes it easier to
develop spasms and injure yourself. Also, if you have not
been exercising regularly until this point in pregnancy,
even moderate exercise may decrease the oxygen supply to
your baby. Simple walking may be the best exercise at this
time of pregnancy.
Before you begin an exercise program, discuss it with your
health care provider. Make sure you follow his or her
advice on an exercise program that is appropriate for you.
If you are experiencing problems with your pregnancy, you
should not exercise. Exercise can affect the amount of
oxygen available to your baby. A baby that already has
problems with getting enough oxygen may not tolerate even
light exercise.
Which muscle groups are most important to exercise?
In addition to your heart, the three muscle groups you
should concentrate on during pregnancy are the muscles of
your back, pelvis, and abdomen.
- Strengthening your abdominal muscles will make it easier
to support the increasing weight of your baby. You will
also be able to push with more strength and more
effectively during the last phase of delivering your
baby.
- Strengthening pelvic muscles will permit your vagina to
widen more easily during childbirth. This will help
prevent urinary problems (leaking urine when you cough or
sneeze) after delivery.
- Strengthening back muscles and doing exercises to improve
your posture will minimize the strain of pregnancy on
your lower back. It will help prevent discomfort caused
by poor posture.
What kinds of exercise can I do?
Many old ideas about strenuous exercise during pregnancy
have been disproved in recent years. The type and intensity
of sports and exercise you participate in during pregnancy
depend on your health and on how active you were before you
became pregnant. This is probably not a good time to take
up a new strenuous sport. If you were active before you
became pregnant, however, there is no reason you cannot
continue, within reason.
- Walking. If you did not do any exercise before becoming
pregnant, walking is a good way to begin an exercise
program.
- Tennis. If you are an active tennis player, you can
probably continue to play unless you have special
problems or feel unusually tired. Just be aware of your
change in balance and how it affects rapid movement.
- Jogging. If you jog, you probably can continue as long
as you feel comfortable doing it. Avoid becoming
overheated and stop if you feel uncomfortable or
unusually tired. Remember to drink plenty of water.
- Swimming. If you are a swimmer, you can continue to
swim. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. The
water supports your weight while you tone and strengthen
many different muscles. Scuba diving is not advised.
- Golf and bowling. Both of these sports are good forms
of recreation. You will just have to adjust to your
enlarged abdomen. Be careful not to lose your balance.
- Snow skiing, water skiing, and surfing. These sports can
be dangerous because you can hit the ground or water with
great force. Falling while traveling at such fast speeds
could harm your baby. Talk to your health care provider
before participating in these activities.
- Climbing, hiking, and skiing above 10,000 feet.
Elevations above 10,000 feet can deprive you and your
baby of oxygen. This can cause premature labor. Avoid
strenuous exercise at this altitude, especially if you
normally live close to sea level.
What are the guidelines for exercising during pregnancy?
- Warming up and cooling down are very important. Start
slowly and build up to more demanding exercises. Toward
the end of an exercise session, gradually slow down your
activity. Try working back through the exercises in
reverse order.
- Regular exercise (at least three times a week) is better
for you than spurts of exercise followed by long periods
of no activity.
- Check your pulse during peak activity. Slow down your
activity if your heart starts beating faster than the
target range recommended by your health care provider.
Don't exceed a heart rate of 140 beats per minute.
Exercise that is too strenuous may speed up the baby's
heartbeat to a dangerous level. In general, if you are
able to carry on a conversation comfortably while
exercising, your heart rate is probably within the
recommended limits. Check to make sure.
- Don't try to do too much. Remember that the extra weight
you are carrying will make you work harder as you
exercise. Stop immediately if you feel tired, short of
breath, or dizzy.
- Drink water often before, during, and after exercise to
prevent dehydration. Take a break in your workout to
drink more water if needed.
- Don't participate in sports and exercise in which you
might fall or be bumped.
- Be very careful with your back. Avoid positions and
exercises that increase the bend in your back. They put
extra stress on the stretched abdominal muscles and
compress your spinal joints. Deep knee bends, full
sit-ups, double leg raises, and straight-leg toe touches also
may injure the tissues that connect your back joints and
legs.
- Do not get overheated. Avoid outdoor exercise in hot,
humid weather. Also avoid hot tubs, whirlpools, or
saunas. Becoming overheated during pregnancy increases
the baby's temperature. If the baby's temperature
increases too much, it can affect the cells developing in
the baby's nervous system and brain.
- Do not exercise if you have an illness with a temperature
of 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) or higher.
- Avoid jerky, bouncy, or high-impact motions that
require jarring or rapid changes in direction. Examples
of such movements are those that can occur with contact
sports, jump-roping, and trampoline jumping. These
motions may cause back, abdominal, pelvic, and leg pain.
They could also cause you to lose your balance.
- Wear a good-fitting support bra to protect your enlarged
breasts.
- Make exercise a part of your daily life. Daily tasks
can double as exercise sessions if you do the following:
- Tighten your abdominal muscles when you are standing
or sitting.
- Squat when you lift anything, whether it is light or
heavy.
- Rotate your feet and ankles anytime your feet are
elevated.
- Check your posture each time you pass a mirror.
When should I stop exercising?
You should stop exercising and call your health care
provider if you have any unusual symptoms, such as:
- pain, including pelvic pain, uterine contractions, or
chest pain
- trouble walking
- bleeding or fluid leaking from the vagina
- faintness or dizziness
- an increase in shortness of breath
- irregular heartbeat (skipped beats or very rapid beats).
Remember that it is very important to discuss your plans
for exercise with your health care provider. If you are
experiencing problems with your pregnancy, exercise is
not advised. Talk to your health care provider if you have
any questions.
Developed by McKesson Health Solutions LLC.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.