Useful Health Tips

Fitness during Pregnancy

You can be forgiven for putting, fitness on the back burner whilst being pregnant. With all the stresses and preparations, physically and otherwise, for getting ready to bring a new life into the world, getting in a workout might be the last thing on your mind. For those who are up to the challenge, however, there are numerous benefits to engaging in fitness whilst pregnant. During pregnancy, exercise is one of the best ways to maintain a balance between fitness & pregnancy. Obviously, the parameters of what you can do are going to change as you get closer to the due date. Here are some of the ways fitness can complement your pregnancy.

Check out the likely ways to balance Fitness & Pregnancy:

Maintaining the balance between Fitness & Pregnancy is quite a tough work but here we are sharing with you some tips to maintain a balance between Fitness & Pregnancy:

Weight

Obviously, a weight will be gained during pregnancy. People of average weight with a BMI of around 20% can expect to gain 25 to 35 pounds by the time of giving birth. Underweight people tend to gain more weight, while those who are overweight gain less as the body levels itself out. What we wouldn’t recommend is attempting dieting while pregnant. Our bodies tell us what we need to eat and that food will help ensure that the baby has plenty of nutrients to fuel its development. Focus more on healthier eating and remember to take prenatal vitamins every day.

Working Out

The fitter we are during pregnancy, the easier things will be after the birth and the faster we’ll get our old figure back. If you had a fitness regimen that worked for you before the birth, stick with that for as long as feels comfortable. Aerobics and light cardio are the best exercises to pursue. Swimming is great, in particular, as it can support the extra weight of the child the further we are into our pregnancy. Don’t overexert, stay hydrated, and avoid exercising in very hot weather. Exercises that carry a risk of falling, like gymnastics, should be avoided or carried out with extreme caution. Yoga is another good option, being gentle and toning, and a lot of places now offer specific prenatal yoga classes tailored for mothers to be.

Best Exercises

• Back Raise
  • Start on all fours facing ahead with your back straight.
  • Draw in your stomach and lift your back up, letting your head come gently forward.
  • Hold for a few seconds and return to the starting position, making sure you don’t allow your back to dip.
  • Repeat x10.
• Pelvic Tilt
  • Stand with your back against the wall, pressing the contact on your shoulders and behind.
  • Slightly bend the knees.
  • Draw in your stomach so that your middle back flattens itself to the wall.
  • Hold the position for four seconds, then relax.
  • Repeat x10.
• Pelvic Floor Exercise (Kegels)

These are the crucial exercises. They work out your pelvic floor muscle, which will be essential for delivering the baby naturally and if done properly, they can also guard against stress incontinence a lot of people suffer from in the run-up to birth.

• Tighten your sphincter as if you’re trying not to go to the toilet.
• Draw in your vagina as if you’re trying not to pee.
• Start tensing and relaxing in quick succession. Over time prolong the contractions, aiming to plateau at ten seconds
• Try and do three sets of eight squeezes every day.

Fitter=happier

There is definitely a place for fitness during pregnancy, especially now that we have two lives to look after. By keeping fit, we can prepare our bodies for the strain of the birth itself and get ready to be match fit for all the important work that’s to come. With all the stress that naturally accompanies having a baby, some light exercise can also be a great way to blow off some steam. Let’s be the best version of ourselves we can be. The baby will be counting on it.