Pregnancy And Exercise: What You Need To Know To Protect You And The Baby

Exercise is important for us to stay healthy and happy. Full of both emotional and physical benefits, exercise is recommended for everyone on a daily basis. Nowadays, doctors are telling us that pregnant women aren’t an exception to the need for exercise. Most pregnant women should be getting at least half an hour of exercise each day. However, many pregnant women worry that exercising will put their baby or themselves in jeopardy. Luckily, there are great tips for pregnant women to stay safe while exercising. Clear Your Exercise Plan With Your ObstetricianFirst and foremost, it is imperative to discuss exercise with your obstetrician. While the majority of women can safely exercise during pregnancy, not all women can. Likewise, some women need to avoid certain exercises or limit exercise to certain types. Even if you had a physician-approved exercise plan before you got pregnant, talking to your doctor again now that you know you are pregnant to make sure this routine is still a good one is important. When talking to your obstetrician about exercise, be sure to mention the specific type, intensity, and length of your workouts. Learn About And Know How to React to Changes The body does not react to exercise in quite the same way as it does when one isn’t pregnant. This can come as a surprise, especially to women who actively exercised before pregnancy. Once you know how the body reacts differently to exercise, make a plan to ensure you meet all of yourself and your baby’s needs based on these reactions. One common example is that your balance becomes out of whack quite early on in pregnancy and well before you have a big belly, so plan to avoid exercises that require a great deal of balance or make sure you have a spotter. Another example is sweating, which happens sooner during pregnancy because your baby is more sensitive to overheating. Because sweating keeps your baby safe from too high of temperatures, it is important to take regular cool down breaks if you start to feel uncomfortably hot. Other signs like these can be found in books about pregnancy and exercise or general guides about health during pregnancy. Don’t Overdo It Generally, pregnancy is not a good time to try super intensive new workout programs. Your body requires more energy to support you and your baby during this time. Instead of exercising harder, exercise smarter. Look for exercises that boost the same benefits as those high intensity work outs without being as hard on your body. Some great examples of exercises that can give you a great workout while helping you not overdo it are swimming, yoga, and hiking. Prevent Varicose VeinsWhile varicose veins may be unsightly and hard to get rid of, there are greater potential problems that accompany having them, especially for pregnant moms. While exercise can help prevent varicose veins from developing, it can also aggravate existing ones. This is a serious problem because of complications associated with varicose veins, which include ulcers, rupture, and blood clots. All of these conditions not only adversely affect a mom but her baby as well. When exercising during pregnancy, keep an eye out for changes in existing varicose veins and the development of new ones, and report changes to your doctor or an expert at a place like those at the Ivein Treatment Center in Provo, Utah. Know Warning Signs and Have a Safety Plan in Place It is important to know the warning signs that something about your exercise routine is bothering your body and respond to those signs. It is important to look out for vaginal bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, headache, pain or swelling – especially in the legs and feet, chest pain, leaking fluid, double vision, and suddenly low kick counts. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop your exercise session immediately and take a break. Check with your doctor about whether you need to modify your exercise program before you exercise again. If these symptoms don’t pass within a few minutes of ceasing exercise, go to the emergency room right away. Avoid Exercises Not Recommended for Pregnant WomenSome exercises aren’t recommended for pregnant women because they can interfere with mom or baby’s safety. Ensure you know which exercises aren’t safe for you to do, including any additions to the list made by your physician, and steer clear of them. Some examples are activities which are likely to result in falls, sports which include physical contact or flying objects, exercises with lots of jerky movements, any exercise which requires you to lie flat on your back after your third month of pregnancy, and exercising in heat or humidity. Exercise can be an excellent tool to help a pregnant woman stay healthy and continue to feel rejuvenated, energized, and emotionally positive throughout her pregnancy. However, knowing how to keep herself and the baby safe is an imperative part of exercise during pregnancy.