Whether you’re a regular at the gym or newly converted to the workout world, pregnancy is the best reason ever for getting active.
Not only does being physically active help to boost your energy level, improve your mood, keep your weight gain within your target range, and reduce your risk of developing both gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension: you’ll be less likely to be troubled by insomnia, backache, hip soreness, leg cramps, and constipation if you remain physically active during pregnancy.
Being fit can also help you to train for the mother of all marathons: giving birth. Studies have shown that women who are physically fit prior to the onset of labor experience faster labors, require fewer labor interventions, and are less likely to require a cesarean delivery than their less fit counterparts. How’s that for an incentive for hitting the gym?
Of course, you’ll want to give some thought to your pregnancy workout regime. Because your center of balance tends to be thrown off during pregnancy, thanks to your growing uterus, it’s important to avoid activities that could result in abdominal trauma or other types of injury. Your best bets are low-risk, low impact activities such as walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and low-impact aerobics. You’ll want to steer clear of any sport that could cause you to take a tumble or that could put a lot of stress on your joints. (A pregnancy hormone called relaxin causes your joints to become extra flexible, something that increases your risk of injury.)
Of course, not every pregnant woman is necessarily the best candidate for a prenatal fitness program. Your health care practitioner will likely recommend that you pass on the workouts for part or all of your pregnancy if you are experiencing pregnancy complications or if you’ve experienced such complications in the past.
And if you experience and worrisome symptoms, you'll want to get in touch with your caregiver immediately for further advice. Here's what to watch out for when you're exercising for two:
- persistent contractions
- bleeding from the vagina
- increasing back pain, pubic pain, or pain in the abdomen
- sudden swelling of the ankles, hands or face
- dizziness or shortness of breath
- excessive fatigue
- difficulty walking
- changes in usual fetal movement
- swelling, pain, and redness in the calf of one leg
