Posts Tagged ‘Fit while pregnant’

Fitness while Pregnant

You’re expecting!  That’s wonderful!  You’re probably wondering if you can exercise safely while pregnant.  Emphatically, yes!  The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor about working out and nutrition while pregnant.  Most doctors support pregnant women being on a work out program. You can do almost anything you were doing for fitness during pregnancy that you did beforehand. 

 There are so many benefits to exercising while you’re pregnant.  First and foremost you will feel better.  You know this is true if you’re pregnant or not.  But the difference is after you’ve delivered, your body will bounce back a lot faster if you keep yourself fit.  There are a few things to think about while exercising when you’re pregnant.  Here is some information to get you started.     

Nutrition

Pregnancy is no time to worry about gaining weight.  A good rule of thumb is to make sure you’re eating about 250 – 500 calories extra.  This will ensure your baby is getting enough nutrients so their organs and brain can develop properly.  If you don’t get the nourishment you need, your baby’s growing body will get what it needs from yours.  If you notice your hair and nails getting brittle, take a close look at your nutrition. Make sure you’re taking your prenatals and drink a lot of water.  

Serving size recommendations for the average, healthy pregnant woman include 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two-four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts).  

Eat 5-6 small meals every two to three hours. Even if you’re not hungry, your developing baby needs regular sustenance, and high frequency eating ensures proper blood glucose levels inhibiting the dreaded insulin spike, which causes that afternoon energy crash.

Clothing

Make sure you’re wearing loose-fitting clothing that’s comfortable and will keep you from getting too hot.  There are many web sites out there that offer work out clothing for pregnant women.  If you don’t want to buy a lot of new clothes you could always wear your husband’s clothes once you start to outgrow your own.

 Low-Impact Aerobics 

An excellent form of cardiovascular exercise for moms-to-be, is low-impact aerobics. There is no jumping or hopping movements, or stepping upon any type of platform, putting you at risk of jarred joints, but includes rhythmic movements that keep one foot on the floor at all times. You can find these kinds of classes at your local gym or YMCA.

Walking

Walking is one of the best and safest ways to get exercise and is easily worked into almost any daily routine. Taking a brisk walk through the mall, around a neighborhood park with a friend, or an after dinner, sunset stroll with your husband, can be a fun and convenient way to stay in shape.

Running

Yes, you can run while you’re pregnant!  As your body changes during your pregnancy, you may need to slow down a bit more.  When I was in my first trimester, I could run seven miles with ease.  Once I made it to my third trimester I was only going about three miles at a time, and MUCH slower.  If you’re a runner, or want to start running, the best book out there by far is Running & Pregnancy by Chris Lundgren.

 Strength Bands 

Depending on how you use them, strength bands (also called resistant bands) can be great for beginners as well as more advanced exercisers, to add some light to medium resistance to your workouts, without the use of free weights. You can use them for basic exercises or to add intensity to traditional moves. 

These bands are made from latex material or thick elastic cording and are available with or without handles. Bands range anywhere from $6 to $20, depending on how many you get and where you buy them, which is nice for the budget-conscious mom. They are lightweight and easily transported from home to office or vice versa. 

Weight Training

Weight training is still safe while you’re pregnant.  The key here is to maintain instead of train.  Don’t try to go up in weight or reps until after your baby is born.  Here’s some guidelines to follow:

• Do three sets per exercise of about 15 reps each
• Avoid holding your breath at any time
• Keep the resistance low to moderate depending on your stage of pregnancy

During about the fifth month of pregnancy, due to the heaviness of the uterus, lying on your back for more than ten minutes may cause compression to the blood vessels which would decrease blood to the uterus and oxygen to the baby. 

If you find yourself getting clumsy during the later stages of pregnancy you might want to use machines instead of free weights.  Machines give you more control and provide a level of safety that you need while pregnant.

Stretching

Stretching helps you maintain flexibility. Your joints become very loose during pregnancy, due to hormonal changes, so make sure you stretch before and after your workouts, moving slowly and gently without any bouncy, jerky movements.

Yoga

Yoga is an excellent and safe form of exercise for anyone but especially for the pregnant woman.  If you take a class, make sure your instructor knows you’re pregnant so they can let you know if there are moves you should avoid.  There are many DVDs out there to choose from.  One that I used and found very enjoyable is Yoga Pregnancy by Yoga Fit Pregnancy-Pre & Post Natal Yoga

Birthing Classes

I recommend taking a birthing class whether this is your first baby or not.  If you’ve done it before, it’s a good refresher.  Birthing classes tend to help you focus on nutrition and exercise as well as give you a chance to meet other moms.  One excellent program is the Bradley Method (Husband-Coached Child Birth by Robert A. Bradley, MD.)  This method is based on natural child-birth (without drugs).  It worked very well for my family and was in line with what we believe as far as nutrition and medications.

 If you feel any of the following symptoms during exercise stop and contact your doctor immediately:

• Pain anywhere, especially back and pelvic region
• Excessive fatigue
• Uterine Contractions
• Headache or dizziness
• Increased shortness of breath
• Difficulty walking
• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage
• Decreased fetal movement
• Rapid heartbeat at rest