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Pregnancy can offer the perfect opportunity to slow down and embrace a more relaxed pace of life. You may not be attending your weekly weight lifting or HIIT class, for now, but this doesn’t mean you need to forgo exercise altogether.
While every mother-to-be wants to ensure the safety of her unborn child, staying active by maintaining a workout routine is still important and can have benefits for both mother and baby. Along with doubling the chances of a normal delivery, moderate exercise can also help with weight management and psychological well-being.
Knowing what types of activities and exercises are safe to do when pregnant is something many new mothers worry about. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or other aspects of your pregnancy you can receive expert advice at AskHer.com. To help motivate you, this article will look at some of the many benefits of exercising when expecting a baby.
Better Heart Health and Stamina
A gentle cardio workout such as walking, swimming or cycling on an exercise bike will help to improve your circulation and strengthen your heart and lungs. This can improve your overall stamina helping to give you the endurance needed during labor.
Less Risk of Complications
Exercising during pregnancy has also been found to lower the risk of complications and preterm births and can also lead to a lower incidence of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and other hypertension disorders. Lower birth weight, cesarean births and excess weight gain are some of the other pregnancy complications which can be reduced through regular exercise.
Better Mood
Some women feel their mood and energy levels are lower during pregnancy and between 10% to 20% of women in the U.S. suffer from perinatal depression. As well as acting as a mood-booster due to the release of endorphins in the brain, research also shows that aerobic exercise can help to reduce depressive symptoms in pregnant women.
Lower Blood Pressure
Some women experience high blood pressure during their pregnancy which may be the result of gestational hypertension which can develop after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Becoming more active through regular and moderate exercise can help lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in pregnant women, lowering the risk of hypertensive disorders.
Greater Energy
Many women can feel tired or fatigued during the early stages of their pregnancy as well as in their third trimester. Gentle exercise such as prenatal yoga, pilates or swimming can help to boost your energy levels by delivering oxygen-rich blood to your body and improve the quality of your sleep.
Alleviate Pelvic and Back Pain
As a baby develops in the womb it can put increasing pressure on the lower part of your body causing pain and discomfort in the lower back and pelvis. Certain core strengthening exercises during pregnancy such as plank and pelvic tilt can help to reduce pain in these areas making it easier for you in your final trimester.
Faster Post-Delivery Recovery
Regular exercise during pregnancy will improve your fitness levels as well as strengthen and tone your muscles. This can make it easier for your body to recover after childbirth and help you to lose any excess weight faster.
With the benefits mentioned above, why not start a safe and gentle exercise plan today?
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