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Exercise Tips for Pregnancy in 2024

Physical activity is very important during pregnancy. We know that most women would rather choose to stay at home in front of a TV. Logically, each woman has less strength in this period. She feels more tired than usual.

However, this doesn’t have anything to do with physical strength. It is more associated with mental power. Every pregnant woman needs to convince herself that she needs to train. Of course, it is not the point to overdo it. You can’t exercise like other women that are not pregnant. That’s why you need to know that there are several different exercises that you can use to stay physically active.

You can also track your baby’s size, your percent body fat, your body water levels.

Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy

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Before we start explaining, we want to somehow motivate you to start exercising. We are sure that the benefits you can get from exercising during pregnancy are a good motive.

First of all, active exercising boosts heart rate steadily and improves circulation. It also keeps your body strong and flexible. Besides that, it supports and controls healthy weight gain. Finally, something that is most important for every woman, active exercising prepares the muscles for labor.

This directly influences several different things. First of all, it shortens the labor process and increases the chances of an unmedicated birth. We know how important labor is for every pregnant woman. They need to physically and mentally prepare for the entire process. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor each question that you have associated with labor. Even better, you can contact yourdoctors.online and find out everything from the comfort of your room.

Now, when we explain which benefits every woman can get, let’s see which exercises women should do.

1. Swimming

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Swimming is a good thing in absolutely every case. When you swim, you move most of the muscles in your body, from legs to shoulders. Yet, it especially has a good impact on pregnant women. First of all, it gives a better range of motion without putting pressure on the joints. Despite that, it can give some relief from the extra weight. Most pregnant women suffer from overweight and this is the best possible way to solve the problem. The only thing you will have to do is to go to the pool. However, we suppose this is not that complex.

Yet, do not limit your exercising only to swimming. You can also walk in the water or do some aqua aerobics.

Before we end this part, it is important to share some safety tips. Do not try to div or jump because that could hurt your child. Despite that, it is important to avoid warm water. For instance, hot tubes, saunas, pools, etc. In that way, you will reduce the risk of overheating.

2. Stationary Cycling

Well, this is another thing that is useful for many people. It is especially safe for first-time exercisers. However, it is especially safe for pregnant women because there is no way to hurt themselves. Let’s say that you plan to ride a “real” bike. That will also support your body weight. However, it is too risky because you can fall. This especially counts if you drive in hilly terrains.

We do not want to be negative here. Something like that probably won’t happen. Yet, it is better to mention that there is a lot safer alternative.

3. Brisk Walking

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Well, this is probably the easiest exercise ever (if we can even put it under this category). You need to walk a lot. We encourage you to spend at least an hour or two daily walking around your neighborhood.

The best possible thing would be if there are parks near your home. Spending time in nature brings different benefits. First of all, it boosts your physical strength. However, it also gives you time to relax and “recharge” your batteries. Each pregnant woman needs time for herself. Parks are usually quiet places. Sit on a bench, turn on some slow music on your headphones and enjoy the moment.

Still, there is one more thing that we need to say. Try to pick places that have a smooth surface. During the pregnancy, the gravity center of a pregnant woman changes. You may lose coordination and balance in some moments. Do not be afraid if something like this happens. It is not anything serious; it is a normal thing. Yet, it can be dangerous if you visit places full of rocks, for instance.

4. Yoga

There are three different reasons why pregnant women should practice yoga. First of all, it makes your muscles stronger. We already said why this is important. Despite that, it stimulates blood circulation which will lead to healthy blood pressure during pregnancy. Despite that, it is a perfect way to relax and refresh your mental power.

Yet, there are some things that you need to avoid. It is crucial to skip positions that could cause you to overbalance. Logically, it is necessary to completely avoid poses where you need to lie over the abdomen. This also includes poses when you need to flat on the back. That will put pressure on the major arteries and veins. That will decrease the blood flow to the heart which can be dangerous for the fetus

So, before you start practicing yoga, we suggest you firstly talk with a doctor or a fitness coach. We already suggested one place where you can ask various questions.

5. Low-Impact Aerobics

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Well, if you want to strengthen your lungs and heart, then low-impact aerobics is a great choice. Despite that, it also maintains muscle tone. However, the phrase “low-impact” excludes some exercises that could be dangerous for a pregnant woman. For instance, high kicks, jumping, fast running, and leaps are things that you need to avoid. When we talk about low-impact exercises, one foot must stay on the ground all the time.

So, this means that you mustn’t try out different exercises alone. You might find some of them on YouTube, but it is not recommendable to try them out alone. It is a much smarter move to go to a gym and ask the experts to make you a list of exercises. Some exercises are directly designed for pregnant women.

This is also a good place to meet other pregnant women. Spending time with them will make the entire period a lot easier.

About Marta Sebos