9 exercise dos and don’ts during pregnancy – India.Com Health

Expectant mothers get going, it’s time for you to leave the couch and sweat it out for good reasons, though you shouldn’t be harsh on yourself. The benefits of exercise during pregnancy are no secret. But if you are a non-exerciser it’s not a good time to start sprinting. ‘Get a medical clearance from your doctor before you start exercising during pregnancy. For women who have been active and passionate about being fit, pregnancy shouldn’t be an excuse to stop sweating. Instead modify the regimen to fit the bill now. Remember not exercising for nine months will not only make labour hard on you, it  will also make hitting the gym post pregnancy challenging,’ says Vinata Shetty, Reebok master trainer, Qi gym, Mumbai. So while you want to reap the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, here’s what you should keep in mind.

Getting started. If you had been exercising pre-pregnancy you can continue with your fitness activity – running, weight training, swimming, etc. ‘All you need to keep in mind is that you will have to lower your intensity keeping up with the changes happening in your body,’ says Vinata. For non-exercisers, a green signal from your doctor is needed. If you are starting go slow and be consistent with your exercise routing. Brisk walking would be an ideal way to kick start a fitness routine. Know more about the benefits of exercising during pregnancy. 

Avoid lying on your back. At any point of time during pregnancy avoid putting any pressure on your core and back. Ditch the crunches, ‘Instead do more planks, squatting and try postures that makes you workout standing and bending sideways. Pressure on your core can restrict the blood flow to the growing baby and cause harm,’ says Vinata.

Do low impact cardio vascular exercises. Instead of concentrating on flexibility try and focus on building up strength albeit cautiously. ‘During pregnancy your joints are already loose and flexible due to the release of a hormone called relaxin. With high impact cardio vascular exercises there is no need to put your body on a hyper flexibility mode,’ advises Vinata. Choose low impact aerobics, brisk walking, cycling, yoga or even swimming. All this will help you build on your stamina being nice to your joints. ‘If you opt to run on a treadmill make sure you aren’t just pushing yourself to catch up with more speed than expected. You know for sure a fall on the treadmill can result in adverse consequences even if not pregnant,’ cautious Vinata. Know more about pregnancy dos and don’ts during the first trimester. 

Stay hydrated. It’s important that you stay hydrated throughout your pregnancy. If you exercise regularly more reason why you should have those sips frequently, your body needs fluids to be replenished adequately. ‘Follow it up with good nutritious and healthy diet, remember during pregnancy you are aiming for a healthy weight gain and working out without giving your body the requisite nutrition is going to do you more harm,’ says Vinata. 

Listen to your body. At any point of time listen to your body and abide by. If you need rest on a particular day, leave and rest. If you are huffing and puffing and not enjoying your usual workouts give yourself a break. Overdoing is not a healthy way to exercise at least during pregnancy.

Wear comfortable shoes. Your back is going to take the major share of your belly weight. ‘All you can do is invest in a good pair of workout shoes to give your back the requisite support,’ says Vinata.  

Do more repetitions. If you are weight training and continue to do so, go slow on weights and do more repetitions. ‘In this way you will build up stamina and strength too, that will help you to sail smooth through the laboring hours,’ says Vinata.

Try aqua workouts. Aqua workouts are a great form of a low intensity cardio workout,that burns calories, builds strength, improves flexibility and is kind on your joints. ‘Even for a beginner this will be a good pick,’ says Vinata.

Keep your heart rate in check. Keep in mind that while exercising you should not push yourself to a point of exertion. ‘Keep your heart rate in check so that you are not short of breath,’ says Vinata. If you are gasping for oxygen wonder what is the case with your developing baby. 

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