Exercising and Stretching During Pregnancy: Tips for Moms-To-Be
Angela Jenkins
| 2 min read
Pregnancy is a time where women’s bodies are completely different. Aches and pains can come from nowhere and can make things uncomfortable. Luckily, there are some things we can do to help with the side effects of pregnancy.
Exercise during pregnancy offer a lot of health benefits to your and your baby:
- Improves circulation (helping to prevent constipation, leg cramps and swollen ankles)
- Prevents back pain by strengthening muscles
- Increased energy
- Allows you to sleep better
- Improves mood
- Helps prepare for childbirth
Important Guidelines
It is important to continue to exercise and stretch during pregnancy. If you did not exercise or stretch before becoming pregnant, it is okay to start now.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Always check with your physician before starting any activity while pregnant
- Start slow: your doctor should be able to give you guidelines specific to you and your pregnancy
- Always listen to your body: the activity you do while you are pregnant is not for weight loss and nothing you do should hurt or be uncomfortable
- Avoid exercises that require you to lie on your back after the 1st trimester
- As our bellies get bigger, our center of gravity is off. Avoid exercises and activities that pose a risk to falling. Stick to walking, low impact aerobics and swimming
- Watch your body temperature – if you are hot it affects the baby’s development. Your body temperature should always stay below 101 degrees F.
Here are some of my favorite stretches I have done throughout my pregnancy:
What are some stretches that helped relieved some aches and pains during your pregnancy?
Photo credit: YoGeek Mami
