How exciting it is to get the news that yes, you are expecting a baby! (At least for most of us, those were good words to hear!) Then the flood gates came down and in roared the thoughts of should I do this, should I do that, what will be good for my baby, what will not, can I eat tuna, will one glass of wine hurt, and finally will exercise cause a miscarriage.
You should always check with your doctor or midwife about exercise because they might prescribe something different if you are high risk or have specific health issues.
There are though, some general rules about exercising during your pregnancy.
First of all, don't start something new that you haven't done before.
Many women are afraid of gaining 50 lbs.
, so they want to start running as soon as they have a positive pregnancy test.
Not a good idea.
What is a good idea is to continue with the activity level you have been accustomed to pre-pregnancy.
Walking, jogging, swimming, yoga (especially!), skiing are all great forms of fitness that you can continue with.
Listen to your body though, if you are feeling exhausted, don't push it.
The first trimester is usually exhausting anyway, so most women don't feel like doing a lot of exercise.
If you have been doing a lot of cardio workouts prior to pregnancy and want to continue your regime, it is a good idea to invest in a heart rate monitor.
Check with you local running store and see if they'll rent one to you during pregnancy or search for a co-op that has pregnancy gear.
Your heart rate should not exceed 150.
Stretching is very important during pregnancy, muscles and tendons are being pushed and pulled, joints are loosening in preparation for birth and you need to take some quiet moments to work out the funny spots.
If you have a partner willing to give messages, consider yourself lucky for one, and two, make sure you take advantage of their skills during pregnancy.
I had the privilege of seeing a message therapist who specialized in serving pregnant women during my second pregnancy, and she was a godsend who made my life so much better! She was able to come to the birth because I was induced and worked on me for a bit before things got to intense.
I believe that was a huge contribution to a wonderfully pleasant labor and birth experience that lasted only 5 hours.
Swimming is another form of fitness that can feel like a treat during pregnancy.
The buoyancy of being in water can be so lightening and refreshing.
Even if you're just walking around in a pool, you are getting some fitness while feeling like that extra 50 lbs.
isn't really there.
Swimming laps is very healthy, be sure the water temperature isn't too high as you can easily overheat swimming laps.
Just keep it smooth and let the water carry you.
Your joints will love you for getting in the water.
Weight lifting is not highly recommended during pregnancy.
If you have been an avid weight lifter leading up to your pregnancy, check with your provider about continuing.
Typically, lifting heavy weights can injure stomach muscles during pregnancy and more severe complications can arise.
Yoga classes for pregnant women are offered all over the place.
I recommend searching for a yoga studio that you like and then see if they offer classes for pregnant women.
Yoga is a great way to not only work on stretching and flexibility, but it is a wonderful way to connect your body with your mind and spirit as well.
Making these connections, especially during a time when there may be some unknowns in your life can be so therapeutic.
Yoga should be peaceful and invigorating work, and if it's not, take a look at the practice, do you like the teacher's style, is the music peaceful, is the lighting soothing.
If you are doing a yoga dvd and are not feeling all of these connections, see if you can create that ambiance in your environment.
Keep a log of your fitness routines during pregnancy.
If you are not familiar with the term "pregnancy brain", please, let me inform you of this condition I was unaware of during my first pregnancy.
It is when we are more forgetful during those 10 months.
Could be do to less oxygen getting into our own brains, could be our minds are so focused on other issues, we lose track of everyday things, like the name of our next door neighbor, could be the beginning of middle age.
Whatever the cause, it appears to be a very real issue, and logging things like your exercise levels, will help you keep track of what feels good, what doesn't, what you liked about a particular walk, etc.
Keep fit and enjoy your pregnancy!
You should always check with your doctor or midwife about exercise because they might prescribe something different if you are high risk or have specific health issues.
There are though, some general rules about exercising during your pregnancy.
First of all, don't start something new that you haven't done before.
Many women are afraid of gaining 50 lbs.
, so they want to start running as soon as they have a positive pregnancy test.
Not a good idea.
What is a good idea is to continue with the activity level you have been accustomed to pre-pregnancy.
Walking, jogging, swimming, yoga (especially!), skiing are all great forms of fitness that you can continue with.
Listen to your body though, if you are feeling exhausted, don't push it.
The first trimester is usually exhausting anyway, so most women don't feel like doing a lot of exercise.
If you have been doing a lot of cardio workouts prior to pregnancy and want to continue your regime, it is a good idea to invest in a heart rate monitor.
Check with you local running store and see if they'll rent one to you during pregnancy or search for a co-op that has pregnancy gear.
Your heart rate should not exceed 150.
Stretching is very important during pregnancy, muscles and tendons are being pushed and pulled, joints are loosening in preparation for birth and you need to take some quiet moments to work out the funny spots.
If you have a partner willing to give messages, consider yourself lucky for one, and two, make sure you take advantage of their skills during pregnancy.
I had the privilege of seeing a message therapist who specialized in serving pregnant women during my second pregnancy, and she was a godsend who made my life so much better! She was able to come to the birth because I was induced and worked on me for a bit before things got to intense.
I believe that was a huge contribution to a wonderfully pleasant labor and birth experience that lasted only 5 hours.
Swimming is another form of fitness that can feel like a treat during pregnancy.
The buoyancy of being in water can be so lightening and refreshing.
Even if you're just walking around in a pool, you are getting some fitness while feeling like that extra 50 lbs.
isn't really there.
Swimming laps is very healthy, be sure the water temperature isn't too high as you can easily overheat swimming laps.
Just keep it smooth and let the water carry you.
Your joints will love you for getting in the water.
Weight lifting is not highly recommended during pregnancy.
If you have been an avid weight lifter leading up to your pregnancy, check with your provider about continuing.
Typically, lifting heavy weights can injure stomach muscles during pregnancy and more severe complications can arise.
Yoga classes for pregnant women are offered all over the place.
I recommend searching for a yoga studio that you like and then see if they offer classes for pregnant women.
Yoga is a great way to not only work on stretching and flexibility, but it is a wonderful way to connect your body with your mind and spirit as well.
Making these connections, especially during a time when there may be some unknowns in your life can be so therapeutic.
Yoga should be peaceful and invigorating work, and if it's not, take a look at the practice, do you like the teacher's style, is the music peaceful, is the lighting soothing.
If you are doing a yoga dvd and are not feeling all of these connections, see if you can create that ambiance in your environment.
Keep a log of your fitness routines during pregnancy.
If you are not familiar with the term "pregnancy brain", please, let me inform you of this condition I was unaware of during my first pregnancy.
It is when we are more forgetful during those 10 months.
Could be do to less oxygen getting into our own brains, could be our minds are so focused on other issues, we lose track of everyday things, like the name of our next door neighbor, could be the beginning of middle age.
Whatever the cause, it appears to be a very real issue, and logging things like your exercise levels, will help you keep track of what feels good, what doesn't, what you liked about a particular walk, etc.
Keep fit and enjoy your pregnancy!