You're pregnant. Everybody and their great aunt must be calling you with questionable advice. Cutting your hair while pregnant? Totally safe. But if your second cousin twice removed told you that eating citrus while pregnant will make your baby smarter, she may be onto something.
Doctors recommend that pregnant women get 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But working out while growing a human can prove to a be a challenge for those juggling perpetual exhaustion, morning sickness, and — you know — everyday life.
Fortunately, most women find reprieve from the struggles of early pregnancy when they hit the beginning of the second trimester, as noted by Medical News Today. Yes, relief is on the way, mama — and you could feel an uptick in energy or an end to nausea any day now. This is when exercise becomes a whole lot less daunting.
Of course, just as you get back into the swing of things, your sports bra and leggings stop fitting, and your burgeoning belly gets in the way of all your favorite moves. The struggle is real, but there are lots of reasons to stay physically active despite some difficulties. The American Pregnancy Association notes that prioritizing fitness in pregnancy helps to improve circulation, reduce pain, bolster mood, and prepare the body for labor. But what exercises are you cleared for and which ones should you forgo until after pregnancy? Turns out there's a lot of things pregnant women need to know about fitness. Here are exercises to do while pregnant, as well as exercises to avoid.
Do go on walks while pregnant
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What's more, according to Mayo Clinic, walking is an ideal choice as "it provides moderate aerobic conditioning with minimal stress on your joints." Better yet, it helps foster heart health while toning up your muscles, according to Parents. Liz Neporent, author of Fitness Walking for Dummies, told the magazine that exercising during pregnancy can help expecting women in their near future. "A stronger mom will have an easier time meeting the demands of motherhood," Neporent said. She also inferred that walking can be therapeutic since it is "something you can do just for yourself before you have to focus on your baby."
In short, walking is good for the body, mind, and soul, and is a great exercise to do while pregnant. And you might as well get used to it — you are going to be pushing a stroller down the street in no time.
Don't do crunches or other ab workouts while pregnant
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And while you will want to avoid crunches, sit ups, and other typical six-pack-producing exercises, the experts at What to Expect suggest doing pelvic tilts to "engage your deeper transverse abdominus muscles." In this easy exercise, lay down on your back with knees pointed upwards and your feet on the ground. Simply lift your pelvis off the floor, while pressing your lower back toward the ground. Then slowly release.
Do prenatal yoga to keep your body and mind healthy while pregnant
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Additionally, Heidi Kristoffer, founder of CrossFlowX, told Greatist that yoga breathing alone makes it a worthy choice for expecting women. She suggested some specific poses to help relieve the common pains of pregnancy. To help alleviate belly weight, she likes "wide-knee child's pose" and "cat-cow pose." For an achy back, she advised doing simple hip-opening exercises like "ankle-to-knee pose," a seated position similar to sitting cross-legged.
If you are new to yoga, stick with a prenatal-specific practice. Experienced yogis, however, are generally able to keep up with more advanced poses, according to Verywell Fit; however, pregnant women should tell their yoga instructors about their pregnancy and should never perform poses that make them uncomfortable. No matter the experience level you have, you are going to need that zen frame of mind when your baby comes along.
Don't do hot yoga while pregnant
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A study published in Canadian Family Physician in 2014 noted that, while there are no existing studies that center around the practice of hot yoga during pregnancy, high heat levels could lead to hyperthermia, which is associated with an "increased risk of neural tube defects and possibly of other malformations among fetuses."
Livestrong also argues that excessive sweating could be dangerous to pregnant women as "fluid losses increase your heart rate and decrease blood volume, potentially causing fetal stress." Furthermore, as women experience "joint laxity caused by the hormones" during pregnancy, the intense heat might enable her to stretch too far or push her physical boundaries, potentially causing injury. In short, consider hot yoga one of the exercises to avoid while pregnant.
Do go swimming throughout your pregnancy
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In addition to the physical benefits of swimming, there are other perks to this pregnancy activity. The American Pregnancy Association recommends relaxing or gently swimming in a pool to help alleviate edema, or the swelling of extremities during pregnancy. So get on that maternity swimsuit and show off that beautiful big belly.
Don't do traditional leg lifts and other moves that require you to lay on your back while pregnant
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Still, that does not mean you have to abandon all your favorite workout moves. BabyCenter suggests propping your upper body slightly with a pillow so that you can comfortably perform some of your favorite exercises without putting pressure on the vena cava. A slight physical modification or the use of certain workout tools — like a wedge or yoga ball — can be the difference in making an ill-advised exercise a smart option for pregnant women.
Do prepare for labor by practicing squats with a yoga ball while pregnant
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You can make this move a bit easier with the help of a yoga ball and the support of a wall. Simply, place a yoga ball between your back and the wall. "Slide down the wall until your knees reach a 90-degree angle, being careful to keep your heels flat on the floor," Mayo Clinic advises. 'If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can..." Then get back up, and start all over again. The goal should be to get to a place where you can do about ten of these squats in a row. As per Mayo Clinic's suggestion, you should have a spotter present to prevent falls.
Don't perform twisting exercises while pregnant
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Additionally, your pregnant body experiences a surge in the hormone relaxin, which helps foster free movement and gets the body ready for the work of labor and delivery. But, as noted by Yoga International, expecting women need to ensure they do not overstretch to the point of injury since this hormonal surge makes the ligaments looser and more relaxed.
Do perform light weight training while pregnant
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Toning with weights can help sculpt the body and keep you in shape during pregnancy; plus, there could be additional benefits. BabyCenter noted that there have been studies that show "weight training may help women with gestational diabetes manage their condition," potentially eliminating the need for insulin.
Of course, whether you are weight training to stay active or to control your insulin dependence, you will want to listen to your body and take some extra precautions. BabyCenter advises women to carry free weights with care to ensure they don't accidentally hit their belly.
Don't participate in contact sports while pregnant
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While this advice may seem obvious, the line is a bit blurred when we are talking about professional athletes. As noted by Sports MD, some pros keep competing despite a growing baby bump, including Olympic gold medal winner and volleyball superstar Kerry Walsh.
Additionally, per Parents, amateur athletes should note that the release of the hormone relaxin during pregnancy loosens up ligaments which could make you less confident on your feet while playing sports, and the change in your center of gravity — with a large belly leading your body — might further affect balance.
Do maintain your pace if you're a regular runner while pregnant
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The online destination for expecting moms also recommends that a pregnant runner should invest in a quality pair of comfortable sneakers, a new sports bra that fully supports her growing assets, and maybe even a maternity belly belt. Furthermore, the site advises that you should "shift your focus from clocking miles to logging minutes, zeroing in on perceived effort and not maximal heart rate."
Don't do any exercise activities where you could fall while pregnant
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Parents warns that these athletic endeavors are extra dangerous after pregnant women hit the 20-week mark because "when the uterus extends past the pelvis, falling on your abdomen could cause premature labor, separation of the placenta from the baby, or a fetal injury." Instead, the magazine suggests ski bunnies try light cross-country skiing or easy snowshoeing.
Do keep up with kegel exercises while pregnant
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To clarify, doing Kegels alone isn't going to cut it when it comes to getting in that 30-minute cardio session. But this simple contract-and-release exercise can help to make the muscles of the pelvic floor stronger — which will hopefully set you up for an easier time laboring and delivering a baby, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Plus, giving these muscles a regular workout can help "minimize two common problems during pregnancy: decreased bladder control and hemorrhoids." Keeping up with Kegels before welcoming a baby can set you up for a smoother recovery process, according to WebMD. That is because Kegels "promote the healing of perineal tissue," encourage those aforementioned pelvic floor muscles to "return to a healthy state, and increase urinary control."
Don't do CrossFit or other high-impact workouts while pregnant
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Want to try a safer exercise that can get both feet off the ground? Get out a good old-fashioned jumprope. Dr. Iffath Hoskins, an obstetrician-gynecologist in New York City, told The Bump that "jumping rope is a good form of cardio and helps create good balance and flexibility of the muscles and joints." She advises you wait until the second trimester to take up this activity, and "start with a running motion (one foot in front of other while using the rope) as it will cause less jarring; it's more like jogging but with a rope."
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