Image courtesy of fitsupermom.com

There are many health practices that are always a good idea, like eating right, sleeping well, and exercising, that are even more important during pregnancy.  Pregnancy is natural, it’s what a woman’s body was designed for, so it stands to reason that there aren’t that many extraordinary measures you have to take to care for yourself during pregnancy.  Just do the usual good things, only be more diligent and more careful about them.

This is especially true of exercise.  There used to be an idea that a pregnant woman had to take it easy, that she should avoid physical activity as much as possible.  That’s really not the case.  The stronger you are, the more toned your muscles are, the more healthy your heart and lungs are…the easier your pregnancy and childbirth are going to be.

Frankly, there’s not much you can’t do while pregnant.  There are no target heart rates, not level of exertion you can’t go above.  Abdominal exercises, once thought to be harmful, are now known to be beneficial.

There are a few things you should avoid in your regular exercise regimen.  They include:

• Don’t exercise lying flat on your back after the first trimester.  Any exercises you used to do lying down, you can modify to do standing up.
• Avoid exercises with deep muscle or joint movement, such as squats or lunges.  You’re off balance and carrying more weight than usual, and your joints are all wonky as they prepare for labor. 
• Be careful doing anything that requires balance after the 4th month.  Your center of gravity shifts, throwing you off balance easily.
• Avoid contact sports, like soccer.

That’s about it.  Besides those things, you can do whatever feels comfortable.  And you should do those things; your body has a hard job ahead of it, and you need to be giving it everything it needs.

Related posts:

1. What Not To Eat During Pregnancy
2. Getting Ready for Pregnancy: Your Couple Relationship
3. Getting Ready for Pregnancy: Financial Stuff
4. Getting Ready for Pregnancy: Your Emotional Life
5. Getting Ready for Pregnancy–Your Body