This article is a series of free pregnancy exercises. Remember the golden rule that we’re going to be applying in this case: Know what you can and
can’t do.
Really, this is the key to safe and beneficial exercise during a pregnancy, and as you’re about to see, a lot of the safety precautions that you can take revolve around knowing your limits and not going too far. Read More >>
As you would expect, these limits can vary drastically from person to person, depending on how
fit they were previously, and how much exercise they’re used to, as well as other factors.
Seeing as there’s no formula to follow, the truth of the matter is that no one can gauge your
limits better than you yourself can, and so you need to learn to do so. Partly, what we’re about
to discuss will help you do just that!
1. Do not overwork your body Number one on our list of precautions is really a simple and straightforward one. While at normal times, overworking your body is bad, during a pregnancy, it is even worse as there are so many changes within your body that need the extra energy.
Primarily, pay attention to your breathing. As you start to feel short of breath, it means that you’re pushing your body a little too much. During regular times, this can be done, but during a pregnancy, the minute you start to feel short of breath, you should scale back on whatever exercise you’re doing. Of course, there are other signs that you’re overworking your body, including dizziness, nausea, fatigue, lightheadedness, and a ‘chill’ feeling. If you experience any of those,
stop exercising, and take a break. Should you continue to feel such symptoms, you might need to even seek medical advice.
2. Avoid rigorous bouncing Any sort of exercise that involves a rigorous bouncing motion is definitely off the table during a pregnancy. Remember that when you’re bouncing, your baby is going to be bouncing too, and that movement is something that you don’t want to put him or her
through!
3. Avoid exercises that can cause abdominal trauma While some abdominal strengthening exercises are fine, anything that has the potential to cause trauma to your abdomen is definitely not. Steer clear of things that could potentially injure this delicate part of your body.
4. Maintain a correct and proper posture Posture is something that is extremely important during prenatal exercises, and you should always ensure that your pelvis is tilted and your back, straight. In line with this, you should also avoid exercises that can cause you to arch your back,
because coupled with the additional weight that you’re carrying in your belly, this could
end up causing injuries. Similarly, exercises that bring your feet to a level that is about your hips can be just as detrimental.
5. Start slowly No matter what level of exercise you may be used to, your pregnancy has caused your
circumstances to change, and you need to be willing to take that into account and gradually figure out just how far you can push yourself. Start slowly, no matter how much you’re used to strenuous exercise, and work your way back up!
6. Keep cool and hydrated One thing that is very important is that you constantly ensure that you don’t become overheated or dehydrated. Either of these can be detrimental to your unborn child, so
you should take pains to ensure that it isn’t a risk. Avoid exercising in hot or humid weather, and be sure to drink lots of water at all times. Also, wear light and breathable clothing that doesn’t cling to your body and cause you to build up more heat than you should.
7. Avoid exercises performed on your back Generally speaking, you should avoid all of these exercises after the first trimester, but avoiding them altogether is fine too. If you do exercise on your back, you’re opening yourself up to the risk of compressing an artery due to the additional weight of your baby, and this could end up restricting some vital blood flow.
8. Wear good shoes Now you might not think this is important, but believe us – it is. Good pairs of exercise shoes can help provide more than just comfort, and can absorb impact, provide traction,
and much needed support. All of these things are going to be helpful to ensure that your movements aren’t jarring to your child.
Based on these safety precautions, you should now have a very good idea of what you should
be looking out for, and avoiding.
As you can well imagine, any activity that has the potential to cause injury, such as contact
sports, or things like rollerblading where you might fall, are definitely also on the ‘avoid’ list
that you’ve come up with.
Equally on that list are activities at high altitudes, where the air is thinner and you’ll find that you’ll be constantly short of breath.
Likewise, diving, and other related activities that could cause additional pressure on your body,
are also out of the question.
Basically, if you think each exercise that you’re considering doing through, you should be able
to now determine whether or not it is okay for you to carry it out. If in doubt, you could always
consult your own medical expert.
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