Being pregnant is difficult—you’re not allowed to be severely stressed, carry objects with a heavy weight, eat certain foods, drink certain liquids, and all this while dealing with weight gain, insomnia, and extreme mood swings as well. That is why in order to live a healthy lifestyle while you’re in pregnancy, you should take multivitamins, get a lot of rest, and do daily exercises that can help you with muscle pain and stay fit. However strenuous exercises are not recommended as they can reduce blood flow to the fetus, so here are the best gentle exercises that you can do during your pregnancy to stay fit:
Brisk-walking
A simple exercise such as walking can aid in a better fitness while being pregnant. You can do it in a manner through a 20-30 minute brisk walk daily just to shed off a bit of the weight gain from pregnancy. Walking is great because it’s free, and it doesn’t need a gym membership and it works for both women who have never kept a workout lifestyle before and those who are used to staying fit but are prohibited from engaging in high-impacting exercises.
Yoga
There seems to be never-ending research on how yoga is found beneficial for people of all ages—even pregnant women! Not only does yoga help you with your flexibility, but it also strengthens your core muscles, which are vital in childbirth when the day of birth arrives. Aside from that, it will help you practice the right way of breathing to keep yourself and your muscles calm all throughout the whole process. With a heavier tummy, yoga can also improve your posture and thus, eliminating your tendencies of having back pains associated with pregnancy.
Swimming
Swimming is great for babies and the pregnant women alike—it’s natural, it’s safe, and it keeps you fit. Unlike other exercises, this is the one that requires the least bit of effort and yet has the same payoff when done right. You won’t have to worry about being covered in sweat as the swimming pool will keep you cool for the whole duration. Swimming strengthens your commonly-used muscles such as the upper and lower legs, hips, shoulders, and arms.
Pilates
Pilates can help improve your prenatal recovery and with the tendency of your body to release this hormone called relaxin that makes your ligaments become more flexible, causing you to become more prone to pelvic and lower back pain. By doing Pilates, you can strengthen your abdominal muscles, reducing your chances of suffering from back pain. Just like yoga, Pilates can also improve your posture.
Weight training
Though you may not be allowed to lift heavy weights, weight training is encouraged since it strengthens your stamina the most—one thing that you will need during labor and delivery. According to several studies, it may also be helpful for women with gestational diabetes and can reduce the risk of macrosomia among newborn babies.
While there may be a lot of restrictions imposed upon pregnant women, no one can stop you from doing daily exercises to stay fit. While you are at it, it is vital that you apply for pregnancy coverage to save money for prenatal care, delivery, and other medical costs that will follow. You will have enough time to prepare for everything until the day arrives that you’ll finally meet your baby.
