Exercise on a regular basis not
only helps you overcome many of the physical challenges but also offers many
health benefits throughout your pregnancy.
Exercise increases the brain’s production of serotonin, dopamine and
endorphins, which are brain chemicals to balance mood swings, reduce stress,
and promote positivity.
Exercise enhances body posture, which ultimately affects breathing.
Exercise improves heart and lung functions.
Exercise reduces digestive discomfort.
Exercise strengthens muscles, relieves muscle aches and cramps.
Exercise controls weight gain.
Exercise provides stamina to get through the long hours in labor.
Exercise helps faster recovery from childbirth.
The
Dos and Don’ts of Exercise
Do exercise on a regular basis.
Do exercise safely based on your physical fitness level.
Do exercise to maintain, and not to improve, your physical fitness.
Do exercise preferably with a friend or your partner.
Do keep your breathing even and regular throughout the exercise.
Do maintain a healthy body temperature throughout the exercise, especially
in the first trimester (why: a core temperature of over 39.2°C may harm the
baby).
Don’t over-exercise or push yourself to the limit.
Don’t exercise with the intention of losing weight.
Don’t exercise with reduction in fetal movement.
Don’t exercise with respiratory disorders, or cardiovascular diseases, such
as high blood pressure.
Don’t exercise when bleeding occurs.
Don’t exercise when diagnosed with severe anemia (due to lack of iron in
the blood).
Don’t exercise when diagnosed with placenta previa (a low-lying
placenta, diagnosed in routine scan after 20 weeks).
Don’t exercise when diagnosed with an incompetent cervix (a high risk for
miscarriage in the second trimester).
Do
Select the Right Exercise
Stretching
Stretching is one of the best
exercises during pregnancy. It focuses on flexibility, which plays a pivotal
role in body balance, posture, physical fitness, and overall well-being.
Flexibility, one of the essential components of fitness, is much needed during
pregnancy. Unlike many other physical exercises that emphasize fitness strength
and endurance, stretching focuses on reducing muscle tension and the potential
for fall. Stretching also emphasizes correct breathing which is essential to a
healthy pregnancy, especially during labor.
Do get the book STRETCHING by
Simon Frost (Barnes & Noble).The book provides many simple and
easy-to-follow illustrations of how to perform many different stretch exercises
to attain total flexibility of different types of muscles to help labor and
childbirth.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient exercise that
teaches body awareness through breathing and relaxation, thereby instrumental
in facilitating labor and childbirth.
Yoga poses relax the mind and
relieve muscle tension. Certain yoga poses also help indigestion and
constipation frequently experienced during pregnancy.
Walking
Walking is an ideal exercise,
especially during the first two trimesters.
Do practice awareness walking,
which is walking with full attention to what you are doing—noticing the
movement of your limbs, the shifting of your body weight as you move your right
and left foot. Awareness walking enhances your concentration and mental focus,
which play a pivotal role during labor and childbirth.
Don’t walk while talking on the
cell phone, or listening to music. Avail the opportunity to focus on
your body, or any subliminal message you have created, such as “I’m
going to have a healthy baby.”
Weight Training
Weight training is ideal for
building strength and toning muscles.
Do breathe out when exerting
muscles, and do breathe in when relaxing.
Don’t overstrain muscles, and
don’t overdo it.
Kegel Exercise
Do exercise your pelvic-floor
muscles throughout your pregnancy by doing Kegel exercise. To locate
your pelvic-floor muscles, try stopping the flow of your urine midstream.
Do squeeze
your Kegel muscles anytime and anywhere—even while driving. Squeeze,
hold for a count of 5, and then let go.
Don’t do the exercise during
urination.
Kegel exercises has many
benefits for labor and delivery, including:
Strengthening the muscles in the vagina area to prepare for the birth of
the baby.
Strengthening the perineal area to avoid tearing of the vaginal
opening during delivery.
Stephen Lau
