Top Tips for Prenatal Exercise

An article from BabyZone.com

By Nicole Palacios BSc, ACE If you enjoy working out, you won't want to stop just because you're pregnant. When I learned I was expecting my first child, I was ready to maintain my current workouts without slowing down. I was determined not to get stretch marks or gain too much weight and figured that if I continued my exercise routine throughout pregnancy, I wouldn't have much work to do after the baby was born. That was a bit too optimistic. Why You Should Exercise Working out during pregnancy allows you to maintain a good level of health and fitness, which can help you during pregnancy and beyond. Realistic goals are important—now is not the time for losing pounds or inches, nor is it the time to try new things. If you've been exercising for a while, you should be able to continue with your doctor's consent. If you don't normally exercise, it's important to keep your workouts basic. "The big thing I tell women is that pregnancy is not the time to all of a sudden begin an exercise program," says Dr. Robert Atlas, MD, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. "If they enter pregnancy with a program that is fine, however to enter not doing anything and think this is the time to do heavy exercises is wrong." Depending on your current level of fitness, your prenatal workouts will vary. If you are a runner, you can continue to run at a pace that suits you. Your body will be the determining factor—if it doesn't want to go for 45 minutes anymore, it will tell you. If you didn't run before pregnancy, now is not the time to start. Stick to walking on the treadmill, recumbent cycling, or another form of non-ballistic exercise. Swimming is always a good choice as it keeps your body cool and your joints won't take a beating. Don't forget that you are still expending energy—stay hydrated before and after any type of aerobic exercise. What Should You Avoid? The popular stair climber cardio machine should not be your first choice for exercise, according to Dr. Atlas. He says that pregnant women are already becoming clumsier, and being on a moving machine that requires balance is not the safest way to exercise. Barbara Dehn, RN, MS, NP, author of Your Personal Guide to Pregnancy, also prefers her clients avoid the stair climber, explaining that there may be pain in the round or broad ligaments due to the legs going up and down and pulling on the ligaments. "Because the ligaments around the uterus stretch so much, some women may have some discomfort; and those ligaments get stretched anyway so that might just exacerbate it," Dehn says. Squats should also be avoided, Dehn says, because of both the weight of the uterus and the gravitational and exertional pressure on the pelvic floor. She adds that increased pressure on the bladder can increase the likelihood of hemorrhoids and even incontinence. Prenatal personal trainer Anna Ostashevskaya-Gohstand tells her clients to avoid "any exercises that involve double-leg raises and full sit-ups, as they can lead to diastasis recti (abdominal muscle separation)." She also advises them to stay away from adductor/abductor machines since, if used improperly, they can cause problems and pain at the symphysis pubis—the joint connecting the two halves of the pelvis. And lastly, Dehn adds that if you're past your fifth month of pregnancy you should avoid exercises on your back; lying on your side is your best bet. Free Weights or Machines? Pregnancy should not hinder you from enjoying your regular weight-lifting regimen, minus some of the intensity. As you get bigger in the middle and more unbalanced, the exercises you were doing pre-pregnancy may not be as safe. Decreasing the weight and doing more repetitions (12 to 15) is advised, Dehn says, as long as you're comfortable with the free weights and doing the exercises properly. Dehn also encourages her patients to continue upper-body exercises during pregnancy because a strong upper body will be helpful once you have a growing baby (and infant seat!) in tow. Free-weight exercises done sitting in a chair with back support such as bicep curls, lateral shoulder raises, and triceps overhead extensions are all good upper-body choices. Make sure you are breathing steadily and not holding your breath. Ostashevskaya-Gohstand prefers a light free-weights program for clients with no discomfort in their joints, as she says they get "extra benefits like core strengthening and balance training." Don't compromise your balance doing standing exercises, such as walking lunges, with hand weights. With the increase of the hormone relaxin, both hip and ankle joints become loose and will not give you the support you need. Additionally, your center of gravity has shifted and you won't be as stable. Weight machines such as the leg extension, seated leg curl, lat pull, incline bench press, triceps push down, and seated shoulder press are all good choices for prenatal exercises. Always make sure that your back is supported and your weight is centered. Floor Work Pregnancy tends to put weight on in some areas more than others. Although it is impossible to take fat off one area alone, combining aerobic exercise and specific outer/inner thigh and hip exercises can decrease the chances of excess fat being stored on the hips and buttocks. Abdominal exercises can still be done, but not traditional crunches. Hand and knee cat stretches and using a fitness ball can help keep your abs strong. Floor exercises such as side leg lifts, hip rotation, and inner-thigh lifts can keep your legs toned and fit. You can also do many exercises seated in a chair using rubber tubing. Make sure you are comfortable in whichever position you choose—your body can tell you best how it feels. Any shortness of breath, dizziness, sharp pains in the pelvic region, nausea, or swelling of your hands, feet, or ankles is not normal, and is a sign you should stop exercising and consult with your doctor. Exercising throughout pregnancy should not add extra stress to your life. Instead, if done safely and effectively, it should help you release stress, stay healthy, and have a more enjoyable pregnancy.