Pregnancy Exercises To Keep You and Your Baby Healthy and Happy

The body produces more relaxin, loosening your ligaments and, therefore, increasing the risk of joint injuries.

As your baby grows, your body stores more fat in preparation for the production of breast milk. This translates to more noticeable weight gain.

According to the National Library of Medicine in the United States, pregnancy requires the heart and blood vessels to work harder with a 30-50% increase in blood volume to supply your and your baby’s needs. You are, therefore, expected to experience elevated heart rate and blood pressure throughout the prenatal period.

The most obvious benefit is the healthy management of weight. As you experience weight gain during your pregnancy, it is important that you become mindful of both your eating and physical habits as it affects your baby’s growth. Exercise helps you control your weight gain, thereby reducing the risk of gestational diabetes and other illnesses that may arise from weight gain.

Pregnancy changes your body’s natural state and this causes mild to severe discomfort. Taking regular exercises helps improve your blood circulation, therefore easing swelling and other common causes of these pregnancy discomforts. Targeted exercises focusing on strength and balance support good posture—one of the main concerns of expectant mothers—while enhancing muscle tone, strength, and endurance, so it is best to incorporate them in your exercise routine.

As your baby grows, you become more prone to fatigue, fluctuating moods, and irregular sleep. Regular physical activities help combat these as they release endorphins that ease fatigue and mood swings, and improve your sleep quality.

Swimming helps you move your heart rate up and exercise your muscles under the support of the water. This makes for less strain on your joints and less back pain due to your growing baby and experienced weight gain.

Resistance training allows you to slowly train your muscles and elevate your heart rate, supporting your body’s acquaintance with the increased blood pressure and heart rate that comes with pregnancy. However, when doing resistance training, avoid overestimating your strength and use only weights that are within your range. Otherwise, you are increasing the risks both for you and your baby.

Prenatal yoga is best for pregnant women as it consists of poses and exercises that are tailored for your growing one’s health as well as your own. This includes lying on your belly or flat on the back to help you move your muscles and maintain your flexibility and good posture. These exercises help ease the risks that you may experience during childbirth.

Taking a walk or a brisk walk is the safest activity, especially for beginners. It allows you to move your body with minimal strain on the joints and muscles while enjoying the benefits of similar low-intensity exercises.Remember to implement warm-up and cooldown activities before and after your exercise to make sure that your joints and muscles are in the best condition. Otherwise, you may experience extra strain on your joints and muscles that may pose further risks to your health.