Last blog we looked at the benefits of exercising while pregnant, in this blog we are going to look at tips for exercising while pregnant as well as things to look out for and to be careful with while exercising.
Exercising is not dangerous for you and your baby as long as you have a healthy pregnancy and do not have any medical conditions to take into consideration. Always get clearance from your doctor before going ahead with exercise, and adjust your workouts as things in your pregnancy changes. You need to make sure you put safety and health first more than ever now while pregnant, you don’t want to push your limits during this time and you must listen to your body.
You may have to stop exercise if you do have complications, do not let this get you down as it is for you and your baby, and it isn’t forever you will be able to get back into exercise again in the future.

Tips for exercising while pregnant

1. Do not exhaust yourself - a light to moderate exercise program should be the aim. As a general rule, you should be able to hold a conversation as you exercise when pregnant. If you become breathless as you talk, then you are probably exercising too strenuously. You may need to slow down as your pregnancy progresses or if your doctor/obstetrician. advises you to. If you are in doubt at any time, consult your doctor.

2. Avoid raising your body temperature too high – for example, don’t soak in hot spas or exercise to the point of heavy sweating. Reduce your level of exercise on hot or humid days. Stay well hydrated.

3. If weight training, choose low weights and medium to high repetitions – avoid lifting heavy weights altogether.

4. Clean up your diet – include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, sensible amounts of lean protein, and just overall balanced diet.

5. Drink plenty of water – avoid caffeine and alcohol.

6. Always have any aches, pains, changes assessed and treated by your doctor/physiotherapist.

7. It is a good time to give up smoking.

8. Make sleep, rest and relaxation a priority.

9. Perform controlled stretching and avoid over-extending.

10. It is important to listen to your body - If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day, don’t! Avoid exercise if you are ill or feverish.

11. Don’t increase the intensity of your sporting program while you are pregnant, and always work at less than 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate.

In addition, if you develop an illness or a complication of pregnancy, talk with your doctor or midwife before continuing or restarting your exercise program.

If you experience any of the following during or after physical activity, stop exercising immediately and see your doctor:

headache
dizziness or feeling faint
heart palpitations
chest pain
swelling of the face, hands or feet
calf pain or swelling
vaginal bleeding
contractions
deep back, pubic or pelvic pain
cramping in the lower abdomen
walking difficulties
an unusual change in your baby’s movements
amniotic fluid leakage
unusual shortness of breath
excessive fatigue
muscle weakness.

Your pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy and during birth, so it is extremely important to begin conditioning the pelvic floor muscles from the start of your pregnancy (you can even start before your are pregnant).

The biggest thing to remember is that every pregnancy is different. You may have a different experience to what your friend had, or even difference between your own pregnancies and this is okay. Take one day at a time, and enjoy this experience, and if you don’t feel up to exercising or you get told to stop from your doctor, this is also okay, you are allowed to rest as your body needs.

Tips and what to look out for when exercising while pregnant