Changing Your Workout Routine While You’re Pregnant

Changing Your Workout Routine While You’re Pregnant

You’re pregnant! Congratulations! It doesn’t matter if this is your first or fifth baby; it’s always exciting as you consider the new life forming inside of your body. Many changes are in store for you, some wanted and some unwanted.

One change you will need to consider is your workout routine. In many cases, you may continue to workout as you normally would before pregnancy. The most important thing is asking your doctor if this is ok to do. In many cases, you can continue, but it must be modified in some ways.

There are other workouts you may want to begin when you know you’re pregnant to prepare you for giving birth. Please talk with us at Solace Women’s Care before you begin any of these to ensure that your body is ready for these. You can read more about reasons why it may not be right to exercise during pregnancy here. Here are some exercises that you CAN do while you are pregnant.

• Kegel Exercises – These exercises help ease many of the discomforts associated with late pregnancy. It helps strengthen your pelvic floor muscles that support your uterus, bladder and bowels.  You can do this exercise in a couple different ways. While urinating, try to stop your flow of urine. This uses your vaginal muscle and this is the muscle you are targeting with these exercises. Contract your pelvic floor muscle and hold for three to 10 seconds. Or, you can quickly contract and relax it 25-50 times in a row.
• Pelvic Tilts - This exercise strengthens your abs. This helps relieve backache that is common to pregnant women and ease your delivery. To do this exercise it is very similar to a cat pose in yoga. Get on your hands and knees and extend your back up like an angry cat. Release your back and keep it flat. Do not allow your stomach to sag on the release. Try doing this for 10 repetitions.

Come see us at Solace Women’s Care for us to help guide you through all your needs and questions during your pregnancy.