Desert Storks

PREGNANCY AND EXERCISE

September 1, 2007 on 7:07 pm | In Antenatal |

Regular exercise during pregnancy can prepare your body for labour and the demands of a new baby. Caring for a newborn can be stressful and physically demanding, so it helps to be fit and strong.

You may need to modify your existing exercise program or choose a suitable new exercise program if you were sedentary before conceiving. Suggestions for exercise during pregnancy include walking, swimming and supervised classes such as yoga or tai chi. Pelvic floor exercises are also important before, during and after pregnancy.

Always consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t harm you or your unborn baby.

If you have high blood pressure, multiple foetuses, increased risk of premature labour, pre-eclampsia or heart disease, you should seek advice from your doctor. You may be advised to limit or avoid physical activity.

Benefits of physical activity during pregnancy
Some of the benefits of exercising regularly throughout your pregnancy include:

Resistance to fatigue.

Stronger back muscles, which can help manage back pain and strain as your belly grows.

Improved posture.

Smaller gain of body fat.

Stress relief.

Improved sleep and management of insomnia.

Preparation for the physical demands of labour.

Faster recuperation after labour.

Faster return to pre-pregnancy fitness and healthy weight.

Increased ability to cope with physical demands of motherhood.

The bodily changes associated with pregnancy
Pregnancy affects the way your body responds to exercise, including:

Hormones such as relaxin soften ligaments, which could increase your risk of joint injuries (for example, sprains).

Your growing belly will push your centre of gravity forwards, affecting your balance.

The average weight gain during pregnancy is 10 kg to 15 kg. This extra weight puts greater strain on your joints and muscles.

Pregnancy boosts your resting heart rate, so pre-pregnancy heart rate targets during exercise are no longer reliable.

Your blood pressure drops in the second trimester, so it is important to avoid activities that involve fast changes of position.

Your growing baby needs oxygen, so never exercise to the point of breathlessness.

Suggested activities
Activities and exercises that are recommended for pregnant women include:

Exercise in water (aquarobics)

Walking

Swimming

Yoga

Stretching

Dancing

Pilates

Cycling on a stationary bicycle

Pregnancy exercise classes.

General exercise suggestions
Be guided by your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional, but general suggestions include:

Aim for four exercise sessions per week.

Don’t try to exercise too far beyond your current fitness level.

Warm up thoroughly for at least 10 minutes.

Exercise on soft surfaces, such as grass or carpet.

Maintain a moderate intensity – a general rule of thumb is to keep your heart rate below 140 beats per minute.

If exercising in water, keep your heart rate below 125 beats per minute.

Do no more than 20 minutes of vigorous activity per exercise session, and keep an eye on your heart rate.

Rest frequently, especially if you are feeling breathless.

Don’t hold your breath – as a rule, breathe out through the movements that need the most effort.

Change positions carefully and slowly.

Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.

Cool down thoroughly for at least 10 minutes.

Include gentle stretching in your exercise program – aim for slow, sustained stretches and avoid ‘bouncing’.

Monitor your body temperature – if you are feeling too hot slow down your activity and take in some water.

Wear multiple layers of clothing that you can remove, rather than one bulky layer. Choose natural fibres such as cotton.

Wear a supportive bra.

Have at least two rest days every week.

Exercises to avoid
Exercises to avoid during pregnancy include:

Outdoor cycling, rollerblading or vigorous stretching.

Contact sports, trampolining or activities that carry a risk of falling.

Competition sports, depending on the stage of pregnancy, the level of competition and your level of fitness.

After about the fourth month of pregnancy, avoid exercises that involve lying on your back. The weight of your baby can compress your main artery. This will lower your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy and light-headed.

In the later stages of pregnancy, activities that involve jolting or jarring the body, such as running and jumping, or that demand rapid changes of direction.

The level of exertion will depend on your level of fitness but even fit athletes should only exercise at moderate levels of intensity.

General cautions
Be guided by your doctor or physiotherapist, but general cautions include:

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.

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

Don’t exercise if you are ill or feverish.

If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day – then don’t! It is important to listen to your body to avoid unnecessarily depleting your energy reserves.

Pelvic floor exercises
The pelvic floor muscles are tightly slung between the tailbone (coccyx) and the pubic bone, and support the bladder, uterus, vagina and bowel. Weak pelvic floor muscles can’t adequately support these organs, and could cause problems including incontinence and prolapsed uterus.

The weight of the growing baby puts excessive strain on the pelvic floor muscles, but you can perform simple exercises to help avoid future problems. Urethral muscles are those that stop urine in mid-flow, and the anal sphincter is responsible for ‘holding on’ when you need to pass a bowel motion. You can feel the muscles around your vagina by inserting a finger and squeezing or practice stopping your urine mid-flow.

Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor include:

Squeeze your muscles slowly and hold for up to 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Perform quick, strong squeezes. Repeat 10 times.

Squeeze the muscles whenever you sneeze, cough or clear your throat.

Abdominal exercises
Strong abdominal muscles support your spine. It is important to keep your abdominal muscles strong, particularly during the third trimester when the size and weight of your baby are rapidly increasing. Suggestions include:

Concentrate on drawing your belly button towards your spine.

Breathe out while pulling in your belly.

Hold the position and count to 10. Relax, and breathe in.

Repeat 10 times, as many times per day as you are capable.

You can perform this exercise sitting, standing, or on your hands and knees.

Consider doing your abdominal exercises and pelvic floor exercises at the same time.

Avoid conventional ‘crunches’ or sit-ups that involve lying on your back and drawing your ribcage and pelvis together.

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

Headache

Dizziness

Heart palpitations

Chest pain

Swelling of the face, hands or feet

Calf pain or swelling

Vaginal bleeding

Contractions

Deep back or pubic pain

Cramping in the lower abdomen

Walking difficulties

An unusual change in your baby’s movements

Amniotic fluid leakage.

Deciding against exercise
You may decide against exercise during your pregnancy. Perhaps you are experiencing severe and sustained morning sickness or you may have other problems (such as heart disease, hypertension, anaemia, pre-eclampsia or increased risk of premature labour) that prevent you from being physically active.

Consult with your doctor or health care professional for suggestions on how to keep yourself and your baby healthy.

Where to get help

Your doctor

Physiotherapist

National Continence Helpline Tel. 1800 330 066

Things to remember

Consult with your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t cause harm to you or your unborn baby.

If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day – then don’t! It is important to listen to your body to avoid depleting your energy reserves.

If you have hypertension, multiple foetuses, increased risk of premature labour, pre-eclampsia or heart disease, it may be best to avoid exercise.