Exercise you can do when pregnant
Exercising is important especially when you are pregnant. There are lots of things that you can't do when you are pregnant, including many exercises. But here are some that you can do, will help keep you in shape, and will keep you feeling great.
First off, do those kegel exercises. They may seem annoying, but they will help you when you go into labor. When you do kegels pretend that you are trying to keep in gas or urine. When you contract the muscles, hold while you count to five slowly and then release. Repeat ten times. You should do 5 sets of kegels a day. You shouldn't move your leg, abdominal, or rear muscles when you do them.
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Any time you exercise, take it slow. If you can't do something or you start to bleed or your ankles swell up, more than normal, stop. Don't do too much. If you can't talk while you are working out, you are probably doing too much. Remember to warm up and cool down each time for at least 5 minutes.
You can still run for a while. Ask your doctor how much, how hard, and if you should at all. He will help you know how much you can do and when it is time to stop. Also, walk a lot. If you have other children, go on walks with them. If not, go on romantic walks with your husband. It will help you again, during labor, will be fun, and will help to keep you in shape and moving.
Do stretching exercises. They will help relax you and keep you from feeling too stiff. Rotate your neck and ankles. Slowly rotate them and try going further or longer each time.
Try going to the pool. Swimming will give you a great work out and is also relaxing. Don't do too hard of exercises and don't swim too many laps, but it is a great way to stay in shape.
There are tons of workout tapes. And tons for women who are pregnant. If you love doing things like pilates, and don't want to sign up for a class, buy a tape. They are great and will help keep you working out. If you are doing something like this, don't do any exercises on your back after the first trimester. It will put pressure on the main blood vessel to your heart.
Drink lots of water while you are exercising. You need it not only because you are pregnant, but because you are working your body harder. Keep a water bottle or glass nearby and sip every couple minutes. It will help keep you hydrated and will help to keep you from hurting yourself. Remember, when you are exercising, don't push yourself too much. You can harm yourself and the baby. It is better to not exercise too much and only walk and do kegels than to do too much and end up hurting yourself or your baby. Exercise is important, but while you are pregnant, it is more important to keep your baby healthy and yourself healthy than to push yourself to do one more push up. It isn't about you anymore, but it's about the baby.
