Your Guide to Exercising While Pregnant

Exercising during pregnancy will help you have an easier labour, reduce stress and prevent backache. Here’s a guide to doing so safely and effectively:

Before you start, seek the advice of your obgyn before you start any exercise programme

Exercising Safely

Do:

- If you exercise regularly, you can continue with your usual exercise routine with some modifications

- Women who are less fit should start slowly and progress gradually as you become stronger

- Wear comfortable outfits for exercising

- Remember to breathe while exercising

- Stop immediately and consult your obgyn if you experience vaginal bleeding, unusual pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain or uterus contractions during exercise

- Wear a heart rate monitor while working out

Essential Exercises

Do:

- Combine various exercises, ranging from flexibility exercises like yoga to cardio exercises such as swimming and walking

- Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and reduce incontinence caused by the weight of your baby on your bladder

- Exercises to strengthen your upper back, core and leg muscles 

- Breathing exercises to prepare for birth and delivery

- Train your biceps and triceps to prepare you to carry and care for your newborn

Don’t:

- Work out to the point of exhaustion

- Exceed a heart rate of 140bpm while working out

- Do exercises that involve sudden movements, bouncing or that have a high risk of abdominal injury