Human pregnancy is a period of approximately 40 weeks that elapses from the implantation of the zygote in the uterus, until delivery where the final birth of the baby occurs. Throughout these 10 months, the human body undergoes multiple physical, metabolic and even morphological changes. If you do not lower your period, in addition, it may be a symptom that you are pregnant. If you do not follow a well-planned preparation plan with a face and eyes, you can suffer excessively. However, during this long period of time, it is especially advisable to perform sports and carry out the well-known exercises for pregnant women.
What are exercises for pregnant women?
You just found out that you are pregnant and that, at last, you are going to fulfill the long-awaited dream of being a mother. The first feeling that comes to mind is that of total joy. However, as you assimilate it, you begin to have doubts. Will I be able to continue with my daily routine that I did until now? Will I be able to continue playing sports as I did before pregnancy? You also wonder if, on the other hand, exercise can be harmful to the baby’s gestation and ovulation calendar.
First of all, it is necessary to emphasize that doing sport is not contraindicated. Moreover, it is absolutely recommended for both the mother and the future baby. We should not be afraid to maintain our usual routine, or to introduce new exercises for pregnant women gradually. Exercise can give us a better state of health and help us not gain too much weight due to pregnancy. It can even strengthen the muscles and prepare our body for childbirth, in addition to helping us psychologically due to increasing our optimism.
Obviously, before starting any type of training plan it is advisable to go to a specialist. If we do not have serious medical problems that may put our pregnancy at risk, exercise can be carried out. However, each human body is a world and, therefore, it is better to make sure beforehand by visiting a doctor.
Benefits of exercising while pregnant
However, performing exercises for pregnant women will serve as a bridge to reach the delivery room in the best physical conditions and with a positive mentality. Thus, it is highly recommended not to abandon our training during the gestation period. The most prominent benefits are the following:
- Physical exercise favors childbirth. It prepares the muscles for the moment of delivery, and reduces pain during the duration of said delivery.
- Decreases low back pain. It strengthens the muscles of the back and helps better to support the greater weight on the trunk.
- Prevents the possible appearance of diabetes in pregnant women. It controls the body’s sugar levels and improves the overall health of the pregnant woman.
- It helps control the patient’s weight gain. Excessive weight gain can be harmful and painful for pregnant women. Therefore, sports practice is the ideal method for exhaustive weight control.
- Improves the growth of the placenta. Performing physical exercise also allows the athlete to provide a healthier and healthier pregnancy process, allowing a better birth of the future baby.
- It has multiple psychological benefits. Pregnancy is a long process, almost a year, and with numerous ups and downs. Therefore, it is important to feel sheltered by your loved ones, but also to have sport as an escape route. Physical exercise will help keep your morale high and optimistic mindset.
- However, in addition to visiting a doctor to stipulate whether it is possible to perform sports and in what quantity, you also have to take precautions. Before any symptom of fatigue of the pregnant woman it is essential to stop and rest. Physical exercise is as beneficial as it is harmful, if it is not done correctly and in its proper measure. Therefore, it is better to follow a good prevention plan and avoid possible dislikes.
How to perform exercises for pregnant women
- Once you are clear that exercises for pregnant women are recommended, we will give you some recommendations about what are the best techniques to prepare a better pregnancy before the birth of the baby. Pregnancy does not change people. The physical capacity remains the same. For example, if a person has never practiced swimming, because they are pregnant, swimming will not be the best option. We must remain faithful to our usual principles. If we have never exercised, or do not practice it regularly, walking is a good option to start. It does not require preconditions, and at a leisurely pace is suitable for all cases.
- Walking is one of the most recommended physical activities since it can be done throughout childbirth, both in the initial and final part. Even in recent weeks, it is especially recommended as it helps to favor the natural arrival of the baby. It also helps control possible weight gain, in addition to circulatory and digestive problems. In this sense, cycling is also highly recommended, although only until the fifth or sixth week of our delivery. From here, the volume of the pregnant woman’s belly can cause an imbalance and fall. It allows you to relax and distract, on a psychological level, as well as helping to tone the body.
- Water should be another of our great allies if we are looking for physical exercises for pregnant women. Being submerged allows us to reduce weight and, therefore, the possibility of injuring and hurting ourselves. The temperature of the water also prevents the body from overheating. And, this, accompanied by aquagym physical exercises will provide improvements in all senses, both muscular, circulatory and respiratory. Performing swimming exercises is also highly recommended. However, if we do not like to be in the water there are also other terrestrial options.
- Other training plans focus on improving body posture, another key factor in pregnant women. Performing yoga exercises will allow the prevention of possible back pain, in addition to improving the management of the digestive system, nervous tension and providing the fetus with a better state of health. More from a spiritual point of view, it provides moments of relaxation for the mother, and feels more the baby favoring communication and a better bond before birth. Similar advantages to yoga also provide pilates exercises. However, seek good advice since all those exercises that can exert too high pressure on the belly are not allowed.
Finally, if you are looking for something relaxing, and that you can do at home, opt for a stretching program, especially in the area of the head and spine, which are the ones that suffer the most during the gestation period. This type of activities can be combined with other types of exercises that favor flexibility and muscle toning, in addition to the legs and abdominals. Even kegel exercises and squatting exercises are also highly recommended. In fact, in multiple classes of preparation for childbirth they are the star dish. Following a training plan tailored to you, including some of these exercises for pregnant women, will help you enjoy a less suffered birth, with greater self-esteem and will allow the baby to be born in the best conditions and can enjoy a happy life by your side.