Yoga/Exercise in Pregnancy

A regular exercise routine throughout your pregnancy can help you stay healthy and feel your best. 

How can I stay fit?

Regular exercise during pregnancy can improve your posture and decrease some common discomforts such as backaches, constipation, bloating, swelling, and fatigue. Exercise can also increase mood and assist with sleep. Being fit during pregnancy means safe, mild to moderate exercise at least 3 times a week, unless you have been otherwise advised by your physician.

If you were physically active before your pregnancy, you should be able to continue your activity in moderation. Don’t try to exercise at your former level. Instead, do what’s most comfortable for you now. Stay within 70 percent of your target heart rate (target heart rate can be measured at 220 minus your current age).

If you have never exercised regularly before, you can safely begin an exercise program during pregnancy after consulting with your healthcare provider. If you did not exercise 3 times a week before getting pregnant, do not try a new, strenuous activity. Start with a low-intensity activity and gradually move to a higher activity level.

Is exercise safe for everyone?

Every pregnant woman should consult with her healthcare provider before beginning an exercise program. Your healthcare provider can give you personal exercise guidelines, based on your medical history.

If you have a medical problem, such as asthma, heart or lung disease, or high blood pressure, exercise might not be advisable for you. Exercise might also be harmful if you have an obstetric condition such as:

• Vaginal bleeding or spotting

• Low placenta

• Weak cervix

• Threatened or recurrent miscarriage

• Premature ruptured membranes

• Previous premature births or history of early labor

What exercises are safe?

Most exercises are safe to perform during pregnancy, as long as you exercise with caution and you do not overdo it.

The safest and most productive activities are swimming, brisk walking, indoor stationary cycling, prenatal yoga and low-impact aerobics (taught by a certified aerobics instructor). These activities carry little risk of injury, benefit your entire body, and can be continued until birth.

Other activities such as jogging can be done in moderation. You might want to choose exercises or activities that do not require great balance or coordination, especially later in pregnancy.

Exercises to avoid

There are certain exercises and activities that can be harmful if performed during pregnancy.

Avoid:

• Holding your breath during any activity

• Activities during which falling is likely (such as skiing and horseback riding)

• Contact sports such as softball, football, basketball, and volleyball (to reduce your risk of injury)

• Any exercise that might cause even mild abdominal trauma such as activities that include jarring motions or rapid changes in direction

• Activities that require extensive jumping, hopping, skipping, bouncing, or running

• Deep knee bends, full sit-ups, double leg raises, and straight-leg toe touches

• Bouncing while stretching (bounce stretching is unsafe for everyone)

• Exercises that require lying on your back or right side for more than three minutes (especially after your third month of pregnancy)

• Waist-twisting movements while standing

• Heavy exercise spurts followed by long periods of inactivity

• Exercise in hot, humid weather (if at all possible)

• Hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms

What should an exercise program include?

For total fitness, an exercise program should strengthen and condition your muscles.

Always begin by warming up for 5 minutes and stretching for 5 minutes. Include at least 15 minutes of cardiovascular activity. Measure your heart rate at times of peak activity. Your heart rate might range from 140 to 160 beats per minute during activity. Follow aerobic activity with 5 to 10 minutes of gradually slower exercise that ends with gentle stretching.

Basic exercise guidelines:

• Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes, as well as a good support bra.

• Choose shoes that are designed for your type of exercise. Proper shoes are your best protection against injury.

• Exercise on a flat, level surface to prevent injury.

• Consume enough calories to meet the needs of your pregnancy (300 more calories per day than before you were pregnant), as well as your exercise program.

• Finish eating at least one hour before exercising.

• Drink water before, during, and after your workout.

• After doing floor exercises, get up slowly and gradually to prevent dizziness.

• Never exercise to the point of exhaustion. If you cannot talk normally while exercising, you are probably over exerting yourself, and you should slow down your activity.

Stop exercising and consult your healthcare provider if you:

• Feel pain

• Have abdominal, chest, or pelvic pain

• Notice an absence of fetal movement

• Feel faint, dizzy, nauseous, or light-headed

• Feel cold or clammy

• Have vaginal bleeding

• Have a sudden gush of fluid from the vagina or a trickle of fluid that leaks steadily (when your bag of “water” breaks, also called rupture of the amniotic membrane)

• Notice an irregular or rapid heartbeat

• Have sudden swelling in your ankles, hands, face, or experience calf pain

• Have increased shortness of breath

• Have persistent contractions that continue after rest

• Have difficulty walking