Fitness in Pregnancy
Is exercise safe in pregnancy? For the vast majority of pregnancies, yes. The most current research shows that exercise is not only acceptable in pregnancy, but important in pregnancy! Some benefits of staying active during pregnancy include: reducing the risk of gestational diabetes, improving mood and coping ability, and limiting excessive weight gain. New research also shows that exercise and healthy eating actually impact the genetic coding of your baby during pregnancy. This means that the good choices you make can influence your baby's health for the future, doing things like making his immune system stronger or turning off certain genes that give him chronic diseases. If you're not currently active or eating well, don't worry! As long as you don't have any serious issues with your pregnancy that would cause your care provider to advise against exercise, pregnancy is a fine time to start getting fit. Check out these tips below:
Listen to Your Body
This is a classic recommendation, but still a good one. Especially in pregnancy, it's important to be tuned in to the signals your body is sending you. If exercise is causing you pain, or making you dizzy or nauseas, please stop! Of course, any fluid or blood leaking is a definite stop sign. Pushing through is not going to be doing anything good for you or baby. Some days you may feel more energy and want to do more than others; go for it!
Don't Max Out
If you are feeling up to it, hard exercise in pregnancy can be fine. Just keep in mind your own exercise history and operate at a reasonable level. There are no longer any set recommended levels of heart rate or breathing to maintain in pregnancy; instead think of what percentage of effort you are exerting, or rate it on a scale of 1-10. In pregnancy you should never be at 100% exertion. For athlete or fit moms, up to 95% exertion is fine, as long as your body is feeling good. For moms new to exercise, start out around 50% exertion and work up to 75% over several weeks. Keep in mind that a similar mindset to exercise may not be best for all moms. Athletes will likely need to focus on toning down workouts and listening to their bodies more, while sedentary moms may need to focus more on challenging themselves.
Stay Fueled
If you exercise during pregnancy, it's extra important to keep your body well- fueled. Try to drink a lot of water all day long, at least 64 oz, or 8 glasses of water per day. Make healthy eating choices, and try to get lots of rest. Your body is going through a lot of changes and hard work, and it needs your support!