Exercise And Pregnancy
A Perfect Combination!

Exercise and pregnancy make a good combination. Exercise at any time, even when your pregnant is great for your mind and body. When you're pregnant though you will have to alter your regime slightly to keep things safe for you and your baby.

The benefit of exercise during pregnancy is at least worth a try, even if you weren't a fan of keeping fit before your pregnancy. Exercise can help with things like backache by toning muscles. It can help to prevent the extra wear and tear that will happen to your joints while you are pregnant. It will help you to sleep better, and can even go as far as helping to reduce pregnancy constipation.

The big 'plus' of linking exercise and pregnancy together is that it will help to prepare your body for the birth of your baby. Keeping your heart and muscles strong and healthy through exercise can help enormously in labor and childbirth.

Exercise and pregnancy - Keep it safe!

Discuss your options with your doctor or midwife before starting or continuing with any exercise plan. As a general rule if you were healthy and fit before becoming pregnant, then there's no reason why you shouldn't carry on as before( although this probably won't be possible through the whole 9 months). Do listen to your body though, if it's telling you to slow down, then slow down!

If you weren't really fit before your pregnancy then you should start off slow and build up your exercise routine gradually. Again if your body cries out 'stop' then stop! You're not tying to prove anything, just trying to help yourself, your body and your baby, and the best way to do that is - sensibly.

Exercise and pregnancy - What to try

• Walking is always a good exercise.
• Dancing, and this can be done in your living room!
• Swimming or water aerobics, this is great exercise for pregnant women, the water can help you to feel weightless for a time.
• Running if that was a normal exercise for you before pregnancy (check with your GP first)
• Yoga, nice gentle stretches and movement.
• Pilates, the new designer exercise can help to keep muscles toned.

Exercise and pregnancy - What Not to try

• Contact sports such as football and rugby.
• Skiing and skating, no matter how good you are there is always a chance that you could fall.
• Horse riding.
• Any exercise that involves jerky sudden movements.
• Any bouncy type of exercise that could cause jarring to your body.

Exercises during pregnancy should be fun and stimulating, that way you won't get bored. Do something that you enjoy and you will find it easy to set a pace that's safe for you and your baby. Don't overdo it, you're not training for a marathon - just trying to keep in shape. And do stop when you've had enough, it's good to keep fit during pregnancy but you can't keep fit when your flat on your back with a serious injury!

Exercise and pregnancy with Michelle Moss

Discover the secrets that most pregnant women will never know about pregnancy. Inside you'll learn...

• How to avoid unwanted excess pounds (for a healthy pregnancy and baby!).

• Exactly which pregnancy exercises get you fit and toned.

• How to have an easy labor and quick recovery.

• Exactly what you need to do now to lose weight quickly after delivery.

• Secrets to minimize stretch marks and cellulite.

Click Here if you'd like to see more from Michelle.

Return from exercise and pregnancy to the pregnancy page.

Or back to the New baby and beyond homepage.