When you’re pregnant, the focus becomes maintaining a healthy body so you can have an equally healthy baby. One aspect of your overall health that you can’t ignore is having the right exercise routine. Whether or not you were physically active before getting pregnant, it’s essential to keep moving when you’re pregnant.
Best Exercises For Each Trimester
The First Trimester
Butt Press
- Start on all fours stacked with a neutral spine, hands in line with shoulders and hips over knees.
- Keep your abdominals lifting to the ceiling so your back stays neutral, feeling the sensation of hugging your baby in.
- Bend one knee up to the ceiling, pressing through a flexed foot, and return to the start position, pumping through the glutes.
The Second Trimester
Modified Squats
- Stand up straight with a fitness ball behind your back against a wall. Put your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Slide down the wall until your knees reach a 90-degree angle. Keep your heels flat on the floor.
- If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, just go as low as possible. Then go back to the starting position. When you do this exercise, have someone nearby to help if you lose your balance.
- Gradually work up to 10 repetitions.
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The Third Trimester
Seated Rowing
- Sit up straight on a fitness ball or on a sturdy chair. Put your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. If using a fitness ball, have someone nearby to help if you lose your balance.
- Place the resistance tubing under the arch of each foot. Hold on to the tubing handles with your palms facing in.
- Then pull the tubing straight back with your elbows as if you were rowing. You'll feel your shoulder blades come together. Then go back to the starting position.
- Gradually work up to 15 repetitions.
Why Exercise Helps
The first benefit of exercising while pregnant is maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can have a significant effect on a pregnancy. This risk is present whether or not you were overweight before the pregnancy or gained a lot of weight while pregnant. People who are overweight are more likely to develop gestational diabetes and high blood pressure and may experience preterm birth. Additionally, if you’re overweight while pregnant, you have a greater risk of developing preeclampsia - a serious condition that puts you and your baby at risk.
Studies also show that exercise can help ease joint pain, strengthen your heart, and increase the efficiency of your digestive system. You may also have an easier vaginal delivery and recover more quickly after giving birth.
Activities To Avoid
It’s a good idea to avoid activities that involve jerking movements, being flat on your back, doing abdominal crunches, and being in a high-heat environment. Contact sports are also off the table. If you’re trying an activity for the first time, doctors recommend asking about pregnancy modifications so you don’t hurt yourself.
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Why Black Americans Should Pay Attention
Research shows that Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed as obese than other ethnicities. This fact has made them more prone to prediabetes, diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Studies also show that though preeclampsia only affects five to eight percent of pregnancies, Black people have a 60 percent higher chance of developing the condition. Additionally, their symptoms tend to be more severe. The best thing you can do is keep active and talk to your doctor about what exercise regimen is best for you.
Exercise is an integral part of a healthy pregnancy. While you shouldn’t over-exert yourself, your doctor can help you with designing the best routine for you. Since it’s healthy to get some fresh air, it’s good to have a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities.
