EXERCISE TIPS DURING PREGNANCY

A free article on Exercise

By: shivesh

EXERCISES DURING PREGNANCY:
Here are some exercises that will helps to stay fit during the pregnancy.
Stretching exercises:
Stretching exercise make the muscles limber and warm. Here are some simple stretches you can perform before or after exercise.
Neck rotation:
Relax the neck and shoulders. Drop the head forward. Slowly rotate the head to the right shoulder, back to the middle and over the left shoulder. Complete four, slow rotations in each direction.
Shoulder rotation:
Bring the shoulders forward and then rotate them up toward the ears and then back down. Do four rotations in each direction.
Swim:
Place your arms at your sides. Bring the right arm up and extend the body forward and twist to the side, as if swimming the crawl stroke. Follow with left arm. Do the sequence ten times.
Thigh shift:
Stand with one foot about two feet in front of the other, toes pointed in the same direction. Lean forward, supporting the weight on the forward thigh. Change sides and repeat. Do four on each side.
Leg shakes:
Sit with your legs and feet extended. Move the legs up and down in a gentle shaking motion.
Ankle rotation:
Sit with your legs extended and keep the toes relaxed. Rotate the feet, making large circles. Use the whole foot and ankle. Rotate four times on the right and four times on the left.
Kegel Exercise:
Kegel exercises help strengthen the muscles that support the bladder, uterus and bowels.
Kegel exercises should be done every day. We recommend doing five sets of Kegel exercises a day. Each time you contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, hold for a slow count of five and then relax. Repeat this ten times for one set of Kegels.
Tailor Exercises:
Tailor exercises strengthen the pelvic, hip and thigh muscles and can help relieve low back pain.
* Tailor sit:
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and ankles crossed. Lean slightly forward, and keep your back straight but relaxed. Use this position whenever possible throughout the day.
* Tailor press:
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and the bottoms of your feet together. Grasp the ankles and pull the feet gently toward body. Place your hands under the knees. Inhale. While pressing the knees down against your hands, press your hands up against your knees (counter-pressure). Hold for a count of five.
PREPARATORY EXERCISES:
Prior to delivery many health care practitioners recommend doing pelvic floor exercises (Kegel Exercises) to strengthen the muscles needed to push during the delivery.
Other recommendations include pelvic tilt exercises to help avoid the low back pain that frequently accompanies pregnancy in the latter stages.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY:
* As with exercise recommendations for women who have any medical condition, those for pregnant women must balance the benefits and risks to both mother and fetus.
* Maternal benefits appear to be both physical and psychological in nature. Many common complaints of pregnancy, including fatigue, varicosities and swelling of extremities, are reduced in women who exercise. Additionally, active women experience less insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression. There is some evidence that weight-bearing exercise throughout pregnancy can reduce the length of labour and decrease delivery complications. An argument for public health is that women who incorporate exercise into their routine during pregnancy are more likely to continue exercising postpartum.15
* Women and care providers should consider the effects of a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy as it may contribute to loss of muscular and cardiovascular fitness, excessive maternal weight gain, raised risk of gestational diabetes mellitus21 or pre-eclampsia,22 development of varicose veins and increased incidence of physical complaints such as dyspnoea or lower back pain and poor psychological adjustment to the physical changes of pregnancy.23
* Exercise is helpful in improving glycogenic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and may play a role for primary prevention of developing gestational diabetes mellitus.
* Evidence also suggests a protective effect of exercise on coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and hypertension, as well as a reduced risk of colon cancer, and perhaps breast cancer, and reduced body fat.1
WARNING SIGNS TO TERMINATE EXERCISE:
* Excessive shortness of breath
* Chest pain or palpitations
* Presyncope or dizziness
* Painful uterine contractions or preterm labour
* Leakage of amniotic fluid
* Vaginal bleeding
* Excessive fatigue
* Abdominal pain, particularly in back or pubic area
* Pelvic girdle pain
* Reduced fetal movement
* Dyspnoea before exertion
* Headache
* Muscle weakness
* Calf pain or swelling.
YOGA:
The benefit of yoga is that it emphasizes breathing, relaxation, posture and body awareness, all of which make you better prepared to deal with the challenges of pregnancy and birth. You should make sure to choose a yoga program that is specifically designed for the pregnant woman, since some traditional positions are not appropriate and need to be modified. In addition to the psychological benefits of decreased tension and anxiety, yoga can build strength, increase endurance, improve posture and alignment, and reduce pregnancy aches and pains.
HELPFUL AIDS:
Many busy moms and moms-to-be find it more convenient to exercise at home by using exercise videos or DVDs. These feature stretching, strength building, toning and aerobic routines ideal for pregnancy and recovery after birth.

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