5 Exercises To Do While Pregnant

*Collaborative Post

Being pregnant is a beautiful journey, and you want to be at your best to keep you and the baby healthy. There is so much to keep in mind when taking care of your body including how and when to exercise. Pregnancy causes nausea, headaches, back pain and swollen ankles, making movement in general extremely tough. However, staying active is the best way to ensure you are feeling your best and diminish unpleasant symptoms. Gentle exercises are key to ensure you’re getting your blood flowing and strengthening your muscles.

Too Tired? Don’t Forget Your Supplements

If you are too exhausted to exercise, you may be lacking key vitamins and minerals to maintain your energy levels throughout the day. Most of your nutrients are heading to the baby, but make sure you aren’t neglecting yourself. To find out which supplements you should be taking, you can look at Mommy Authority for advice. This website has reviews and comparisons of different supplements, as well as advice from other mothers that know what you are going through. Along with prenatal vitamins, you can definitely benefit from taking an omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 improves cognitive function and acts as an antioxidant, promoting healthy cell growth. There has been research that shows how mothers who took omega-3 gave birth to babies who were more intelligent and had better memories than those without the added fish oil. Now onto our 5 exercises to do while pregnant…

1.  Yoga

Prenatal Yoga is a great low-impact exercise that includes bends and stretches to benefit your body. Because your centre of gravity is shifted due to the baby weight in your second trimester and on, you should be careful to not fall over and to not overextend yourself. When getting up and changing position, do so slowly to avoid dizziness. In general, do as much as you feel comfortable with. Not only do you get blood flow to all of your body, yoga also helps calm your mind and slow your breathing, creating a soothing atmosphere.

2.  Stretches

You should ideally stretch before and after every workout, but you can use a chair to maintain your balance and be careful not to over stretch as your muscles and tendons will be softer. To strengthen your quadriceps, butt, and hamstrings, you can do a ballet stretch called a plie. Rest your hand on the back of the chair and turn your toes and knees out. Keep your spine straight as you bend down as far as you can. This stretch also improves your balance. Find more simple exercises for pregnancy here.

3.  Plank

Doing planks strengthen your core, arms and back. Get down on your hands and knees, keeping your wrists under your shoulders. Don’t let your back arch or your belly sag: keep your stomach tight as you hold your body straight. Hold for 30 seconds.

4.  Aerobics

If you were extremely active before you got pregnant, continuing exercising at the same level could be dangerous. Instead, switch to low-impact exercises like aerobics. Following the simple exercises in an aerobics class can also relieve pregnancy pains by sending blood flow to sore muscles, like your back or abdomen.

5.  Stationary Bike

Cycling for 20-30 minutes three times a week is a great form of exercise. It will help your core muscles and strengthen your legs as well. Indoor bikes are much safer than taking a short bike ride in case you lose your balance.

Pregnancy and Exercise: Get Moving!

Your body is going through many changes, and getting used to new weight and surges of hormones can be tough. Exercise can help get used to your new body, increase your blood flow, and ease your aches and pains. Make sure whatever exercise you are doing, it is safe and low-impact, to ensure you and your baby are safe from harm.

Disclaimer: Please always seek professional advice before performing any of these exercises and to ensure you are carrying them out safely and correctly. If you do sustain any injuries find yourself a reputable sports injury specialist.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.