physical active for pregnant

physical active

Should I be physically active during my pregnancy? 

Almost all women can and should be physically active during pregnancy. Talk to your health care provider first, particularly if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia, bleeding, or other disorders, or if you

are obese or underweight.

Whether or not you were active before you were

pregnant, ask your health care provider about a level

of exercise that is safe for you. Aim to be physically

active at a moderate-intensity level (one that makes

you breathe harder but does not overwork or overheat

you) on most, if not all, days of the week.

Regular, moderate-intensity physical activity

during pregnancy may:

• Help you and your baby to gain the proper amounts of weight.

• Reduce the discomforts of pregnancy, such as backaches, leg cramps, constipation, bloating, and swelling.

• Reduce your risk for gestational diabetes (diabetes found for the first time when a woman is pregnant).

• Improve your mood and energy level.

•Improve your sleep.

• Help you have an easier, shorter labor.

• Help you to recover from delivery and return to a healthy weight faster.

Tips for Getting Physically Active

Start being physically active or continue being physically active for your health and the health of your baby by using the tips below:

• Go for a walk around the block or through a shopping mall with your spouse or a friend.

• Sign up for a prenatal yoga, aqua aerobics, or fitness class.

Make sure you let the instructor know that you are pregnant before beginning.

• Rent or buy an exercise video for pregnant women.

Look for videos at your local library, video store, health care provider’s office, hospital, or maternity clothing store.

• At your gym, community center, YMCA, or YWCA, sign up for a session with a fitness trainer who knows about physical activity during pregnancy.

• Get up and move around at least once an hour if you sit in

 a chair most of the day. When watching TV, get up and move around during commercials.

If you were physically active before you became pregnant, you may not need to make changes to your exercise habits.

You may be able to maintain the same level of intensity during pregnancy and after giving birth.Talk with your health care provider about the level of physical activity that is right for you.

Follow these safety precautions while being active during your pregnancy:

• Choose moderate activities that are unlikely to injure you, such as walking, aqua aerobics, swimming, yoga, or using a stationary bike.

• Stop exercising when you start to feel tired, and never exercise until you are exhausted or overheated.

• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after being physically active.

• Wear comfortable clothing that fits well and supports and protects your breasts.

• Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, short of breath, or sick to your stomach. You should also stop if you notice pain in your back, swelling, numbness, or that your heart is beating too fast or at an uneven rate.

What physical activities should I avoid during pregnancy? 

For your health and safety, and for the health of your baby, you should not do certain physical activities while you are pregnant. Some of these are listed below. Talk to your health care provider about other physical activities that you should avoid during your pregnancy.

• Avoid being active outside during hot weather.

• Avoid steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas.

• Avoid physical activities, such as certain yoga poses, that call for you to lie flat on your back after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

• Avoid contact sports and activities that may cause injury, such as football and boxing, and other activities that might injure you, such as horseback riding.

• Avoid activities that make you jump or change directions quickly, such as tennis or basketball. During pregnancy, your joints loosen and you are more likely to hurt yourself when doing these activities.

• Avoid activities that can result in a fall, such as inline skating or downhill skiing.