EXERCISING DURING PREGNANCY - WHAT IS SAFE??

A pregnant woman should exercise under normal circumstances.  By that I mean, if you are having a normal and healthy pregnancy.  You should use controlled exercises that will strengthen  the muscles used during childbirth.  But you should avoid exercises that could cause you to have an accidental fall.  Ask you health care provider about swimming, bowling, golf or other sports/exercises that you are used to doing regularly.  If you are used to the exercise, and if it doesn't bother you, you should be able to continue within certain guidelines.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the following:

• Do not exercise in hot, humid weather, or if you are sick with a fever.
• Do not allow your heart rate to exceed 140 beats per minute.
• Discontinue strenuous exercise after 15 minutes.
• Avoid deep knee bends, sit-ups, raising both legs at once and straight toe touches.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.  Hydration is VERY important during pregnancy in particular.
• Avoid exercises requiring you to be flat on your back for more than a few minutes after your first trimester.
• Do not stretch to the limit.  Changes in our hormones during pregnancy, increase the looseness of joints.  So stretching to the limit could lead to injury.
• Avoid bouncy, jerky, or jumping movements.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now encourage healthy pregnant women to engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily or almost daily.  Always stretch your muscles as you warm up or cool down to avoid injury and soreness or stiffness.

Discontinue exercise and call your health care provider if you feel pain, have vaginal bleeding, shortness of breath, an irregular or rapid heart rate, or are feeling dizzy or faint.

Just taking a walk is healthy for everyone including pregnant women.  Try to include this in your regular daily routine.

Before you begin any exercise routine (especially a new one), always speak with your health care provider first.  Women with heart disease or other chronic ailments may have to modify their activity.  Also women with a history of miscarriages, multiple births, bleeding, placenta previa, or an incompetent cervix or any other such condition will probably not be permitted to exercise.  If your health care provider does give you the green light for exercise, just remember to approach your exercising with common sense and to listen to your body.  Never push yourself to the point of exhaustion or continue to do any exercise that hurts.

**Always consult your health care provider before engaging in any type of abdominal exercises.