During pregnancy, you are encouraged to have some form of exercise because it is healthy for your and the baby growth.  Nonetheless, you need to discuss with your doctor before you start especially if you have the following conditions or risks factors;

• History of preterm labour
• Incompetent cervix (cervical insufficiency)
• Placenta previa
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Poorly controlled diabetes

Exercise is described as ‘physical activity involving planned, structured and repetitive movements which helps to improve our fitness’.  Normal people are encouraged to have 150 minutes of exercise per week (which works out to be 30 minutes a day for 5 days spread throughout the week).  During exercise, ensure that you are well-hydrated and able to breathe easily BUT do not over-do or push yourself too hard.  Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back for extended periods of time (because the baby may press on your main blood vessels causing you to feel faint).

Benefits of Exercise during Pregnancy

• Helps reduce back pain
• Eases constipation
• Reduces risk of gestational diabetes or hypertension (pre-eclampsia)
• Improves your fitness in preparation for childbirth and postpartum recovery
• Lower incidence of preterm or low birth weight baby
• Reduce risk of postpartum depression

Useful tips during Exercise

• Start slow.  In the beginning, you may start with as little as 5-10 minutes and then gradually increase to 30 minutes a day
• Choose Low-Impact Exercises such as brisk walking, yoga, walking on the treadmill or swimming
• Avoid High-Impact Exercises like jumping or sports with potential to fall such as skiing, judo, basketball or football
• Avoid exposure to direct sunlight or exercise in hot weather
• Do the exercises with a friend or other pregnancy mothers so that you have people who can motivate you
• Remember to warm up before and cool down after your exercises

Stop if you experience the following

• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Headache or dizziness
• Leg pain or swelling
• Contractions
• Vaginal bleed or fluid leakage

Do attend Antenatal Classes to get your body ready for the Baby Delivery !

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Disclaimer. TELEME blog posts contains general information about health conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. 

If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.