I’m Pregnant! Are there exercises that I should do or ones that I should avoid?
Yes, as a matter of fact there are a few key exercises that you can do.
Kegels are very important. We all say “oh I always forget to do them” but believe me, the first time you pee your pants after having your baby you’re going to wish you had done them.
To do a Kegel: Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat. Try doing 10 in a row.
Another great exercise to do is standing crunches. This allows you to keep
your core strong throughout the entire pregnancy and will benefit you during your
delivery and your recovery.
To do a standing crunch: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, pull your bellybutton in to your spine and put your hands behind your head. Crunch forward and squeez your abdominal muscles just like you would if you were lying on your back on the the floor. Try doing 20 at a time.
Exercises that keep your pelvic-hip complex strong are also
important such as squats, lunges and side leg lifts. When it comes to exercises to avoid there are a few. You should avoid high impact exercises like jumping squats, keep your cardio at a moderate level, you don’t want to bring your heart rate much higher than140bpm, avoid all exercises performed on your back after week 14 and avoid inverted positions (such as headstands in yoga).
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