08/02/2016
Many active women are surprised at how pregnancy affects their workouts.
Blood volume increases during pregnancy, but more blood is channelled to internal organs (such as the uterus) and less to the muscles. This can make you tire more quickly.
Your heart naturally beats faster during pregnancy. This means you won't have to exercise as vigorously to reach your target rate. It also means you can overdo it very easily.
Balance is effected from around the 20 weeks mark, as your growing abdomen throws off your center of gravity, making you more susceptible to falls. So be careful with activities such as running, tennis etc. requiring quick changes in direction. And when practising Yoga or Pilates, make sure you are close to a sturdy chair or table that you can steady yourself with if needed.
As the growing uterus crowds the lungs, you'll find that you lose your breath much sooner during exercise. Working out harder and longer won't change this fact.
The hormone called relaxin relaxes the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth; it also loosens all ligaments and joints making you more prone to sprains and falls.
Exercise during pregnancy can improve your posture, minimize aches and constipation, decrease some common discomforts such as backaches and fatigue and help you sleep better, and lower your risk of gestational diabetes and depression. You may even end up having a shorter, less complicated labour. Developing good workout habits during pregnancy will help you get your body back faster after delivery too.
If you were physically active before your pregnancy, you should be able to continue your activity in with some moderation. Don't try to exercise at your former level; instead, do what's most comfortable for you now. Low impact aerobics are encouraged versus high impact, and resistance exercise can be very beneficial if programmed correctly (it is best to work with a fitness professional to make sure that you are not doing anything that might be contraindicated) and most types of yoga with the exception of Bikram or any other type of "hot yoga are excellent choices.
If you have never exercised regularly before, you can safely begin an exercise program during pregnancy after consulting with your health care provider, but do not try a new, strenuous activity. Walking is considered safe to initiate when pregnant.
If you are a competitive athlete you can continue training but your activity should be closely followed by an obstetrician. Many competitive athletes have trained for competition through their pregnancies and competed successfully within weeks of giving birth.
So in conclusion if you are physically active and fall pregnant you can and should continue exercising throughout your pregnancy, and if you are not currently following an exercise program it is safe to start during your pregnancy as long as you do so carefully.
