13 rules for physical activity in pregnancy
Physical activity during pregnancy is important but must be done in complete safety. Here are 13 rules to follow.
1. Talk to your doctor
Always check your condition, and that of your child, with your doctor before starting or continuing any exercise program.
There are important contraindications that should not be underestimated.
Read also: Risks and benefits of exercise in pregnancy
2. Eat well
Exercise burns calories, so make sure you’re getting the right amount of calories to nourish and strengthen your body.
During pregnancy, it is normal to gain weight as the baby grows. The amount of pounds it’s okay to gain depends a lot on your pre-pregnancy weight.
If your body mass index (BMI) is in the normal range (18.5 to 24.9), you will need to eat about 340 more calories a day in the second trimester than before pregnancy and about 450 extra calories per day in the third trimester (or even more depending on your amount of physical activity).
If you are underweight or overweight things should be adjusted accordingly with the help of your doctor who will weigh you constantly during pregnancy.
Read also: How much is allowed to grow during pregnancy
3. Avoid dangerous sports
All sports that involve physical contact such as football, and all those that can make you lose your balance and fall (horse riding, mountain biking, skiing, etc.) should be avoided. It would be preferable to avoid the bicycle and use the bedroom one, in order to avoid the risk of accidents.
Avoid sports such as tennis or table tennis if you have not played before pregnancy. Quick movements and sudden changes in direction can cause you to lose your balance and thus cause you to fall.
All pregnant women should avoid scuba diving because babies in the womb are not protected from the effects of pressure changes.
4. Wear the right clothes
Wear loose clothing with breathable fabrics. Adopt the technique of dressing in layers (onion) in order to undress easily and get dressed in case you are hot or cold.
Make sure you wear a good bra that won’t get in the way and comfortable shoes with a good cushioning sole.
If your feet are slightly swollen and your previous shoes don’t fit, buy a new pair of sneakers.
5. Warm up before starting
Warming up prepares your muscles and joints for exercise and slowly increases your heart rate. If you skip the warm-up and immediately start doing strenuous activities before your body is ready enough, you could strain your muscles and ligaments and therefore experience more pain after your workout.
A good way to warm up is to start your chosen activity at a low intensity and then slowly build up during the first 5-8 minutes. This prepares the muscles you will be using for the more intense movement. For example, if your training consists of a walk, go slowly for the first few minutes and then pick up the pace but gradually.
6. Drink plenty of water
Drink water before, during and after exercise to avoid dehydration which can trigger a chain of events that leads to a reduction in the amount of blood reaching the placenta.
Dehydration can also increase your risk of overheating or even trigger contractions.
There’s no official recommendation on how much water you should drink while exercising, but many experts recommend a simple technique to gauge if you’re drinking enough: Check the color of your urine. If your pee is dark yellow it is a sign of dehydration. If you notice this, drink one or two glasses of water every hour until your urine becomes pale yellow or almost clear.
7. No to the supine position
After the first trimester, avoid doing belly-up exercises. The weight of the uterus presses on the vena cava (one of the main veins in our body) and this can reduce blood flow to the heart and can decrease blood flow to the brain and uterus. This can cause dizziness, shortness of breath or nausea.
8. Keep moving
Standing still or standing for a long time, as some yoga exercises require, for example, can cause a drop in blood pressure. For this it is important to change position frequently or to walk in place.
9. Don’t overdo it
Stop before you reach your limit. Always listen to your body and stop if you feel pain somewhere.
Exercising means making your body work and not punishing it.
If after a workout instead you feel good you are exhausted it means that you have exaggerated.
After exercising, rest an equal amount of time before continuing with your normal day’s activities. For example, if you just did a 30-minute exercise, rest quietly for another 30 minutes.
10. Exercise in the right environmental conditions
During pregnancy, due to the physiological changes that your body undergoes, you probably suffer more from the heat, even when you train. As a result, you are likely to overheat much faster than before pregnancy. Therefore, avoid exercising in hot, humid conditions. When it’s too hot, the body struggles to regulate body temperature.
The symptoms of overheating are very subjective but pay particular attention if you are sweating a lot, if you feel unwell, if you have nausea, dizziness or shortness of breath.
To cool off quickly, stop, remove excess layers of clothing, and go somewhere cool. Hydration is essential, so drink plenty of water.
Also avoid relaxing in the sauna or hot tubs. These activities can raise your core temperature to dangerous levels because the body in a hot environment cannot dissipate heat effectively.
11. Get up off the floor slowly
Your center of gravity shifts as your belly grows, so it’s important to take extra care when changing positions. Standing up too quickly can make you dizzy and you may lose your balance.
12. At the end of the exercise
At the end of your workout, walk in place for five to 10 minutes and do some pregnancy-friendly stretching.
13. Exercise regularly
Commit to exercising regularly. It helps a lot if you practice in company because you will be more motivated.
According to the and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you can get 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day when you have your doctor’s approval.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.