Leah Holloway
The importance of exercise during pregnancy
Let's be honest, exercising isn't for everyone however, it is so important to stay active whilst pregnant. We aren't asking you to run a marathon (no seriously, please don't), but small changes in your fitness habits can make all the difference.
Come on ladies! It's the perfect time to get active and start a safe exercise routine. It has so many benefits not only for you, but for your baby as well!
Article Contents
10 benefits of exercise for mum
🤰🏼 Reduces complications during pregnancy
Without exercise whilst pregnant, you may have a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes and an increased risk of a high blood pressure and pulse rate.
🤱🏽 Lowers the chances of complications in labour
Throughout your whole pregnancy (first, second and third trimester), your body is preparing you for labour. With exercise, you can build up your muscle strength to be able to literally push through labour, and decrease chances of having an emergency c-section.
⏩ Speeds up postpartum recovery
Women who regularly exercise throughout their pregnancy have the tendency to bounce back to their pre-pregnancy bodies, quicker than a woman who didn't exercise at all.
It will also help you recover quicker mentally after birth, not just physically.
Get the support you need to help recovery with the perfect pair of postpartum compression leggings.
🤕 Eases all those aches & pains
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sitting around during your pregnancy won't make the aches and pains magically disappear! It's time to get up and go, as the benefits of exercise in pregnancy are uncanny!
Not only does fitness relieve backaches and improve your posture, it will strengthen and tone muscles in your back, glutes, and thighs!
😁 Gets those endorphins flowing!
Throughout pregnancy, your emotions will be through the roof. One day you may feel on top of the world and the next day, rock bottom. On those kinds of days, there is nothing better than doing some physical activity to get some endorphins flowing, your energy levels up and even just distract yourself!
Research shows that having a happy and healthy mind throughout pregnancy will help you through the baby blues once your little bundle of joy has arrived!
💤 Improves your sleep
Getting enough sleep is vital during pregnancy. If you are struggling to drift off to sleep peacefully, then exercise will be your best friend!
Sleep deprivation can cause you to feel tired and agitated. It is so important that you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night because once your baby is here, you can say goodbye to a full nights sleep! (Sorry to remind you.)
💪🏼 Keeps the excess weight off
Throughout pregnancy, you will gain a healthy weight anywhere between 10 - 12 kilograms, mostly all after the 20th week. This weight gain is due to your baby growing, and your body storing fat to produce breast milk.
With all the changes that are happening to your body, you may want to consider keeping that unnecessary weight off. This is so you can feel great, whilst giving yourself a better chance of a safe and healthy labour.
😌 Great for focusing on your breath
When exercising, you are made to focus on your breath.
Hypnobirthing is a pain management technique used in labour that focuses on pushing through each contraction with deep breaths and relaxation.
If you are planning on using this method to help you get through labour, you don't just have to practice at your hypnobirthing classes, you can do this when working out!
🌟 You will not only glow from the inside, but outside too!
Are you after that pregnancy glow? Research suggests exercise increases blood flow to your skin, which will infact enhance that pregnancy glow!
It won't only make you feel better, but you will be calm and more relaxed too.
⏰ Your labour time may shorten
Recent studies show that women who exercised regularly throughout their pregnancy, spent less time in labour compared to women who didn't exercise when they were pregnant.
If that's not a reason to break a sweat, I don't know what is!
3 benefits of exercise for baby
❤️ Healthy Heart
Studies show that exercising in pregnancy can help your baby develop a better heart. Pregnant women who worked out at least 30 minutes a day, three days a week, had lower heart rates than women who didn't.
During their baby's one-month check-up, they also found that their baby's heart rate was at a healthy level.
🥇 Athlete Child
It's said that children whose mums exercised when they were pregnant have more of an active lifestyle than those who didn't.
Maybe your child could be the next Serena Williams or Tom Daley!
🧠 Smarty Pants
Do you want your child to have the brains of the family? Studies show that women who exercised regularly have children with a higher IQ than those who didn't!
Our Top 4 Exercises!
We recommend that keeping active during pregnancy for at least 30 minutes a day will keep you and your baby fit and healthy throughout pregnancy.
Remember! Listen to your body and do what feels best for you.
🏊🏼♀️ Swimming
Swimming is a great exercise to do throughout pregnancy. Not only will it make you feel weightless, giving you some much-needed relief from those aches and pains, but it is a great way to move your body in a safe activity!
We recommend trying out some water aerobic activities or gentle laps of the pool to get the endorphins flowing.
🧘🏽♀️ Yoga
Yoga has so many benefits not just during pregnancy but all the time. You can even use our Birthing Ball to support you in your yoga practices.
It can improve your sleep, reduce any stress and anxiety you may be experiencing, and increase your overall flexibility and muscle strength which is most needed in labour.
🤸🏽♀️ Pilates
Pilates is a safe exercise at every stage of pregnancy, meaning you can adapt to what you feel most comfortable doing.
These exercises are low impact but keep your heart rate at a steady pace. You don't want to be out of breath when you are pregnant as it can cause stress on your baby.
🚶🏼♀️ Walking
If you're not so much for breaking a sweat or you are starting out on your fitness journey, try going on long walks or even better power walking.
Why not go for a brisk walk with a pregnancy support band to help?
Walking will keep your mood boosted whilst also help keep you in good physical condition.
🙅🏽♀️ What to avoid when exercising during pregnancy
- Avoid all contact sports where you are at risk of falling over and potentially landing on your stomach.
- Don’t exercise for more than 45 minutes at a time.
- Don’t let yourself get too hot whilst you are exercising.
- Make sure you are keeping hydrated!
- After 16 weeks, don’t do exercises in which you lie flat on your back.
- Don’t exercise at high altitudes without acclimatising first.
Let's wrap things up! Keeping your body fit and active during those pregnant months will not only benefit you, but baby too! Your mental state will improve greatly as endorphins are released, and you can even encourage a shorter labour.
So, what are you waiting for? Let's get that body moving!
