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Do
– Always consult with your doctor or midwife before starting any postnatal exercise program.
– Brisk walking.
– Swimming.
– Aqua aerobics.
– Yoga.
– Pilates.
– Low impact aerobic workouts.
– Light weight training.
– Cycling.
– Be guided by your doctor or midwife.
– Wear an appropriate bra that offers good support. Don’t rely on your pre-pregnancy sports bra because your back and cup size are likely to have changed. Get measured for a new one.
– Seek the support of your partner.
– Tummy and pelvic floor exercises (these can be done while you’re doing other tasks, either sitting or standing).
Don’t
– Don’t be too hard on yourself if your exercise plans go awry – you’ll get more time to yourself as your baby settles into a predictable routine.
– Be too hard on yourself if your exercise plans go awry.
– Exercise if it hurts or if you experience pain in any other unexplained symptoms; stop the exercise and consult your doctor if necessary.
Gentle exercise (such as walking) can generally be started as soon as comfortable after giving birth. Start when you feel up to it. Some women will feel able to start exercising early. Six weeks after giving birth, most of the changes that occur during pregnancy will have returned to normal. If you had a caesarean birth, a difficult birth, or complications, it may take a little longer to feel ready to start exercising. If you did not exercise during pregnancy, start with easy exercises and slowly build up to harder ones. Keep in mind your lower back and core abdominal muscles are weaker than they used to be. Your ligaments and joints are also more supple and pliable, so it is easier to injure yourself by stretching or twisting too much. Avoid any high-impact exercises or sports that require rapid direction changes.
DO
-Drink lots of water to keep hydrated, and wear loose, comfortable clothing.
– Walk, swim, and bike at a low- to moderate-intensity level for 30-minute sessions.
– Skip back exercises, but remember that abdominal and back exercises are important. They help with postural changes and stability and keep your body strong after the baby’s born, when you’ll have a lot of lifting to do. Since doing crunches on your back is not safe, switch to standing pelvic tilts or lying on your side or on your hands and knees. Consider a prenatal yoga or pilates class to help you with this.
– Stop immediately if you feel: dizziness, faintness, headaches, shortness of breath, uterine contractions, vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking, heart palpitations.
DON’T
– Use heavy weights and bouncing or jerking movements — especially during the third trimester. Hormones during the third trimester make your body more malleable and weight lifting at this time can put too much stress on tendons, ligaments, and bones making you more susceptible to injury.
– Do any exercises that require you to lie on your back, to avoid placing any undue stress on your spine, from about halfway through your pregnancy.
– Allow your body temperature to go above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to workout in air conditioned environments and keep yourself cool while training at all times. Generally, you should keep your heart rate under 140 beats per minute.
– Play contact sports like basketball and any sport where you may be prone to lose your balance. Remember that your centre of gravity is off while pregnant and we don’t want you taking a tumble.
– Twist or compress your abdomen, torso or spine. So, no overhead presses or weighted squats. No crunches. No twisting yoga poses.
– Exercise more than three to five days a week. Your body needs rest, so be sure not to overdue it.
Distraction – Exercise is a great distraction from most day-to-day annoyances, the habit to light up being just one of them.
Reduce Withdrawal – Exercising while you are trying to quit can reduce the feelings of withdrawal.
De-stress – Exercise releases endorphins that help reduce your stress levels.
Stop weight gain – As cigarettes are seen as an appetite suppressant, by taking part in some regular exercise, you can help combat this side effect to quitting.