A set of exercises that will allow pregnant women to remain in good shape throughout the entire period will reduce the likelihood of swelling of the limbs, cramps, as well as physical and emotional fatigue.
How beneficial is exercise for pregnant women? Is exercise dangerous for pregnant women? If you think that a pregnant woman should stay in bed for the entire 9 months, you are wrong! It's good for her and she needs to train! Read this article and you will learn what kind of results pregnant women can achieve through exercise, what is the best workout for pregnant women and how often should pregnant women exercise?
Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Exercising during pregnancy has many benefits for both mother and baby. It is very important that doctors approve exercise during pregnancy. After all, doctors usually think that it is not a good idea for a pregnant woman to work out in the gym.
You can do exercises during pregnancy only if the expectant mother did them before pregnancy. Exercise should be stopped if you experience bloody discharge or any leakage of fluid from the vagina, sudden swelling of the extremities, severe headache, dizziness, or swelling and pain in the calf. High-risk exercises should be avoided.
Changes in the body during pregnancy
Cardiovascular changes
Pregnancy involves a wide variety of physiological changes. The cardiovascular system is subject to extreme stress. Blood volume increases by 40-50%, cardiac output increases by 30-50%, stroke volume increases by 40%.
During the first few weeks of pregnancy, the heart rate (HR) increases by 8 beats per minute, at 32 weeks - up to 20 beats per minute, oxygen consumption increases by 10-20%. In the 2nd or 3rd trimester, the maximum performance of a pregnant woman’s heart decreases by 20-25%.
Hormonal and metabolic changes
During pregnancy, changes occur in the levels of progesterone, relaxin and estrogen. Changes in these hormones cause the uterus as well as breast tissue to grow. There is also a decrease in smooth muscle tone. Hormonal changes cause the ligaments around the joints to soften. This is most noticeable in the lumbosacral and pelvic regions.
Hormonal changes usually cause nausea, vomiting and decreased appetite. This usually occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. Due to metabolic changes, pregnant women should consume over 3000 kcal per day.
Changes in the musculoskeletal system
The average weight gain for women during pregnancy is 12 kg. Excess weight causes changes in posture. These in turn create muscle imbalances. The abdominal wall is stretched. The lumbar muscles of the spine shorten, and the upper back muscles become long and weak. The front muscles of the chest and shoulders become really tight. As the baby's head moves forward, muscle activity in the back of the cervix increases.
All this suggests that exercise for pregnant women can bring incomparable benefits and help the expectant mother get into shape faster after childbirth.
Warnings
Pregnant women should not perform squats because they may cause the placenta to separate from the uterus. Make sure you only use light weights. In addition, you should not perform sudden movements; pregnant women should do each exercise slowly and correctly. Remember to breathe while doing exercises to ensure your child gets enough oxygen. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially before and after exercise. Choose healthy foods and try to eat 4-5 small meals a day.
Contraindications to exercising in the gym while expecting a baby
The following factors are absolute contraindications to training for pregnant women:
- the presence of a threat of spontaneous abortion (if there are two miscarriages in the past).
- the presence of pathological changes in the veins of the lower extremities, that is, against the background of pronounced varicose veins;
- the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen after training, which is similar to contractions and is present on an ongoing basis;
- against the background of hypertension caused by pregnancy;
- in the case of a cervical position that is not the medical norm and is approaching an anomaly;
- in case of fever, gestosis and bleeding.
In all of the above cases, you cannot train in the gym for pregnant women, regardless of the level of expected load. There are also a number of relative contraindications that require examination and monitoring by a gynecologist. These include diseases such as diabetes, anemia, and thyroid disorders. Another contraindication is problems of the heart and blood vessels, which manifest themselves in the form of arrhythmia, tachycardia and constantly low blood pressure. You should not conduct classes in the gym for pregnant women and at any stage of obesity and in the presence of toxicosis, which is accompanied by dizziness and vomiting.
The benefits of exercise for pregnant women
Through prenatal exercises, expectant mothers can maintain or improve their cardiovascular health, as well as muscle strength and flexibility. They may also experience fewer prenatal discomforts such as constipation, swollen limbs, cramps, nausea, varicose veins, insomnia, fatigue, back pain and other orthopedic conditions.
Women can improve their posture along with body biomechanics, increase energy levels and increase blood circulation. Exercising during pregnancy is beneficial, but women should maintain a lower resting heart rate.
With regular exercise, pregnant women experience a significant reduction in weight gain. The number of birth problems is significantly reduced: the risk of caesarean section is reduced by 75% and maternal exhaustion by 75%. There is a 50% reduction in the need to use oxytocin (which helps induce labor).
Studies have shown that with regular exercise, pregnant women experience a 30% reduction in active labor time. And after giving birth, fewer cases of postpartum depression occur during recovery.
Who shouldn't exercise during pregnancy?
If you have health problems such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes, exercise may not be advisable or even harmful. Loads can also be harmful if you have at least one of the following abnormalities:
- Bleeding or spotting
- Low placentation
- Risk of miscarriage
- Previous preterm birth or history of early birth
- Weak cervix
Consult your doctor before starting an exercise program. He will give individual recommendations based on the characteristics of your body.
Physical education for pregnant women
The program includes light weight training along with cardio training. Work all major body parts except the abdominal muscles and lower back muscles. It may not be safe to train these two muscle groups during pregnancy.
The goal of training for pregnant women is not to gain weight, but to stay in shape, so use only light weights. Avoid heavy things, because in the end you can harm yourself and your child. Perform each pregnancy exercise in 3 sets of 15 repetitions. Rest periods should be fairly short - within 2-3 minutes.
Many pregnant women experience back pain, mainly because the 12-15 kg of weight gained during pregnancy is mostly distributed around the abdominal area.
This causes women's center of gravity to move forward, resulting in greater curvature in the lower spine. The solution to this problem lies in stretching. Light stretching should be done after warming up, especially if you want to prevent back pain.
Along with strength training, there is cardio training and this is a really great exercise for pregnant women. One of the best cardiovascular activities for a pregnant woman can be swimming. It will strengthen the heart and also improve the delivery of oxygen to the muscles.
Swimming is good for your shoulders and abdominal muscles, which can lower high blood pressure and improve joint mobility.
Swimming is one of the most enjoyable cardiovascular exercises, but when it comes to relaxation exercises for pregnant women, yoga still ranks number one. Yoga is very relaxing, and in general it is very useful for pregnant women. Yoga can help you prepare your mind and body for one of the most exciting times of pregnancy - labor and birth.
List of exercises for the first trimester:
Walking in place.
We march in place for one minute, followed by 30 seconds on toes and heels. We do it 3 times. This exercise helps to stretch and warm up the ankle.
Coordination exercise.
In a standing position, we spread our arms to the sides. As you inhale, raise your left arm and right leg, and as you exhale, lower it. We alternate legs and arms. Perform 10 times.
Squats.
From a standing position (feet shoulder-width apart), we squat back until parallel to the floor, as if sitting on a chair. At the same time, we connect our hands behind our backs and move them as far back as possible. Repeat 8 times. Squats during pregnancy work the buttocks and hamstrings, ensuring blood flow to the pelvic area.
Exercise for the pectoral muscles.
In a standing or sitting position, we join our palms in front of us at chest level (as during prayer, only we move our elbows to the side). As you inhale, squeeze your palms with force to feel the tension in the pectoral muscles. As you exhale, relax (do not unclench your palms). Perform 10 times.
Exercise "Cat".
We take a pose “on all fours”, lowering our head down. As you exhale, we bend at the waist and pull our head back (the cat is petting), hold the position for 3 seconds. After this, we inhale and round our back, reaching our chin towards our chest (the cat hisses). Do it 8 times.
Breathing exercises.
Standing position, back straightened. For five counts we take a deep breath and for seven counts we exhale slowly and evenly. We do it 10 times.
Aerobics for pregnant women at home is not complete without a fitball - a special elastic ball that allows you to warm up some muscles, isolating and relieving the load on others.
Exercise 1
Sit on the ball, spread your legs to the sides and rotate your pelvis over a wide amplitude. The exercise perfectly trains the back and abs without the need for flexion-extension exercises.
Exercise 2
Place the fitball between your legs and squeeze it forcefully with your inner thigh muscles.
Exercise 3
We lie down on the ball with our stomach and perform gentle rolls from the pelvic area to the chest. The exercise is permissible until the appearance of a tummy. You can also turn on your back and roll along the entire length of your spine.
Exercise 4
Jump lightly on the ball, sometimes moving your knees, sometimes spreading them apart.
Training frequency for pregnant women
Pregnant women should exercise 5 days a week, with 3 days of light weight training, 1 day of cardio, and 1 day of yoga. The training program we offer excludes weekends, so you can relax and spend time as you want. Every 2 or 3 months it is recommended to take a week off.
Note: Studies have shown that women who exercise 5 days a week give birth to lighter babies. The only reason they had lower birth weight was because they had less subcutaneous fat than others. After 5 years, these children were no different from those born at the same time to non-athletic mothers.
Also make sure you change up your pregnancy exercise program slightly every few weeks or months. Talk to your doctor as often as possible to make sure you are in good health. Keep a training diary and show it to your doctor to make sure you are doing the right thing.
Write down your training program and diet in a notebook. Include the times you arrived and left the gym and all exercises performed along with the number of sets and repetitions. In your diet plan, write down everything you eat, the number of meals, the number of calories, and the amount of fat, carbohydrates, and protein for each meal.
Do this daily and when you have your baby and look at all you have accomplished, you will be amazed and proud of your accomplishments!
Swimming and water aerobics
Time spent in the water is always beneficial for the expectant mother. At this moment, her body does not experience the stress that comes with increasing body weight. Before starting exercise, consult your doctor.
You can do swimming or aerobics - not only in a group, but also on your own.
Approximate training scheme
- Warm up for 5 minutes by swimming a few laps or walking along the bottom of the pool.
- Walk or run at a fast pace for 15 seconds. Then take a break to see how comfortable you are. Repeat walking at the same intervals for 3 minutes.
- Stand at the steps of the pool and walk along them: first 10 steps back and forth, starting with your right foot, then 10 steps, starting with your left. Then stand with your right side towards the stairs and take 10 steps back and forth; repeat, standing towards the stairs with your left side.
- Standing with your back to the side of the pool and holding onto it with your elbows, lift your legs up to an angle of 90 degrees and lower them down. Repeat as many times as is comfortable for you.
- Perform all exercises 3 – 5 times.
What is important to remember while swimming
- If your pool is outdoors, use sunscreen and avoid visiting during the hottest times of the day - between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
- Drink enough fluids even during exercise, although you may not feel thirsty while in the water.
- Avoid jumping and twisting.
Prenatal training for pregnant women
There is no one workout that suits everyone. Training should be individual for each pregnant woman. Women should train at a comfort level, which should be between 5 and 8 on the 10-level RTS (Subjective Perceived Tension) scale. Over time, you will need to exercise less to achieve the same level of RPE.
Training to the point of exhaustion should always be avoided. The duration of training should be determined by its intensity. Thus, if the intensity increases, the duration should decrease. Workouts consisting of cardio exercises for pregnant women should last no more than 45 minutes.
In the 3rd trimester, fetal nutrition and energy balance are very important. If you burn more calories during exercise, you need to consume more calories to help balance your energy levels. Eating actively in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy can be difficult as the stomach becomes smaller and there is a risk of heartburn.
It is important to respond quickly to any muscle imbalance caused by pregnancy. It can lead to discomfort, pain or even injury. The most important muscles to strengthen are the scapular contractile muscles, the abdominal muscles, and the pelvic diaphragm. The transverse abdominal muscles should first be trained in isolation and then integrated into other exercises for pregnant women.
A strong pelvic diaphragm will help improve control and rest during labor. These five layers of muscle and fascia attach to the pelvis. They support internal organs and affect the bladder, bowel and sexual function. Kegel exercises are a great way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Content
- The importance of exercise for expectant mothers
- Contraindications for pregnant women to exercise
- Rules for performing exercises for pregnant women
- Exercises for pregnant women: 1st trimester
- A set of exercises for pregnant women 2nd trimester
- Exercises for pregnant women: 3rd trimester
- Breathing exercises for pregnant women
- Kegel exercises for pregnant women
- Conclusion
Classes in the 2nd trimester
So, the important trimester of pregnancy is over, and now our goal is to provide the body with regular and high-quality exercise.
Since the risk of pregnancy pathologies is sharply reduced, and also does not suffer from toxicosis, you can add aerobic exercises and the first strength exercises to light gymnastics and walks.
Fitness for pregnant women in the second trimester should include the following workouts:
- outdoor sports walking;
- swimming;
- dynamic sports (dancing, aerobics, cycling);
- Cardio exercises (treadmill, breathing exercises);
- stretching (yoga, Pilates, stretch);
- elementary strength training using light dumbbells and body bars (up to 3 kg), bosu, fitball, elastic bands.
You should also focus on exercises in the pelvic area, which will help ensure good blood flow to the necessary organs and alleviate the troubles of pregnant women (urinary incontinence, bloating, cramps, etc.). It is useful during this period to become familiar with Kegel exercises, which will help you during labor and allow you to quickly restore tone to your intimate muscles after childbirth.
From the 18th week, when the tummy is already noticeably growing, a special support bandage should be used. Exercises that involve moving weight from one side (legs, sides) to the other are also excluded.
It is forbidden to take a lying position on your back, only on your side, otherwise the swollen uterus can compress the vena cava, which supplies oxygen to the baby.
Sports for pregnant women at home in the 2nd trimester (you can use exercises from the 1st trimester, adding new ones).
Warm up.
We work every muscle. We perform head turns to the left and right, circular movements of the shoulders forward and backward, body tilts, warm up the hands and ankles, and do warm-up half-squats (6 times).
Exercise for the oblique abdominal muscles.
We take a position lying on our side, join our hands and stretch forward. Using the body, we move the upper arm to the side 180°, hold for 3 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with each hand.
Lunges.
An exercise known since school times that helps to work out the quadriceps femoris well. Do 8 lunges with each leg, making sure there is a 90° angle between each knee.
We hang on the horizontal bar.
An excellent exercise to help relax the spine and relieve lower back pain. Choose a low bar so that your fingertips touch the ground for safety. Hang as long as you can, gradually increasing the time.
We sit with our buttocks on our heels.
Slowly stretch your arms in front of you until your forehead touches the floor. This exercise helps to relax the muscles after another workout.
