Exercising Your Way Through Pregnancy: A Guide for Expectant Mothers

Although a lot of women associate pregnancy with being lethargic and feeling heavy or unable to move, this does not mean that you should stop exercising. Doing exercises is good for anyone and is even more beneficial for expectant mothers.

The Benefits of Exercise 

Other than the obvious health benefits for both the baby and mother, there are a lot of benefits which you can get from exercising during pregnancy which you may not have initially known. Some of these great benefits can include:

• Keeping your spirits high - Pregnancy is a time of hormonal changes and body changes. Some women look gorgeous when they are pregnant but they do also put on weight. The weight gain is normal but in some cases can make a lot of mothers feel insecure. Exercise releases happy hormones which can help you feel more confident even if you look bigger than you want to

• Helping constipation - Constipation is common during pregnancy. Unfortunately, this can't really be helped but you can still relieve the symptom with regular exercise

• Help make it easier for you to deliver your baby - Delivery is one of the most painful occurrences in life. It puts tremendous strain on your body, including your joints and your heart. Since there is really no way to tell how long your labor will last, you have to be prepared and a good heart means much better endurance. In addition, exercise helps to improve our health and makes it easier to go through labor. Exercise also helps to build your resistance to pain, something which you definitely need to get you through labor.

What are the best Exercises to Do When You are Pregnant?

Not all exercises are suitable for pregnant women and there are techniques which you should follow in order to make sure that in your quest to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy, you also keep it safe for the baby. Here are a couple of exercises that are generally safe for women and can provide a pretty good work out too:

1. Swimming - Swimming is recommended for pregnant women and overweight women because it does not put as much strain on the body as other forms of exercise. The buoyancy of the water helps keep you light which in turn ensure that you don't put too much strain on yourself. In addition, because it is cardiovascular, it is good for strengthening the heart and building endurance

2. Walking - This is one of the safest forms of exercise for women and can be done whatever trimester you are in. The advantage to walking is that it doesn't put added pressure on your knees, something that is easy to do when you are pregnant because you are carrying a lot of added weight. It is important however, to make sure that you have the right shoes with good support.

3. Stretching - The trick to a good exercise routine is being able to use some of your body's natural resistance. Stretching helps you do this and at the same time helps keep your joints limber; something that is really important during child birth.

Just because you are pregnant, it doesn't mean that you have to stop exercising. Keeping yourself healthy is crucial during pregnancy and especially crucial for both you and your baby during birth.