The pregnancy has just started, and everything around you becomes more colorful, the scents are exciting, the hormones go crazy a bit, and the air becomes electric. Everything is beautiful in the back. It’s all normal, it’s the cycle of life that is taking place inside you and inevitably outside.
Every pregnancy is different, but usually, in the first trimester, a pregnant woman is always good to be very careful with any form of exercise that she does. While in the second quarter, considered by many women, the “best,” since those annoying symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness disappear. This is the right time to push with physical activity. In the third quarter, the last one, on the other hand, is that of the three “heavier” ones due to the baby’s belly, which is becoming more and more intrusive, limiting you to even the simplest movements. Moreover, in this last quarter, anxiety, worries, and fear of childbirth are getting stronger. And it is above all for the latter reason that the practices a sport or, merely doing a little physical activity daily, helps you to keep anxieties and fears under control. So, you can stay fit in the nine months. Here’s how:
1. Walk in the fresh air (30 minutes)
Walking for 30 minutes is important to oxygenate our body and react to early pregnancy problems, such as nausea. If possible, walking in the early hours of the morning is ideal for breathing better air and starting the day well. Walk at a slow pace initially and accelerate a bit in the last few minutes but without overdoing it! Carrying a bottle of natural water with you always helps to rehydrate your body during training and respond adequately to any contractions that may occur during exercise.
2. Exercises to do at home
What you need to keep fit is at home: bottles of water instead of weights, a mat to lie on, a chair, and sneakers. In pregnancy, we will focus on the lower and upper limbs and on the back that will have to support us for a long time.
Let’s start with the arms; with two small bottles of water, we stretch and fold our arms forward and sideways, remembering to breathe at each stretch. We repeat the exercise 10 times. This exercise will serve to strengthen both the biceps and the shoulders. The ideal is to focus on breathing and small bodyweight exercises, nothing more.
3. Practice Aerobic Activity
Proper physical activity is done regularly, at least three times a week helps to stay in shape. In general, for everyone, even those who do not “love” sport a lot, doing aerobic activities two times a week, strengthens the muscles and helps the cardiovascular system. The activities reported here are varied, you can choose between brisk walking – always and in any case recommended – exercise bikes (15 minutes at a light pace), aerobic exercises specifically for pregnancy, it is useful to follow, for those who can, a postural course or yoga. And finally, swimming, which is a sport suitable for everyone and all months.¹
4. The Kegel Exercises
In pregnancy, it is useful to have more control over the perineal musculature to maintain its elasticity and ensure a more facilitated recovery after childbirth. Kegel exercises are the most suitable in pregnancy. They consist of contracting the floor muscles. The back must be attached to the ground, and the knees bent. The routine consists of 4 minutes of contraction and 10 minutes of rest.²
5. Nordic Walking
Similar to walking, this discipline is beneficial for improving the functionality of your body. Practiced with sticks, Nordic walking is among the most celebrated by Nordic mothers. Having a duration of at least an hour is recommended to practice it once a week, and it includes an initial and a final warm-up phase. It starts with a slow pace and increases little by little, without ever accelerating ultimately. Professional supervision is recommended if you are a beginner.³
6. Pilates for Pregnant Women
Pilates is handy for understanding the potential of our body, the strength of our muscles. Pilates is a practical discipline that gives excellent results over time, and you sweat a lot if done well. For those who are new, you can start from once a week to get to 3 sessions of one hour about a week.⁴
Always remember that before starting any physical activity, it is still better to contact your trusted gynecologist who will have to give you the green light to undertake a sport.
Always carry a bottle of water with you and wear clothing suitable for the activity you want to undertake. Last but not least, accompanying physical activity with some good music makes each exercise more fun and relaxing.
[1] Befit Mom. “Aerobic Exercise During Pregnancy” Accessed 03 April 2020. https://befitmom.com/pregnancy/aerobic-exercise-during-pregnancy/
[2] Pampers. “Kegel Exercises During Pregnancy” 01 July 2019. https://www.in.pampers.com/pregnancy/healthy-pregnancy/article/kegel-exercises-during-pregnancy
[3] Baby. “Get back to exercise with Nordic walking” Accessed 03 April 2020. https://www.baby-magazine.co.uk/get-back-exercise-nordic-walking/
[4] Amanda Altman. “Your Trimester-by-Trimester Guide to Prenatal Pilates” 23 October 2018.https://www.pilatesanytime.com/Pilates-Blog/1105/Your-Trimester-by-Trimester-Guide-to-Prenatal-Pilates