12 exercises doctors recommend for pregnant women

Why Exercise for Pregnant Women

Scientists and doctors agree that pregnancy is not a reason to stop exercising. It is worth continuing to do your usual physical activity as long as you feel comfortable doing it.

Moreover, women who are inactive before pregnancy are advised to add more movement, since exercise provides several benefits at once:

Strengthens muscles, which helps to better cope with the additional weight that you will gain during pregnancy;
improve blood circulation;
strengthen joints;
help to cope with back pain, which can appear as the abdomen enlarges;
have a positive effect on the duration of labor and its outcome;
reduce the risk of complications in late pregnancy and childbirth.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that pregnant women exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for most of the week. But this applies to healthy women without contraindications to exercise.

How to know if you can do pregnancy exercises

While healthy women have virtually no contraindications to exercising, there are several conditions in which physical activity can be harmful.

Exercise during pregnancy is contraindicated for:

gestational hypertension;
preeclampsia;
rupture of membranes;
incompetence of the cervix;
bleeding in the second or third trimester;
multiple pregnancies with a risk of premature birth;
placenta previa;
the threat of premature birth.

Also, exercise with caution should be approached with restriction of intrauterine growth, extreme weight and poorly controlled comorbidities, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, seizure disorders and thyroid disease.

Even if you feel great and do not have any medical conditions, consult your pregnancy doctor before starting exercise.

He will assess the risks and level of your activity before pregnancy and will give recommendations on the type, intensity and duration of activities.

Things to Consider When Doing Exercises for Pregnant Women

The first step is to lower the intensity to a comfortable level. Stick to the rules of conversation: if you can carry on a dialogue during training and still not suffocate, the intensity is correct.

If you weren't physically active before pregnancy, start with 15 minutes of exercise a day. Gradually bring this time to 30 minutes, but not quickly - focus on the sensations of your body and do not overload.

Also, follow a few rules:

always warm up before exercise and cool down after exercise;
avoid strenuous exercise in hot conditions;
drink enough water;
if you are going to work with a trainer, make sure he has a special education and inform him about the pregnancy.

What exercises to avoid during pregnancy

There are several types of exercises that can lead to undesirable consequences or cause you discomfort:

Movements in which you lie on your back for a long time (after 16 weeks of pregnancy). Because the weight of the abdomen compresses the main blood vessels that bring blood to the heart, lying on your back can cause weakness.
An activity in which you have to spend a long time in a standing position.
Contact sports in which the risk of getting hit is increased.
Exercise and activity that could lead to a fall. If you feel insecure, ask your family to back them up.

What exercises for pregnant women to perform

Below are some safe exercises for pregnant women that you can do if there are no contraindications.

1. Push-ups from the wall

This exercise will strengthen your chest muscles and the back of your shoulders.

Stand one step away from the wall with your feet hip-width apart. Press your palms against the wall at shoulder level, bend your elbows and do a push-up. Keep your back straight, keep your elbows straight, and place your shoulders at a 45 ° angle from your body. Gradually bring the number of repetitions to 15.

2. Squats with a fitness ball

Exercise strengthens your hips and back, and improves your ability to get into and out of a chair without difficulty with a new weight and a shifted center of gravity.

Stand up straight with a fitness ball between your lower back and a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Sink down to a right angle at the knees. Make sure that your heels do not come off the floor.

If you find it difficult to squat to a right angle at the knees, do the exercise as low as you can. Then straighten your legs, returning to the starting position, and repeat the movement.

If you are feeling insecure, have someone stand next to you to help if you feel unbalanced. Do it 10-12 times.

3. Raises the legs on all fours

Exercise strengthens the muscles in the back and abdomen.

Get on all fours, place your wrists under your shoulders, and straighten your arms. Raise your right knee and straighten your leg back parallel to the floor. Return it to the floor and repeat on the other side. Do 10 reps on each leg.

4. Stepping

A functional movement that will help you strengthen your legs and buttocks and improve your sense of balance. You can walk on a step-stand or a rung of a ladder. Make sure the chosen support is stable.

Step up to the dais, then climb back down and repeat on the other leg. During the exercise, keep your back straight and fully press your foot against the surface of the elevation.

Do as many reps as you can, depending on your fitness level. Stop when you get tired or the form of exercise starts to suffer.

5. Side plank on the elbow

Exercise strengthens the core muscles and helps increase stability and balance.

Lie on your left side, bend your knees so that your hips are in line with your body. Then lift your body off the floor using your knees and left forearm. Place your right hand on your right side. Hold the position for a few seconds, then lower yourself to the floor and repeat. Do 10 reps on each side.

6. Leg extension with lumbar support

This movement will help strengthen your abdominal muscles.

Lie on a mat, put a rolled blanket under your lower back, place your hands on your forearms. Bend your knees at right angles and place your feet on the mat. Straighten one knee, extending the leg, then return it to its original position and repeat on the other leg. Do 10 times on each leg.

7. Hold V-position on Bosu

You can perform an abdominal hold while sitting on an unstable platform.

Sit on Bosu, bend your knees at right angles and press your feet to the floor. You can stretch your arms out in front of you or keep them pressed against the platform if you feel insecure.

Fold your back straight and tighten your abs. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat. Aim for 10 reps.

If you find it easy to V-fold on two legs, try doing it on one. When you fold the body back, lift one leg off the mat and extend it parallel to the floor.

Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times and do on the other leg.

8. Row of the expander to the stomach while sitting

This exercise strengthens the muscles in the upper back.

Sit on a chair, press the expander with your feet, placing it under the insteps of your feet. Grasp the handles or loops of the expander with your palms facing you. Lean your body forward with your back straight.

Overcoming the resistance of the elastic, pull the handles to the belt. Feel the shoulder blades converging. Return to starting position and repeat. Do 15 times.

You can also do this exercise while sitting on a fitball. It is good if there is a person nearby who can insure you in case of loss of balance.

9. Deadlift with a seated expander

Exercise will strengthen your back extensor muscles.

Sit on a fitness ball or chair with your feet hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor. Place the expander under the arches of your feet. Keeping the handles in straight arms, bend at the hip joint. Bring your belly to your hips, keeping your back straight, then return to the starting position and repeat. Do 15 reps.

To make the exercise harder, wrap the band around your wrists to provide more resistance and stress to your back muscles.

10. Back arch on all fours

Get on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders with your fingers in front. Make sure that the lower back remains neutral and does not bend in an arch. Pull in your stomach and lift your back towards the ceiling, arching it in an arc. Leave your head hanging relaxed, do not block the elbow joint. Drive in a comfortable range.

Hold the pose for a few seconds, then smoothly return to the starting position. Check again that the lower back is in a neutral position and not in an arch. Perform the exercise slowly and rhythmically 10 times, feel how the back muscles work.

11. Pelvic tilt

Stand up straight with your shoulders and buttocks against the wall, do not strain your knees or block your joints. Pull your navel towards your spine so that your lower back is fully pressed against the wall. Hold for 4 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times.

12. Exercises for the pelvic floor

Contract your pelvic floor muscles as if you were about to refrain from urinating. At the same time, pull in the vagina as if you were about to grab a tampon.

To get started, do these exercises quickly, contracting and relaxing your muscles. Then move to slow movements, holding the contractions for as long as you can. Try to hold out for 10 seconds.

Do 3 sets of eight contractions each day.