Exercises to Try
Many women enjoy dancing, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, biking, or walking.
Swimming is especially appealing, as it gives you welcome buoyancy (floatability or
the feeling of weightlessness). Try for a combination of cardio (aerobic), strength,
and flexibility exercises, and avoid bouncing.
Many experts recommend walking. It's easy to vary the pace, add hills, and add
distance. If you're just starting, begin with a moderately brisk pace for a mile,
3 days a week. Add a couple of minutes every week, pick up the pace a bit, and eventually
add hills to your route. Whether you're a pro or a novice, go slowly for the first
5 minutes to warm up and use the last 5 minutes to cool down.
If you were a runner before you were pregnant, you might be able to continue
running during your pregnancy, although you may have to modify your routine.
Whatever type of exercise you and your doctor decide on, the key is to listen to
your body's warnings. Many women, for example, become dizzy early in their pregnancy,
and as the baby grows, their center of gravity changes. So it may be easy for you
to lose your balance, especially in the last trimester.
Your energy level might vary greatly from day to day. And as your baby grows and
pushes up on your lungs, you'll notice a decreased ability to breathe in more air
(and the oxygen it contains) when you exercise. If your body says, "Stop!" —
stop!
Your body is signaling that it's had enough if you feel:
- fatigue
- dizziness
- heart palpitations (your heart pounding in your chest)
- shortness of breath
- pain in your back or pelvis
And if you can't talk while you're exercising, you're doing it too strenuously.
It also isn't good for your baby if you become overheated because temperatures
higher than 102.6°F (39°C) could cause problems with the developing fetus
— especially in the first trimester — which can potentially lead to birth
defects. So don't overdo exercise on hot days.
During hot weather, avoid exercising outside during the hottest part of the
day (from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or exercise in an air-conditioned place. Also remember
that swimming makes it more difficult for you to notice your body heating up because
the water makes you feel cooler.
What Are Kegel Exercises?
Although the effects of Kegel exercises can't be seen from the outside, some women
use them to reduce incontinence (the leakage of urine) caused by the weight of the
baby on their bladder. Kegels help to strengthen the "pelvic floor muscles" (the muscles
that aid in controlling urination).
Kegels are easy, and you can do them any time you have a few seconds — sitting
in your car, at your desk, or standing in line at the store. No one will even know
you're doing them!
To find the correct muscles, pretend you're trying to stop urinating. Squeeze those
muscles for a few seconds, then relax. You're using the correct muscles if you feel
a pull. Or place a finger inside your vagina and feel it tighten when you squeeze.
Your doctor can also help you identify the correct muscles.
A few things to keep in mind when you're doing Kegel exercises:
- Don't tighten other muscles (stomach or legs, for example) at the same time. You
want to focus on the muscles you're exercising.
- Don't hold your breath while you do them because it's important that your body
and muscles continue to receive oxygen while you do any type of exercise.
- Don't regularly do Kegels by stopping and starting your flow of urine while you're
actually going to the bathroom, as this can lead to incomplete emptying of your bladder,
which increases the risk of urinary tract
infections (UTIs).
