Exercise should form an important part of our daily lives. Exercise promotes a sense of well-being. Daily routine activities such as climbing stairs, walking to the train or bus stop, shopping for groceries, all involve some form of exercise. But yet it is important to do exercise in an organized manner for a fixed period of time.

Further, it is important to do exercise in pregnancy.

How does exercise help during pregnancy?

The aim of exercise during pregnancy is to stay fit.

  • Exercise improves muscle tone and strength.
  • It makes it easier to carry the weight one gains during pregnancy.
  • It helps relieve generalized aches and pains, lower back pain and reduce varicose veins and swelling of the feet and ankles.
  • Exercise during pregnancy may help to prevent the development or worsening of medical problems such as diabetes and blood pressure in pregnancy.
  • Exercise during pregnancy helps to prepare for the physical challenge of labor.
  • Appropriate exercise can help women to breathe well during contractions, stretch the perineum muscles and have toned abdominal muscles. This may help reduce the duration of labor.

What kinds of exercises are safe during pregnancy?

Aerobic Exercise: Such as swimming, running, fast walking, aqua aerobics, and dancing.

Muscle Strengthening Exercise: This involves slow, controlled movements that help build the strength of certain muscle groups and weight-bearing exercises.

What are the precautions one should take while exercising during pregnancy?

During exercise in pregnancy, it is advisable to:

  • Drink lots of water before and during exercise.
  • Avoid over-exerting yourself.
  • Avoid exercises that involve lying flat on the back.
  • Do a warm-up and cool-down exercises.
  • Consider wearing pelvic support belts during exercise.
  • Avoid exercise at altitudes over 2500 metres.
  • Avoid sports where there is a risk of being hit in the abdomen, such as kickboxing, or falling due to running such as football, horse riding, and cycling.
  • Avoid scuba diving for the entire pregnancy because the baby has no protection against decompression sickness and gas embolism underwater.
  • Exercise for 45 minutes at a time. Do not overexert.
  • Avoid exercising in a very hot and humid climate.
  • After delivery one can start walking and simple stretches immediately and then gradually progress in intensity and duration. Pelvic floor exercises are particularly useful to tone the perineum.

Are there any symptoms one should be careful of while exercising during pregnancy?

When one is exercising then one should lookout for the following symptoms. And if any of this happens then one should stop the exercise

  • Feeling faint/ giddy
  • Pain or palpitations in your chest
  • Pain in your abdomen, back or pubic area
  • Breathlessness
  • Weakness in your muscles
  • Painful uterine contractions or preterm labour
  • Fewer movements from baby
  • Leakage of ‘waters’ (amniotic fluid)
  • Bleeding

Under these circumstances, one must seek the opinion of the doctor.