Physical activity in a healthy pregnancy has a good effect on the health of the woman and the developing baby. It is important that the exercises for pregnant women are safe for both the baby and the mother.
How to exercise…
Exercises for pregnant and postpartum women also have their own rules. It is best to decide at what pace to return to training and what exercises to perform during consultation with a urogynaecological physiotherapist.
- At the very beginning of pregnancy, it is worth consulting your training plans with your attending physician. If you make sure that there are no health contraindications, physical activity will have a positive effect on the course of pregnancy.
- Be especially careful when doing very intense exercise. It is worth not making them the dominant type of activity and not lasting too long.
- Don’t exercise when you’re hungry – this is especially important when you’re pregnant. Before each workout, plan an easily digestible meal
- Avoid exercises that engage the abdominal muscles and the periiliac muscles. Additionally, avoid dynamic exercises such as jumping on crates, etc. Make sure you don’t exceed a heart rate of 140 beats per minute.
- Multi-joint exercises, such as the squat, should be performed with minimal weight and not in the full range of motion (avoiding deep squats).
- Exercises in lying sideways, kneeling supported, sitting on a bench or sitting on a ball are good. Low-intensity cardio exercises such as cycling, walking or elliptical trainer are also ideal.
Ideally, exercises for women (as well as for men) should be characterized by the fact that… they make you happy! Choose different forms of movement, but try to find a place for strength exercises. Why? Because they are great for shaping the body, preventing the loss of muscle mass, allowing it to develop, preventing the appearance of osteoporosis and improving well-being.