Wellness Wednesday - Exercise and pregnancy - Week 4

Exercise is essential during pregnancy for so many reasons. The trick is to know WHAT to do. If you read back through the 3 other posts in this series, starting at the beginning, you will start to get an idea of what you should be aiming for.

Because it's not easy to find pregnant women willing to subject themselves to testing, experts are overly cautious when it comes to what pregnant women can and can't do during pregnancy. However, there has been a fair amount of studies done regarding pregnancy and exercise and the conclusion is that you SHOULD be moving your body throughout your pregnancy. It's good for you, but it's also really good for your baby.

Walking into a gym can be a bit overwhelming if you aren't a regular gymmer, especially if you are suddenly responsible for another little soul. I am going to try and give you a bit of direction in terms of exercises you can do. If you don't want to go to a gym, that's fine. Most of these can be done at home. I'd highly recommend you buying a stability ball and a resistance band. With these two tools you can train every part of your body from anywhere.

Resistance band and stability ball

Walking

Brisk walking is not jarring on your knees and ankles but it gets your heart rate up and it's safe to do throughout your pregnancy. Improving your cardiovascular fitness will do wonders for your baby and it will also help immensely during the actual childbirth. If you aren't a regular exerciser, start with a 10 minute walk and work your way up to 30 minutes a day. Keep the walking brisk to make sure you keep your heart rate up.

Swimming

This one will be tricky to do at home unless you have a nice, big, heated pool (since we're headed for winter soon!) But swimming is an IDEAL form of exercise during pregnancy. It's a great cardio workout but it also works all of your muscles at the same time so it's great resistance training too. An advantage to swimming is that, the bigger your bum gets, the more you'll enjoy the feeling of weightlessness in the pool!

Most gyms offer an aqua aerobics class which is also a great option. It's nice and social for those who enjoy that aspect but it's also a great way to get in some low impact resistance training. It's gentle on your joints and it can actually help to ease back pain and swelling in the legs later in pregnancy.

Weight training

If you are worried about gaining too much body fat during your pregnancy, weight training is a great way to avoid that, and prevent your body holding on to the extra body fat after you give birth. The key to weight training while pregnant is to always keep your body cool and hydrated. Here are some exercises that you can do:

Pelvic tilt: Sit on a stability ball and gently roll yourself down the ball until your shoulders are resting on the ball and your body is parallel to the floor, your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. The key in this exercise is to keep yourself stable. It will work your core very nicely just trying to keep your balance. Once you are in the starting position, as in the picture to the left, breathe in through your nose and flatten your back towards the floor and tilt your pelvis upwards towards the ceiling. Hold this position for 5 seconds before lowering your pelvis. Make sure you are not using your feet to help your pelvis. It should ALL come from your pelvis. Repeat this movement 10 times, and do 3 sets before gently rolling yourself back up the wall in a controlled movement. As you become stronger you can gradually increase the amount of repetitions you are doing to challenge yourself a bit more.

Plank: Most people have heard of a plank. It's a fantastic exercise for strengthening your core. It will also do wonders for your lower back which tends to take a lot of strain during pregnancy. Lie on the floor, on your stomach and place your hands flat on the floor under your shoulders. Hoist yourself up onto your elbows and toes as in the picture to the left. Make sure to keep your body perfectly straight, like a plank! Keep your bum in, as tempting as it is to arch it towards the ceiling. You won't be helping yourself if you do that! Start off by holding the position for 10 seconds and repeat this 3 times. Test your limitations by adding 5 seconds every few days to make sure you are getting stronger. As your bump gets bigger, the starting position will be a bit  harder. In that case, start on your knees, lean forward and place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and then go into the plank from that position. Towards the latter part of your pregnancy, you can do a straight armed plank. You should be strong enough by this stage.

Standing Ab Crunch

Because you want to avoid lying on your back too much during pregnancy, particularly the latter part, stomach exercises can be tricky. Enter the standing ab crunch!

It's great for helping your work on your balance and it targets those abdominals as well. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and placing your hands behind your head as in the picture to the left. Lift your left knee up as high as is possible towards your chest, at the same time bringing your right elbow down towards the raised knee, attempting to touch it. Repeat this move 10 times before swapping to the right knee and left elbow. Do this for 3 sets.

As your bump starts to get in the way, bring your leg up to the side instead. As you start to get stronger, you can start increasing the amount of repetitions to challenge yourself a bit more.

Resistance band torso twist

Tie your resistance band to a sturdy door handle or even a burglar bar. Hold the end in your hands with a tight grip. Bend your elbows at about a 90 degree angle and keep them in that position. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your weight on your heels. Turn your torso to the side. Be sure to keep your arms bent in the same position as they were when you first started. You don't want your arms to be doing the exercise. You need to be using your abs to turn your body sideways. Do this move 10 times to the right and then repeat 10 times to the left. Do 3 sets.

Squats

Strong legs during pregnancy are essential, especially as you start to get bigger and you struggle to carry around the extra weight. Squats are an easy, effective way to strengthen your upper legs. They also work your core at the same time. Stand with your legs just a little more than shoulder width apart. Make sure all of your weight is on your heels and bend your legs, lowering your body towards the floor.

Make sure to keep your knees just behind your toes. You can do this by pushing your butt as far backwards as you can. It's exactly the same motion you use when you are about to sit on a chair. Keep your weight on your heels at ALL times. I find it helps if I place my arms out in front of me but it's not essential. The main thing is to keep your weight on your heels at all times. You should feel the muscles in your butt and the back of your legs working hard to keep you there. That's how you KNOW you're doing it right;) Repeat this move 10 times and complete 3 sets. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount.

Lunges

Lunges as equally as good as squats but possibly a little harder because they require more balance.

Stand facing forward with your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg and bend it, lowering your body towards the ground. As with a squat, your knee should be just before your toes, at a right angle, and not over your toes. Bend your left leg at the same time that you bend your right leg. Push yourself back off the floor with your front leg and return to a standing position. Repeat this 10 times with your right leg before moving to your left leg. Do 3 sets of these. It's really important to keep your stomach muscles nice and tight during this exercise to help you maintain your balance so focus on that, and your breathing, throughout this exercise.


Resistance band shoulder raises

Strong shoulders are going to be a godsend once you give birth. A sleeping baby in your arms is a beautiful thing but it is also a HEAVY thing;) Stand on the middle part of your resistance band and grab and end in each hand. Keep your elbows SLIGHTLY bent. In other words, just don't lock them. Raise your hands up to shoulder height and then bring them slowly back down to your sides. Repeat this 10 times and do 3 sets. As it gets easier, you can grip the band a bit closer to your feet to challenge yourself more and, of course, increase the amount of repetitions.

Resistance band bicep curls

Again stand in the middle of the resistance band and grab both ends in each hand. Bend your elbows up towards your shoulders, all the way, then slowly lower your hands all the way back towards the floor. Repeat this 10 times and do 3 sets. As it gets easier, you can grip the band a bit closer to your feet to challenge yourself more and, of course, increase the amount of repetitions.




Resistance band rowing

A strong upper back is also going to give you an advantage when you are carrying baby AND the bag AND your shopping too.

Sit on the floor and hook the band around your feet, holding both ends in each hand. The closer your grip is to your feet, the more your muscles will work. Your arms should be straight and your back should be upright. Pull the bands back so that your arms bend and your hands move towards your sides, in a rowing motion. Straighten your arms to get back to the starting position. Repeat this motion 10 times and complete 3 sets. As it gets easier, you can grip the band a bit closer to your feet to challenge yourself more and, of course, increase the amount of repetitions.

Kegels

These are essential exercises for any pregnant women. They strengthen your pelvic floor. As you get larger, you will find the pressure on your bladder to be really uncomfortable. For some women, this can get really embarrassing when, even slight movements, cause incontinence. Strengthening your kegels will help with this. It will also help support the extra weight of your pregnancy and it will help your perineum heal faster after childbirth. Most women know how to do kegels but, just a bit of direction, they are the muscles you use when you really need to wee. When you contract them, the feeling is one of squeezing and lifting, or pulling up and in, around your front and back passages. You can do them standing or sitting and any women should probably do them as often as possible anyway. I'd recommend doing 3 sets of 10 whenever you remember to. No-one can see you doing them so you can even do it in the queue at the bank! Just practice your poker face;)

That should be enough to get you started! These exercises are, of course, possible for women who AREN'T pregnant as well but they are specifically useful for pregnant women. Good luck!