Home exercises pregnant women can follow

Congratulations! You have begun your journey to completing your family. You will hear lots of advise now in terms of what you should eat and how much weight you need to gain etc. But remember that just because you are gaining weight, doesn’t mean you are eating nutritious. You need to eat a balanced diet comprising of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients required by your body during pregnancy. You can maintain a pregnancy diet chart.

Remember that your baby would be around 2-3.5 kgs when born, the placenta is only 500 gms and the water around the baby could be a kilo. So, if you have gained 15 kgs during your pregnancy, then you will really struggle losing weight post-delivery.

Hence, we advise pregnant women to do some form of exercise all through the nine months. This helps you maintain your weight, reduces low back pain, reduces stress, and will help you in the post-delivery recovery.

If you are a regular at exercise, please continue exercises but limit very strenuous ones. Check with your doctor what you can continue doing. Always wear lose clothes and try not bending down or balancing exercises. In case you have not been exercising, you can start gradually with at least 20-30 minutes a day. You can do cardiovascular exercises throughout your pregnancy like walking, swimming, or stationary cycling. Yoga is also a very good choice of exercise as it provides both movement and helps you relieve stress.

Pregnancy exercise during the 1st trimester

Work to strengthen your back and spinal cord and abdominal muscles. Pelvic curls, kneeling pushups, squats and bicep curls is what is recommended along with cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women.

Pregnancy exercise during the 2nd trimester

Now is the time to focus on a stretching routine. Focus on your hip flexors, quadriceps, low back, glutes, and calves. Strengthen your muscles to help you with balance and assistance in pelvic stabilization.

Pregnancy exercise during the 3rd trimester

Avoid other exercises apart from cardiovascular activities. Continue walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, pilates, pelvic floor exercises.

Make sure you are active during pregnancy as it is the best thing for both the mother and the developing baby. In case an exercise is making you uncomfortable, you can stop and check with a doctor. Don’t think too much about food cravings, continue eating a balanced meal. Try eating home-cooked food as far as possible. Do allow yourself a cheat day – eat away junk food and skip your regular exercise that day. Treat it like a Sunday – only it can be on any day.