Fitness During Pregnancy - What's Safe And What's Not?

Most moms-to-be know that moderate exercise during pregnancy is important. But many women aren't sure what sort of exercise is safe or how often to exercise. And, what about the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, other than controlling excessive weight gain, of course.

A fitness program done regularly during pregnancy, gives you a stronger body and more resilience when you enter the delivery room, recovery room, and return home. Routine exercise during pregnancy improves endurance, strength, and muscle tone. Along with being more fit, regular exercise during pregnancy will help you feel better by alleviating swelling, fatigue, and backache. Fitness during your pregnancy will require you to exercise your heart, lungs, and major muscle groups.

Depending on your fitness level prior to pregnancy, your exercise program may include low-impact activities such as walking, yoga, pregnancy exercise videos, and swimming. Exercises like these combined with gentle stretching and other low-impact activities, will provide a full-range fitness program.

If an activity or exercise involves a risk of falling or being hit by a ball, they must be avoided. These might include activities you enjoy such as bicycling, tennis, racquet ball, horseback riding, and skiing. If you are active in a sport, talk to your doctor before continuing during pregnancy. There may be risks regardless of how safe the activity appears.

You will need to reassess your activities and alter your exercise routine for each trimester as your body grows and your balance changes. Depending on which trimester you are in, the level of exercise will change. Avoiding over-exertion is important for many reasons, including risks such as faintness, dizziness, vaginal bleeding, and premature contractions.

Your pre-pregnancy state is not the ruler you measure your exercise program by any longer. During pregnancy, your balance changes, your blood flow increases, and your body's need for hydration has hit an all time high. You must take all these changes into consideration when exercising, even moderately. Simply feeling thirsty during exercise can be the beginning signs of dehydration. When dehydration occurs, you may cause harm to yourself and your baby due to your elevated body temperature.

You, like many moms-to-be, may find it uncomfortable exercising away from home, outdoors, or in public, especially in the later months. Your safety and convenience certainly must be considered when you pick an exercise program. That thirty minute walk isn't going to be a lot of fun when you realize just how far away your bathroom is. Safety and convenience are two reasons that many pregnant women choose home workout exercise videos designed for pregnancy fitness. They can do their workout routine in the safety, and privacy, of their own home, right down the hall from their own bathroom! Be sure to ask your doctor about any video exercise program before you begin.

A regular exercise program is beneficial to both mother and child. It is vital that you check with your health provider before you begin any exercise program or sports activity. Your doctor will make sure you have no conditions or risks that will prevent you from participating in a regular exercise routine. Once you get the green light, go ahead and enjoy a stroll or swim. For your health and the health of your baby, it's time to exercise!

Article Written By Tina Titas

Tina Titas is a columnist for FunExerciseVideos.com. For the latest in pregnancy fitness, visit us and you'll find pregnancy fitness dvds at a great price. Have fun while you get fit - what a great idea!