Pregnancy Workouts

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During pregnancy, exercise works wonders for both you and your baby. Here are the best and safest ways to break a sweat while you’re expecting.

Your back aches, your ankles are swollen, and you can't sleep (let's not even talk about the bloating and constipation!). If only there were something you could do to minimize the common symptoms of pregnancy. Turns out, there is: exercise is one of the most effective cures for the aches and pains of the expecting set.

Working out while you’re pregnant offers lots of benefits for you and your baby. You'll get a boost in mood, a decrease in many pregnancy symptoms, and a quicker postpartum recovery. And your baby may enjoy a fitter heart, lower BMI, and boost in brain health.

What's more, it doesn’t matter if you were an iron woman or a sofa slacker until now. You can still benefit from getting active during pregnancy. Exercise is also perfectly safe, as long as you get the okay from your practitioner before hitting any new or familiar workout routine and follow a few pregnancy-specific modifications.

So lace up those sneakers and get going! But before you do, read these guidelines and learn about some of the best exercises for pregnant women.

How much exercise should I get during pregnancy?What counts toward that 30 minutes? As far as your heart and general health are concerned, three 10-minute walks sprinkled throughout the day are just as beneficial as 30 minutes on the treadmill or bike at the gym. For that matter, even non-exercise activity — like 15 minutes of vacuuming and 15 minutes of light yard work — counts toward your daily goal.

Are there any risks of exercising while I'm pregnant?While it’s true that now isn’t the time to learn to water ski or enter a horse-jumping competition, most women can still enjoy most fitness activities. In fact, many exercises that are off-limits during pregnancy (like mountain biking or downhill skiing) are ones you’d probably have a hard time doing with a basketball-sized tummy anyway.

That said, definitely be sure to get the go-ahead from your practitioner before you start any exercise program during pregnancy. Some conditions (such as severe anemia, placenta previa, incompetent cervix and ruptured membranes, among others) can rule out exercise during pregnancy.

What are the best cardio exercises I can do while I'm pregnant?

As long as you get the go-ahead to exercise from your practitioner, you can consider the following cardiovascular exercises to increase blood circulation, muscle tone and endurance (which you’ll be thankful for come delivery day):

Swimming

Swimming and water aerobics may just be the perfect pregnancy workout. Why? In the water, you weigh less than you do on land, so you’ll feel lighter and more agile. A dip in the pool may also help relieve nausea, sciatic pain and puffy ankles. And because baby’s floating along with you, it’s gentle on your loosening joints and ligaments (your body’s natural response to pregnancy hormones).

Just be careful walking on slippery pool sides, and step or slide into the water rather than diving or jumping in. Your growing baby isn’t equipped to handle the bubbles that form inside the body when you quickly change altitudes under the pressure of the water (it’s why scuba diving is a big no-no). And as your pregnancy progresses, your center of gravity will likely be off too. All that means the impact of diving isn't worth the potential risk.

Walking

There’s no easier exercise to fit into your busy schedule than walking during pregnancy … and it’s a workout you can continue right up until your delivery date (and even on D-day if you’re anxious to help along the contractions). What’s more, you don’t need any special equipment or a gym membership to participate — just some good sneakers.

Running

Want to go a little faster? Experienced runners can stay on track during pregnancy with a doctor's OK. Stick to level terrain (or a treadmill) and never overdo it