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Safely Stay In Shape During Pregnancy

It can be really easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy, especially if it’s your first child. Without a little one already running around needing to be cared for, you will realize pregnancy can make for a lot of down time. This isn’t necessarily due to being lazy, it’s just really hard to get motivated when there is a child growing inside your body that is causing all your hormones to be out of wack.

Yes, there is a lot of nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, aches, pains and overall moodiness, all which are enough to make you just want to lay down for the next 9 months. However, exercise is a natural mood enhancer, so getting active will probably make you feel better overall, as well as helping you sleep. It is also important to stay healthy during this phase in your life. Gaining too much weight during your pregnancy can lead to conditions that might effect the baby, such as gestational diabetes. 

The best way to stay on top of your game during pregnancy is to stay as active as you can, as long as it is okay by your doctor. If you were never active or exercised before getting pregnant, this may actually be a good time to start. You can start slowly, building up your tolerance every week. Don’t feel pressured to do hours of physical exercise a day, spread it out over the week, allowing you to adjust to your knew body in a physical situation.

Try participating in light cardio, such as power walking or a dance class. Make sure you don’t push yourself too hard, however. You want to make sure you can still talk during your workout routines, which ensures you aren’t over doing it. Remember to drink water before and after your work out, making sure to drink a little more than you normally would. You body will need the extra hydration.

If you decide to do strength training exercises then you need to really pay attention to the amount of weight you are lifting. Opt for working with lighter weights, while doing more repetitions. You don’t want to strain your body in any way, so I would stick to 5 pound or lighter weights. Using weights that are too heavy can put strain on your body, which is the last thing you want when you already have a baby in your belly constantly straining things. Your breathing pattern is also important during weight training. Make sure to not hold your breathe and pay attention that you are breathing normally throughout the duration of the workout. 

Avoiding high risk exercises and activities is crucial when pregnant. If you are still in your first trimester, exercises that requires you to lay on your back are a huge no-no. This can put strain and pressure on the baby inside the womb. You also definitely don’t want to do any potentially dangerous sports, especially those that include a risk of falling or the baby getting injured, such as skiing, softball, football, soccer, horseback riding and any other sport where the stomach could get hit. 

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Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Michael Reinhold

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