Can I Exercise in Pregnancy?

Here are my Top 6 Benefits of Exercising while you're pregnant:

• Improved Mood - Physical activity can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

Happy Mum = Happy Baby

• Better Sleep - Regular exercise can improve your sleep quality, which can sometimes be a challenge during pregnancy
• Increased Energy - Staying active can help combat fatigue!
• Reduced Discomfort - Exercise can alleviate common pregnancy aches, such as back pain and swelling
• Easier Labour - Some studies suggest that staying fit may lead to a shorter labour and can definitely help with a quicker recovery
• Weight Management - Regular exercise can help manage weight gain during pregnancy, which supports a healthier lifestyle, reduced blood pressure (which can be a sneaky creeper in pregnancy!) and keeps you feeling great

So what kinds of exercise should/could you be doing, honestly....anything is possible!  Now, I wouldn't suggest starting to train for a marathon, hiking Everest or becoming England's Strongest Woman, BUT, so long as you are working within your limits, not causing any pains and being mindful of any impact sports (don't want your precious little one being thwacked with a hockey stick!), then your only limitation is your imagination!

Here are some great starting places if you're starting to think about getting more active:

• Walking is low-impact and easy to incorporate into your daily routine
• Swimming amazing for providing buoyancy and reducing stress on your joints and back, which can be very welcome in those later months when you're starting to feel pretty weighty!
• Yoga enhances flexibility, strength, and relaxation, in particular, keeping your hips and pelvis mobile to can really help when it comes to birthing your baby
• Stationary Cycling offers a cardio workout with low risk of falling, if you're feeling a bit nervous about taking your bike out on the road
• Strength Training light weights (or heavy ones if this is something you're used to!) can help maintain muscle tone, strengthen the pelvic floor and keep you feeling strong
• Dancing!  Crank up those tunes in the kitchen and get those hips moving!  Dance like no ones watching and get those endorphins flowing!

There's historically been a lot of fear around exercising in pregnancy, but the reality is, the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle are for worse than those with an appropriate and personalised exercise routine.  The best advice I can offer is to learn to listen to your body, and don't push yourself beyond your limits. 

If you're feeling short of breath, have pain in your chest, any dizziness or any bleeding, definitely stop, slow down and get checked out by your health care provider.   

Stay Active Ladies!