Exercise During Pregnancy

• Before you begin or continue an exercise program during pregnancy, you must discuss your fitness plan with your GP or Obstetrician. It is also important that you continue to discuss you fitness goals and physical activity with your obstetrician or pre-natal clinic at each prenatal appointment.

The important thing to remember when you are pregnant is exactly that, you are pregnant not sick. Pregnancy (if you are well and have consulted your doctor) is the perfect time to exercise. It will put your body in the optimum state to handle and recover from labour, it will help the baby thrive by providing increased blood flow and it will help contribute to a feeling of overall good health and well being (which many people say flows through to the baby as well.) It will also assist in the maintaining good muscle suppleness which can sometimes slip away during pregnancy if you don’t exercise due to the increase in the hormone relaxin.

Exercise Intensity during Pregnancy
The exercises you can do during pregnancy will depend on two things: your current health and how active you were before you became pregnant. So keep it relevant.  If prior to falling pregnant you have not regularly participated in exercise then now is not the time to try and get super fit,  A regular walk, swim or low intensity aerobics class is all that is recommended.  If you have been fit prior to falling pregnant then you can continue to do most of your normal exercise at a slightly lowered rate. Steer away from abdominal exercise and high impact Aerobics

So if 1 is the lowest intensity and 10 is the highest during pregnancy (relevant to your pre-pregnancy fitness) you should exercise at an intensity of somewhere between 3 and 7

Do not overdo it. You don't want to become breathless or exhausted. In the proper range, you should be able to carry on a conversation with someone next to you. If you can sing, you may not be exercising intensely enough, but if you are too winded to speak, then slow down. Discuss your exercise intensity and get a recommendation from you doctor. Rate of Perceived Exertion scale.

Stay Cool and Hydrated
Staying cool is very important when you are pregnant. For this reason, it's a good idea to dress in layers which can be shed as you get warmer during your workout. Avoid exercising in rooms with poor ventilation and avoid outdoor exercise altogether when it's hot and humid. Remember to drink plenty of fluids to keep your body's natural cooling system functioning properly. As a guideline, your urine should be almost clear if you are properly hydrated.

Exercise Selection
• Your changing hormones (more specifically, an increase in the hormone relaxin) also affect your joints, causing them to become relaxed and loose, especially in the pelvic area, knees, and elbows. This loosening makes the joints more flexible, but also more unstable, so take extra precaution to prevent injury and maintain balance.
• Activities like tennis and basketball, which involve a great deal of stopping and starting, are also very stressful on your joints. It's still very important to stretch-but not overstretch-the calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, chest, and lower back to accommodate your changing posture.
• Pregnancy is not the time for contact sports that could cause you to fall, injure yourself, get struck in the abdomen, or badly shake the baby. Therefore, avoid scuba diving, water skiing, basketball, softball, baseball, horseback riding, and snow skiing.
• After the first trimester, avoid exercising on your back (supine position). This decreases blood flow to your uterus and placenta and can cause dizziness.

If you suffer from any of the following you must should not exercise during pregnancy without first consulting your GP, Obstetrician or Pre-natal clinic
• Heart Problems, High blood pressure/hypertension, or maternal cardio arrhythmia
• Anemia
• Asthma, Chronic bronchitis or lung problems
• Diabetes
• Thyroid Problems
• Seizures
• Extremely over or under weight
• Muscle or joint problems
• History of spontaneous miscarriages
• History of previous premature labors
• Carrying multiples (e.g., twins, triplets)
• A previously sedentary lifestyle
• Orthopedic limitations
• Intrauterine growth restriction in current pregnancy

Warning Signs to Stop Exercise
Stop exercise immediately and contact your doctor if you experience any of the following during or after exercise:
• Bleeding
• Dyspnea (difficult respiration) prior to exertion
• Premature labor
• Dizziness
• Severe abdominal pain
• Feeling unusually tired
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling (need to rule out thrombophlebitis)
• Decreased fetal movement
• Amniotic fluid leakage

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