One of the most basic bodily functions is breathing. Breathing is so critical and vital to everything that you do, but it seems like something that happens automatically.
However, this is not always that case, there are many times when you will need to carefully think about your breathing. Those who suffer from asthma will tell you that there are definitely times when breathing is something that needs to be consciously done.
Another time when you will have to carefully think about breathing is when you are pregnant. Not only are you providing oxygen for yourself, but you are providing oxygen for your unborn child.
Oxygen is critical to your unborn child's development and growth. Lack of oxygen can cause birth defects and other problems such as brain development.
Obtaining enough oxygen for your baby and for you becomes more and more difficult as you progress through your pregnancy. Later in pregnancy, your baby will be bigger and will need more oxygen.
In addition, your baby's larger size will squish your lungs and make it difficult to take in enough oxygen to meet both your baby's and your own demand. Labor is a difficult process that can make it hard for you to remember how to breathe properly.
You will need to practice to make sure you can breathe correctly when you are under the stress of labor. It is easiest to begin early in your pregnancy with breathing exercises.
Try to set ten to fifteen minutes aside every day to simply focus on breathing. Take slow, deep breaths and relax. You may want to adopt some yoga positions as some of them have been designed specifically to facilitate good breathing.
When it gets later in your pregnancy, it will be easier to do these exercises because you have done it throughout your entire pregnancy. It is also important for pregnant women to exercise due to the many health benefits that exercise can provide.
Exercising will still help pregnant women feel more energetic, get better sleep, and feel better overall despite the added morning sickness among other things. One of the safest forms of exercise for pregnant women is working out on the elliptical.
The elliptical allows you to get all of the benefits of running while it eliminates the jolt of landing on the ground as you take each step. In addition, when you are working out on an elliptical, you will be either in a public place or at home, where you will be able to call for help if you do not feel well.
However, one of the dangers of working out on the elliptical is that you will work out too hard. When you work out too hard, you will not be able to provide enough oxygen to the baby and it may cause complications.
You will need to make sure that your heart rate does not rise above 140 beats per minute and you will need to make sure you maintain good posture so that you can breathe effectively. On the elliptical, you are in a standing position.
You will want to make sure that you keep your spine straight, your shoulders pulled back, and your chest open. Keep your head up so that the air can enter easily into your lungs.
It may be more difficult to do this as you continue through pregnancy because your stomach is going to grow larger and larger. This will shift your center of gravity.
It may take an adjustment period to get used to your new center of gravity and to maintain a good posture. However, it will help make sure that you are providing enough oxygen to your baby, while you are reaping the benefits of working out on the elliptical.
Of course, you should make sure that you talk to your doctor about exercising before you begin an exercise program if you did not exercise before you became pregnant. If you did exercise before becoming pregnant, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about how hard you should push yourself and what kinds of activities should not be done.
You do not want to put your unborn child at risk and it is very important that you take extra precautions to protect him or her. However the extra effort of talking to a doctor, maintaining a good posture, breathing properly, keeping your heart rate low enough, and working out on a regular basis will all be worth it and it can contribute to your pregnancy experience.
Author Resource:-
Tom Selwick is a personal trainer and has authored hundreds of articles relating to physical training and elliptical machines. He has been a health expert and physical trainer for over 15 years.
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