It can seem tricky to exercise while you are pregnant because you do not want to put your baby at risk, but you do want to enjoy the benefits that come with exercising. The main danger that comes with exercising is the risk of falling.
You do not want to fall as this could disrupt the placenta, which could result in a miscarriage. As if to complicate things further, the extent of damage that is caused by a fall may not be easily determined right away.
For example, when you are pregnant, you cannot get an x-ray to see if you damaged any bones. In addition, surgery can be too risky unless it is a life threatening situation.
As long as you are careful to avoid falling, and do not allow your heart rate to rise about 140 bpm, you should be okay. When you are weight lifting there are several things you should keep in mind.
The first thing you should keep in mind, is that you are maintaining your pre-pregnancy fitness level, you are not trying to gain strength or become even stronger. As you enter the second trimester, you should use lighter weights.
You should also not perform exercises where you are supposed to hold your breath while working, as this will increase your blood pressure. When your blood pressure increases, your body may not be able to deliver enough oxygen to the baby.
In addition, you should not perform walking lunges as this puts a lot of pressure on your joints. Weight lifting positions where you must lay on your back should also be avoided.
When you lay on your back in the second trimester, your stomach will put too much pressure on the large vein going to your heart called the vena cava. This means that the blood flow back to your heart will lessen, which will lower your blood pressure.
As your blood pressure lowers, your unborn child may not get as much oxygen as he or she should. Instead, lift the bench to an incline so the pressure from your stomach does not fall on the vena cava.
As with all forms of exercise, you should stop and rest if you experience muscle cramps, joint strains, dizziness, or pain. When you begin again, start slowly.
If the pain returns, you should stop and consult your doctor about what is causing the pain and whether it is a good idea to continue to exercise. As you continue throughout your pregnancy, you should also be aware that your body will begin producing the hormone relaxin.
This hormone is responsible for helping your joints loosen so that you can deliver the baby. However, this complicates exercising as you will not be used to lose joints, which do not deal well with quick and jerky movements.
As you enter the third trimester, you should avoid even standing to lift weights. Instead, you should sit down so that the blood does not rush to your legs.
When the blood rushes to your legs, it can leave your lightheaded and dizzy. If you exercise in this condition, you may faint and fall down.
Another form of exercise that you can still safely perform into the second trimester is bicycling. As you grow larger though, you may have a harder time balancing.
If you feel like you are going to fall over when you bike, you should not perform this activity. Instead, you should do something where you will not risk falling over.
If it becomes difficult to reach the handle bars due to the baby, try raising the handle bars. This will take some of the strain off of your back as you sit up straighter and it will also allow you to reach the handle bars easier.
In general, it is much more advisable to use a stationary bicycle while pregnant rather that mobile one as there is much less risk for falling over. Another activity that is highly recommended is walking.
Walking is very safe in comparison to many other forms of exercise. It is safe to perform even if you were not exercising before you became pregnant.
However, you should be careful not to walk too far from home. If you start feeling pain or going into labor, you do not want to have to walk all the way back in order to get help.
It is best to carry a cell phone with you for safety reasons. However, exercising is definitely something that can provide you with many benefits.
Author Resource:-
Jack Landry is a personal trainer and has authored hundreds of articles relating to physical training and home exercise equipment. He has been a health expert and physical trainer for over 15 years.
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