Even though exercising may be difficult during the last trimester of pregnancy, it is still safe and it can provide many benefits both to the expectant mother and the unborn child. Of course, there are some restrictions to follow as some forms of exercise pose a threat due to a changing sense of balance due to the additional weight.
As you try to find a type of exercise that works for you and which you enjoy, you will want to avoid anything that may cause you to become unbalanced and fall over. For example, some of the things that you should avoid doing include horseback riding, bicycling, and so forth.
Running is also not recommended because of the extra force that this puts on your joints due to the extra weight which can result in severe injuries. Instead of running, one of the best forms of exercise that you can participate in is still walking.
Walking does not require you to constantly monitor your balance and it does not require you to jump and down with the extra weight. However, it can still provide you with many of the benefits that come from exercising.
As you may not have a long endurance level, you may want to consider going walking three to five times a day for short periods of time instead of walking for one long period. This will relieve the stress on your feet from the extra weight that you will be gaining rapidly throughout the next couple of weeks.
The general rule is that you can walk as long as you feel okay, but when you get to the point where you are over exerting yourself, you will need to stop. You may want to consider walking on a treadmill at home as you near your due date in case you go into labor during the exercise.
This way you will be able to stop immediately when you need to and you will be close to a phone with which you can call someone to take you to the hospital. In addition, if you simply start feeling poorly, you will be able to lie down and rest until you have recovered.
If you choose to walk outside still, then you will want to take several other safety precautions. One thing that you will want to make sure you do is take a cell phone with you.
If you go into labor or cannot get home for another reason, then you will want to have the means to have someone come and pick you up. In addition, you will want to make sure you take enough water with you so that you do not get dehydrated.
You will need to carefully monitor your body temperature as a temperature that is too high can be harmful to your baby. If your body temperature is getting too high throughout your walk, you will need to lower the intensity or stop until you cool down.
Drinking enough liquids will help your body stay cool as well. Another safety measure you should take is always letting someone know where and when you will be walking.
This way, if you accidentally forget your cell phone, someone will know where to look for you. As you walk, you will want to make sure that it stays challenging so that you will reap all of the benefits from the exercise.
You can do this be varying the speed at which you move up and down the hills. However, listen to your body and know your limits.
Do not push yourself too hard. It is important to know that you will probably not be able to go as far or as fast as you did when you had very little weight during the first trimester.
Due to the extra weight however, you may be working just as hard, but your measurements of how much work you did will have to change. It can be frustrating to not be able to go as far or fast as you did in the past, but it is important to know that you are still doing well by simply walking every day.
A little walking is better than no walking. You will want to aim for working out somewhere between three and five days a week.
This amount of work will allow you to enjoy the benefits of exercising, but it will also give you time for your body to recover. This is critical as you will be more prone to becoming tired throughout the third trimester.
Author Resource:-
Jack Landry is a personal trainer and has authored hundreds of articles relating to physical training and exercise equipment. He has been a health expert and physical trainer for over 15 years.
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