Prenatal Exercises
Healthier Mothers, Healthier Babies
Prenatal exercise leads to healthier mothers and babies, and can make your pregnancy more comfortable too. If you experience any complications or pain during exercise--stop and consult your physician!
General guidelines:
• Intensity should be sub-maximal--not taken to exhaustion
• Exercises should not cause any cramping or joint pain
• The pelvis should remain at or below the heart during exercises
• Feet should not go above the hips with any exercise or stretch
• Breathing should be continuous without holding breath
• Avoid high impact activities, bouncing or jumping, and avoid arching the low back
• Keep hydrated
• Stretch cautiously due to the increased ligament laxity during pregnancy
Aerobic Exercise For Pregnant Women:
• Frequency: 7 times per week
• Intensity: Up to 140 beats/minute
• Timing: 15-minute endurance work-out
Types of Aerobic Exercise:
Try to find an activity that you enjoy and that feels the most comfortable for you. You should not experience any joint pain, heart palpitations, or any discomfort during your workout. Many pregnant women experience slight urinary incontinence, therefore, avoid any bouncing type activities. Here are a few aerobic exercises to choose from:
• Brisk walking
• Swimming
• Stationary biking
• Cross-country skiing
• Aerobic exercise class specifically for pregnant women
• Stair stepper (use small step motion)
• Jogging-(if performed prior to conception and with proper body mechanics)
Aerobic exercise should be done in three parts: a 5 minute warm up, endurance work out, and a 5 minute cool down.
PHYSICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY
Musculoskeletal Changes:
• Hormonal softening of the fascia of the abdominal wall called diastasis recti
• Hormonal relaxation of tendons and ligaments which commonly causes sacroiliac
joint problems and low back pain
• After the 5th month, center of gravity moves forward which can increase lumbar
lordosis (increased low back arch) and cause low back pain.
• Diminished trunk rotation as pregnancy progresses
• Increased weight on feet causes increased strain on arch of foot and stretching of
plantar fascia
• Braxton-Hicks contractions
Cardiovascular Changes:
• Increased cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per
single heart contraction)
• Increased blood volume up to 40-60%
• Increased blood flow especially to the uterus (150%) and to the kidney and lungs
(50%)
• Decreased venous return which can cause varicose veins
Respiratory Changes:
• Increased ventilation (amount of air going into your lungs)
• Decreased pulmonary resistance
• Decreased excursion of the diaphragm compensated by increased expansion of the rib cage
• Increased efficiency of gaseous transfer (increased sensitivity to inhaled anesthesia)
• Heightened sense of smell
General:
• Heartburn, gas, and constipation from softening of smooth muscle (the muscles that line the G-I track)
• Increase in breast size which may cause a strain on the upper back
• Enlarged veins
• Fatigue due to hormonal changes (especially the 1st trimester)
BENEFITS OF PRENATAL EXERCISE
• Improve balance, coordination, and posture
• Increase circulation and venous return of blood
• Strengthen postural muscles to prevent back pain
• Enhance sense of well-being and body image
Weight lifting should be done using relatively light weight with low repetitions (maximum of 10 reps) due to the fact that blood may be diverted from the fetus to the working muscle. Never go for “the burn” which causes lactic acidosis.
Upper Body Exercises:
• Bicep Curls
• Tricep pull downs
• Deltoid Flys
• Rows
• Pec Flys on Exercise Ball
• Modified Push Ups
Abdominal exercises:
• Crunches (preferably on exercise ball supporting the low back and doing very small
motion)
• Pelvic Tilts (Avoid lying on your back for longer than 2 minutes and no supine
exercises after the 4th month of gestation.)
• Lower ab toe taps (Never do double leg raising as the leverage of the legs is too
great for the abdominal muscles to maintain the pelvic tilt and protect the lower back.
• Dying Bug (Same precautions as with the lower ab toe taps)
Lower Body Exercises:
• Lunges
• Crab Walk
• Calf raises
• Glut raises (head on ball bridge position)
Pelvic Floor Exercises:
• Kegal exercises
Warning Signs and Symptoms:
• Pain
• Bleeding
• Dizziness
• Shortness of Breath
• Palpitations
• Faintness
• Tachycardia
• Back Pain
• Pubic Pain
• Difficulty Walking
If you experience any of the above, stop exercising and contact your physician!
• Keep hydrated
• Stretch cautiously due to the increased ligament laxity during pregnancy
Aerobic Exercise For Pregnant Women:
• Frequency: 7 times per week
• Intensity: Up to 140 beats/minute
• Timing: 15-minute endurance work-out
Types of Aerobic Exercise:
Try to find an activity that you enjoy and that feels the most comfortable for you. You should not experience any joint pain, heart palpitations, or any discomfort during your workout. Many pregnant women experience slight urinary incontinence, therefore, avoid any bouncing type activities. Here are a few aerobic exercises to choose from:
• Brisk walking
• Swimming
• Stationary biking
• Cross-country skiing
• Aerobic exercise class specifically for pregnant women
• Stair stepper (use small step motion)
• Jogging-(if performed prior to conception and with proper body mechanics)
Aerobic exercise should be done in three parts: a 5 minute warm up, endurance work out, and a 5 minute cool down.
PHYSICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY
Musculoskeletal Changes:
• Hormonal softening of the fascia of the abdominal wall called diastasis recti
• Hormonal relaxation of tendons and ligaments which commonly causes sacroiliac
joint problems and low back pain
• After the 5th month, center of gravity moves forward which can increase lumbar
lordosis (increased low back arch) and cause low back pain.
• Diminished trunk rotation as pregnancy progresses
• Increased weight on feet causes increased strain on arch of foot and stretching of
plantar fascia
• Braxton-Hicks contractions
Cardiovascular Changes:
• Increased cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per
single heart contraction)
• Increased blood volume up to 40-60%
• Increased blood flow especially to the uterus (150%) and to the kidney and lungs
(50%)
• Decreased venous return which can cause varicose veins
Respiratory Changes:
• Increased ventilation (amount of air going into your lungs)
• Decreased pulmonary resistance
• Decreased excursion of the diaphragm compensated by increased expansion of the rib cage
• Increased efficiency of gaseous transfer (increased sensitivity to inhaled anesthesia)
• Heightened sense of smell
General:
• Heartburn, gas, and constipation from softening of smooth muscle (the muscles that line the G-I track)
• Increase in breast size which may cause a strain on the upper back
• Enlarged veins
• Fatigue due to hormonal changes (especially the 1st trimester)
BENEFITS OF PRENATAL EXERCISE
• Improve balance, coordination, and posture
• Increase circulation and venous return of blood
• Strengthen postural muscles to prevent back pain
• Enhance sense of well-being and body image
Weight lifting should be done using relatively light weight with low repetitions (maximum of 10 reps) due to the fact that blood may be diverted from the fetus to the working muscle. Never go for “the burn” which causes lactic acidosis.
Upper Body Exercises:
• Bicep Curls
• Tricep pull downs
• Deltoid Flys
• Rows
• Pec Flys on Exercise Ball
• Modified Push Ups
Abdominal exercises:
• Crunches (preferably on exercise ball supporting the low back and doing very small
motion)
• Pelvic Tilts (Avoid lying on your back for longer than 2 minutes and no supine
exercises after the 4th month of gestation.)
• Lower ab toe taps (Never do double leg raising as the leverage of the legs is too
great for the abdominal muscles to maintain the pelvic tilt and protect the lower back.
• Dying Bug (Same precautions as with the lower ab toe taps)
Lower Body Exercises:
• Lunges
• Crab Walk
• Calf raises
• Glut raises (head on ball bridge position)
Pelvic Floor Exercises:
• Kegal exercises
Warning Signs and Symptoms:
• Pain
• Bleeding
• Dizziness
• Shortness of Breath
• Palpitations
• Faintness
• Tachycardia
• Back Pain
• Pubic Pain
• Difficulty Walking
If you experience any of the above, stop exercising and contact your physician!