Exercise During Pregnancy
About Exercise
Exercising while pregnant is encouraged as it provides many benefits, such as:
- Gives you energy
- Helps to have a faster delivery
- Helps you sleep better
- Improves your mood and posture
- Promotes muscle tone
- Reduces backaches
If you are pregnant you should consult your doctor before following any exercise program. The following guidelines can help you know what is recommended and what is not. The guidelines follow the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. They answer the following questions:
What Type of Exercise Should I Do?
Consult your doctor about the sports or activities that you would like to do while you are pregnant. If you were not active before pregnancy, start exercising at a low level of intensity. Walking is usually a very safe exercise to start with.
Recommended Activities:
- Cycling
- Jogging (if you jogged before you were pregnant)
- Low-impact aerobics
- Mild strength training
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Walking
- Yoga
Activities You Should Not Do or That You Should Talk to Your Doctor About First
- Bowling
- Golfing
- Horse back riding
- In-Line skating
- Snow skiing
- Surfing
- Water skiing
How Long Should I Exercise?
Everyone has their own strengths when it comes to exercise. As you exercise during pregnancy, carefully watch what your body can handle. You can see what exercise level is best for you.
During the first couple of weeks of pregnancy, it may be a good idea to exercise for shorter amounts of time. Usually about 15 minutes of exercise is safe. Once you feel comfortable with this amount it is okay to increase the time to 30 minutes. For those who are already in excellent shape exercising longer may be okay. Always check with your medical professional about what is safe.
A goal should be 30 minutes of exercise a day in order to stay healthy and strengthen the heart and lungs. If you want to gain enough, but not too much weight during pregnancy you may need to exercise more. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends participating in “…at least 30-60 minutes of continuous exercise three or more times a week”. You should pay close attention to your body. If you feel extremely sore and tired after the workout, you should decrease your time by at least 10 minutes. Wait until you feel comfortable to go back to a full 30 minutes or more. Remember that in a healthy pregnancy you should be steadily gaining weight. It is important to maintain a good level of fitness during pregnancy. But it is also important not to over exercise or do more than your body can handle.
How Often Should I Exercise?
The recommendation from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is to participate in moderate exercise on most, if not all days of the week. If you were preciously inactive before your pregnancy, you should start exercising at a low intensity.
How Intense Should My Exercise Be?
A general recommendation to follow is to not have your heart rate exceed 140 beats per minute while exercising when you are pregnant. You can determine your heart rate by following these steps:
- Place two fingers on your wrist or on either side of your neck under your chin
- Counting the beats for 1 minute.
It is important to stay within the recommended range. If your heart rate is too high your baby will not receive the proper amount of oxygen.
Another easy guide to follow is the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion. The Borg Scale ranges from 6 to 20. The number 6 means that there is no exertion and 20 means there is maximal exertion. The number 9 indicates very light exercise such as walking slow. The number 13 indicates somewhat hard exercise but it feels okay to continue exercising. The number 17 indicates very hard exercise where a person has to push hard to continue. During pregnancy you should stay in the 11-12 (light intensity) to 12-14 (moderate intensity) range.
References
Childbirth.org—"Is it Safe to Exercise During Pregnancy?" Child Birth. 12 Aug. 2008
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—"Perceived Exertion (Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale)." 12 Aug. 2008
Disclaimer:
Exercise is not without its risks and this or any other exercise program may result in injury. To reduce the risk of injury in your case, consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. The advice presented is in no way intended as a substitute for medical consultation. The Utah County Health Department/WIC Program disclaim any liability from and in connection with this program. As with any exercise program, if at any point during your workout you begin to feel faint, dizzy, or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a physician.
