PRENATAL EXERCISES THE EXERCISES DURING PREGNANCY

EXERCISES IN PREGNANCY

Consult your Gynecologist before starting the exercise programme, according to your health issues doctor will suggest you. Don't start any exercise programme until you reach the 4th month of pregnancy and if you have any health issues listed below

• If you have any cardiovascular, respiratory, renal diseases
• Poorly controlled Type I Diabetes
• If there is any history of miscarriage, premature labor, cervical incompetence
• High blood pressure
• Vaginal bleeding

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE EXERCISES

• Maintains cardiovascular fitness
• Maintains healthy weight
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps for normal delivery
• Increase stamina
• Possible prevention of Gestational Diabetes  
• For muscle strengthening, posture, coordination and for balance

STEPS TO FOLLOW BEFORE STARTING AN EXERCISE PROGRAMME

• Wear a loose and comfortable outfit 
• Wear supportive footwear 
• Fluid intake should be more to avoid dehydration
• Avoid exercises during hot weather
• Warm up and cooldown for at least 5 minutes 
• Carry a water bottle before you are going for a walk.
• Start exercises under the supervision of qualified experts.  Exercises should be simple and basic level initially for 15 min for few days and then gradually progress to moderate level for 20-30 min.

WHEN TO STOP EXERCISE

• When there is a abdominal pain, back or pubic pain
• Vaginal Bleeding
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty in walking
• Faintness
• Palpitations

Meet your doctor immediately if you feel more uncomfortable.

WHAT TO AVOID DURING PREGNANCY

Avoid Sports  
Avoid Toe touches and Deep Knee Bends

EXERCISE PROGRAMME

Start your exercise programme from a Brisk walk and then start doing exercises to your Arms, Neck rotations and then progress to lower parts of the body.

1. Walking is a good exercise from the first month of pregnancy onwards. First initially start with 15 min of a walk then increase slowly & gradually to 30 min walk.
2. Neck rotations: Turn your neck round & Move your head sideways 
3. Shoulder rotations: Bend your elbows and put your hands on shoulders do movements in clockwise and Anticlockwise direction.
4. Keep ups: Bend your elbows so that your arms are parallel to the elbow and raise your elbows overhead and slowly increase the speed and bring your elbows right back like sweeping motion and inhaling up and exhaling down. This exercise is most useful for shoulder and neck.
5. Deep breathing exercises like pranayama increase oxygen to the fetus and highly beneficial during labor pain.
6. Quadriceps Strengthening Exercise as body weight will fall on knee joints more you have to strengthen those muscles.
   Sit upright In a chair with knees bent slowly raise your bent knee straight, tighten your quadriceps muscle and hold for 5 breaths and slowly lower your leg down and repeat the same to other legs.
7. Pelvic floor exercises During pregnancy the pelvic joints become more mobile, pelvic tilts helpful to relieve from back pain.
8. BUTTERFLY POSE exercise helps in increasing blood supply to the pelvic area. If you are unable to do exercise take your help of your husband and start the exercise with caution. Slowly bent down and sit crosslegged, begin with sitting in crossed leg and breath in and out slowly and consistently. Now stretch your both legs towards the front, breath consistently, comfortably sit and relax comfortably with your back and shoulder straight. Just exercise as much as you able to. In this position place your knees upwards or bent and use your hands and touch both ankles and bring your feet close together then slowly Stretch your legs and pull your knees. If you feel any stretch at pelvis then stop and concentrate on your pelvic area and breath in and out deeply and consistently. If you feel any tiredness then immediately stop the exercises and stretch your feet outwards as before and place your hands behind your back and relax. 
9. CRAWL POSTURE In sitting position slowly bend your knees up and place your hands down as in crawling posture. Spread your legs apart in this position and arch the back upwards and downwards now tighten the pelvic floor muscles and bottom muscles, constrict the bottom muscles and arch the back upwards count for 5 breaths and relax &then straighten up your back and repeat again. Do not bend your back forward   
10. Half squats: Stand behind a chair and hold it with both hands and slowly lower down into half squat position and hold for two to three breaths and return to the standing position. Repeat this exercise three times in a day. This exercise helps to increase in flexibility and strength to your pelvic floor muscles.  
11. Ankle pumps: For swollen ankles, this exercise helps a lot, place a pillow under your foot and do ankle upward and downward movements slowly.

Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme