4 Safe Pregnancy Exercises

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Gaining weight is essential for your health and the health of your baby during pregnancy.  However, if you gain too much weight it can lead to gestational diabetes and it may be extremely difficult to lose the extra pounds after your baby is born.  With a proper diet and fitness program, you will have a healthy pregnancy with normal weight gain. Expectant mothers who exercise will gain 7lbs less than those who don't exercise. Below are four exercises that are safe to do during pregnancy.

Walking

Walking is the perfect exercise for pregnant women and can be started during any stage of your pregnancy. This low impact exercise keeps the stress off of your joints, improves circulation, strengthens the heart and lungs and is simple to incorporate into your busy schedule.

Swimming

Water provides just enough resistance for pregnant women and you are less likely to get injured swimming.  You also feel lighter in the water, so this is an ideal exercise to do while pregnant.

Pilates

Pilates helps strengthen your core muscles so it is easier to lose that mommy belly after your baby is born. Having a strong core will also help make hard labor easier, and lesson lower back pain during pregnancy. Your local gym or parks and rec department may offer pilates classes.  If not you can find plenty of pilates videos online and on DVD.

Yoga

Yoga helps ease stress, restores proper balance and is a wonderful feel-good exercise for pregnant women.  It also opens up your hip joints which is helpful during delivery.  Yoga can soothe sore muscles and is safe during all stages of pregnancy. If you decide to do yoga during your pregnancy just make sure that you avoid extreme positions where your legs are stretched far apart and do not lay on your back.  Just like pilates, you can take yoga classes at your local gym or parks and rec department, watch online yoga videos or purchase yoga dvds.  If you are taking any kind of fitness class it is important that your instructor know that you are pregnant.

Fitness and exercise is healthy for everyone especially pregnant women.  As long as you take the proper safety precautions you will feel good, be fit, gain less weight and have an easier delivery.

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