Required Pre-Natal Exercises

Exercising your whole body every single day is essential for the good and proper circulation of your blood. Even if you know you are pregnant, enough exercise is also needed. If you will consult your doctor, he/she will surely tell you that is definitely safe for pregnant woman to exercise provided that the kind of exercises you perform are specifically designed for pregnant woman.

 

However, there are some things you need to take into consideration like avoiding strenuous sports. And before you engage in any exercise while you're pregnant, make sure to consult first your OB-Gyne for you and your baby's safety.

 

Now here are some of the required pre-natal exercised you can try at home.

 

Pelvic Tilt - this exercise helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles and to relieve back stress.

 

 

• Sitting - Sit on a chair or stool, making sure your feet can rest flat on the floor. Rock your pelvis forward. Then pull in your stomach and rock back on your hips. Repeat several times.

• Cat Stretches - Kneel on your hands and knees, with your back relaxed. Do not arch your back. Inhale and relax. As you exhale, pull your buttocks under and forward until you feel your back straighten at the waist and your abdomen tighten. Hold for a count of 5, then exhale and relax. Do this exercise 4-5 times.

Hips and Trunks - mobility can be increased by twisting and circling exercises that loosen the trunk area. You may also find these exercises a comforting movement in the first stage of labor.

 

• Hip Circling - With your feet apart and knees slightly bent, place hands on hips. Slowly circle your hips from the waist in one direction 5 to 10 times; then repeat the other way.

• Twisting -  Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees apart, lift your arms to chest level and twist your body to the right as far as you can, then to the left. Repeat several times.

Leg Stretches - the legs carry a lot of extra weight during pregnancy, so stretching and strengthening your leg muscles will be beneficial. The exercises will also improve the circulation in your legs, which could make you more comfortable later in pregnancy.

• Leg Strengthening - Stand with your back to a wall and your feet apart. Slowly bend your legs until you feel a pull on your thigh muscles but before you feel uncomfortable, hold for a count of 20 then return to standing. Repeat this five times.

• Wall Push-Away - Stand a couple of feet away from a wall, with your hands in front of your shoulders. Place hands on the wall, and lean forward. Bend your elbows as your body leans into the wall. Keep heels flat on the floor. Slowly push away from the wall, and straighten. Push away 20 times. Repeat this ten times.

Feet and Ankles - pregnancy hormones relax the wall of veins; this slows the flow of blood to the heart and can cause varicose veins, swollen ankles and legs. Do these exercises regularly during the day to stimulate the circulation in the legs and helps relieve the discomfort of swollen ankles. This is important for women who have to sit at a desk all day or stand for a long period.

• Up and down - Move one foot up and down from the ankle, without pointing the toes. Repeat with the other foot. Perform 10 to 20 times per foot, twice a day.

• Rotations - Make circling movements with each foot ten times one way and again the other way. Repeat twice a day. Keep the toes relaxed.