No one, not your doctor, midwife, or even your mother can reliably predict how your labor well progress. Fortunately, there are few exercises you can do during your pregnancy period to help prepare your body for what's to come. Pregnancy can weaken your energy, but regular bouts exercise will help you get through your daily task or cope with a demanding schedule: Exercise can strengthen your cardiovascular system, so you don't tire as easily. With muscles that are strong and toned, you need less effort to engage in any activity, whether that means grocery shopping or sitting through meetings at the office.



Now that you're pregnant, you'll want to know how to avoid those unwanted pounds by discovering the secrets to looking and feeling great during your pregnancy. We all know how important exercise is for our bodies, even if we're not pregnant, all the more reason to exercise during pregnancy. If you were active before, then by all means keep it up, and if you have been fairly sedentary, then all hope is not lost. If exercise has always been an important part of your life, then all you have to do is limit strenuous activities that involve bouncing, weight lifting, or are hazardous by nature, like down hill skiing or scuba diving. It is important to consult your obstetrician first, of course, especially if complications may limit your ability to exercise.

There are very few people who realize the importance of exercise during pregnancy. People either go one way or the other. Either they do not exercise at all during pregnancy, which can lead to back problems, weight gain, and a decline in cardiovascular health, or else they exercise too much. Exercising too much is even worse than not exercising at all. Some experts think that you can strain your body, hinder the baby's development, and even induce a miscarriage with exercises during pregnancy. Exercising during pregnancy should be done, but it should be done with caution.



If you're experiencing morning sickness during your first trimester, you may not feel up to exercise, but the benefits are many, so get going as soon as you can. Exercise during pregnancy helps you feel better because it increases energy levels, its good for your baby, it relieves backaches, reduces constipation, relieves stress and anxiety, helps you sleep better, and it gives your skin a healthy glow. It also prepares you and your body for an easier and shorter labor and delivery, and helps you regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly after birth. Examples of appropriate exercise during pregnancy are swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, biking, or walking, which all combine cardio, strength, and flexibility. Exercise should be limited if you have pregnancy induced hypertension, early contractions, vaginal bleeding, or premature rupture of the amniotic membranes. Avoid outside exercise during pregnancy on hot and humid days, drink plenty of water, and keep your maximum heart rate below 140 beats per minute. If you can't talk during exercise, slow down, and stop if you feel fatigued, dizzy, experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual pain in your back or pelvis.

Of course, you can continue to exercise during early pregnancy. In most respects, you can actually keep up your normal exercise routine. If you are accustomed to pushing yourself very hard, however, you may want to slow down on your routine just a bit. You will not have as much energy, and your body will have more to do, after all. Nonetheless, for the majority of us, exercise during pregnancy can continue as normal for the first trimester. Exercise during the second trimester; however get a little bit trickier.

Some exercise during pregnancy can be continued for the whole duration. For example, moderate walking can be continued almost until you are ready to deliver. There are some exercises designed to actually help pregnant women. For example, there are special yoga routines that can be done during pregnancy. Most exercise during pregnancy, however, is off-limits once the second trimester begins. Serious running, martial arts, and gymnastics are all strongly cautioned against. Even weight lifting machines can be dangerous during pregnancy. The bottom line is you should ask a qualified health care practitioner about exercise during pregnancy before trying anything. Most of the time, you can trust your body, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

In my opinion, the best exercise during pregnancy is light walking and stretches. Walking is one of the best cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women because it keeps you fit without harsh your knees and ankles. It is also a safe activity to continue through out all nine months of pregnancy and one of the easier ways to start exercising if you haven't previously been active. Stretching is especially important. Because your center of gravity will shift dramatically during pregnancy, it can put strain on your back and throw your muscles out of alignment. Stretching will enhance your flexibility, prevent our muscles from tightening, and make you feel looser and more relaxed. Through stretching and light strength building activities, you can prevent the back problems that are so common among pregnant women. Exercise during pregnancy is essential, because if you do not start doing an exercise routine during the early months you are likely to have serious aches and pains at the end of the pregnancy. It is always better to start early than to wait until it is too late.

Most of us have heard, time and time again, about the benefits of exercise for women. Exercise can make you feel better, look better and live longer. Well, pregnancy exercise actually gives you all the benefits of regular exercise plus a little bit more. It can help you to manage all those things that come along with pregnancy like nausea, weight gain, and stiff muscles. It can also increase your stamina, helping to prepare you for labor and delivery.

It was once thought that pregnant women should spend nine months prone on the couch, resting comfortable, but that's no longer true. Visit the American Academy of Family Physicians at

www.familydoctor.org, or a number of other sites like www.americanpregnancy.org, www.childbirth.org, or www.exercise.about.com, for more information on exercise during pregnancy. Listen to your body, and feel healthy during your pregnancy by enjoying safe physical activity. Overall, regular exercise stretches and strengthens your muscles, which helps your body cope better with the aches and pains of pregnancy. Your body and your baby will benefit greatly from it, and you will have a healthy and happy pregnancy, which is just what it should be!