Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy

The primary aim of exercise in pregnancy is to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy. Recreational exercise may be undertaken provided there are no contraindications/ complications during pregnancy. Most mothers are encouraged to exercise as part of an active lifestyle for the wellbeing of the mother and baby.
If you already have a fairly active lifestyle, you may continue with your exercise routine. If you had a sedentary lifestyle, it is not too late to start exercising.

When to start?

• You can start exercising at any time you feel you ready!
• It is great to start exercising by the end of the 1st trimester. This is when the early symptoms of pregnancy start to mellow down. You may feel more comfortable to exercise.
• You may feel the need to slow down in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. This is because your womb stretches to accommodate your growing baby and it compresses on your organs and vessels. This may cause you to feel more breathless and light headed.

Benefits

• Improve mother’s overall health and strength.
• Improve blood sugar control. (Read more on diabetes)
• Prevent maternal obesity. (Read more on obesity)
• Prevent fetal and maternal complications due to overweight or large baby. (Asia > 4kg, West >4.5kg)
• Prevent deep vein thrombosis (Read more on DVT)
• Improve pregnancy symptoms. (shortness of breath, back pain)
• Improve body muscles, breathing muscles, in preparation for labour.
• Improve adjustment to pregnancy mentally.

Recommended exercises

Recommended exercise(s) include:

1. Aerobic Exercise
2. Brisk Walking or Jogging
3. Swimming
4. Cycling
5. Yoga
6. Strength-conditioning Exercise

Brisk walking, swimming and cycling puts less pressure on the joints and body’s ligaments. Always discuss with your doctor the best exercise and level of intensity suited for your pregnancy. If you are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, check with your doctor.

Before and After exercise

You should warm up before exercising and cool down after exercise.
You may try the warm up and cool down routine below:
• Take slow and deep breaths, for 30 seconds.
• Stretch the joints and body muscles, while breathing in and out deeply. Do this for 2- 5 minutes.
• Take slow and deep breaths, for 30 seconds.

Duration:
Begin with 15 minutes of exercise, 3 times a week.
According to your body’s condition, you may gradually increase it to 30 minutes of exercise, 4 times a week.
Exercises to avoid

Exercises to avoid (in all pregnant mothers)

1. Any type of contact sports
2. Competitive sports
3. Extreme sports
   Most women can do light to moderate exercises throughout their pregnancies. It is proven to be beneficial to the mother and baby.
   Points to remember during exercise:
   • maintain body temperature below 39°C
   • able to speak after exercise, not too breathless
   However, some mothers are advised by their doctors to rest more and avoid exercising. If you have a concern, discuss with your doctor the type and intensity of exercise that is suited for your pregnancy.
   Do you fall into this category? Find out more below.

Conditions not recommended to Exercise

• showing signs of labour
(water broke, painful contractions)
• bleeding from vagina
• hypertension conditions in pregnancy
• cervix incompetence (weak)
• placenta previa (low lying placenta)
• uncontrolled medical conditions
(diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, asthma)