How to Choose Safe Exercises During Pregnancy

How to Choose Safe Exercises During Pregnancy

March 17th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Exercising during pregnancy is important for the health of both mother and baby. However, you need to know what is safe and what to avoid when exercising. This is largely going to rest on your level of fitness before you became pregnant. If you exercised regularly prior to pregnancy, then you can generally keep exercising in that manner during pregnancy while scaling back on the intensity. For instance, if you are a runner, then you can keep running. However, if you did not get a lot of exercise before pregnancy, then you will have to start out slow with an exercise program that is safe.

Having said the above, there are general dos and don’ts that apply no matter what your level of fitness was prior to getting pregnant. First of all, it is very important that you don’t overheat your body. This is what keeps pregnant women out of the hot tub at the gym when they would very much like to be in it. Overheating your body can cause your blood pressure to rise and it can cause dehydration and swelling. Of course, you need to sweat, but make sure that you don’t exercise in extreme heat and that you wear minimal clothing and keep the intensity of your workout to a comfortable level.

You should also keep your heart rate lower when you are exercising. When you begin to sweat you will begin to breathe harder and your body will begin to get warm. This is the maximum you should push your heart rate. If you are too out of breath to talk normally to someone, then you need to slow it down. Getting a heart rate monitor will help you keep track of your heart rate so that you can make adjustments as needed.

It is important to avoid high-impact activities when you are pregnant, especially in your third trimester. If you have been involved in a high-impact activity such as running or tennis prior to pregnancy and you are physically fit, then you can usually keep doing it and may be able to modify the activity to be easier on your body. If you are not used to any high-impact activities, then avoid them while pregnant.

When you do any strength exercises, keep the weight lower for the lower extremities. This will help keep your blood pressure down. Lunges and squats are fine, but no added weights. You should exercise 3-4 days per week for about 30-45 minutes during your first and second trimester. Once in your third trimester, bring the time down to 20-25 minutes 4-5 days per week.

When it comes to stretching, make sure your stretches are short and easy. In other words, don’t hold your stretches for too long. Your body is producing a hormone – yes the dreaded H-word – called relaxin that relaxes the tissues around your joints to prepare the pelvis for delivery. This also affects the muscles throughout the rest of your body and if you stretch too much you will end up with hyper-mobility of the joints, which can be painful and damaging.

Exercising safely while pregnant means ensuring that your body remains a safe haven for your developing baby. You want to be sure everything is going just fine. Exercise is very important and your body will bounce back more quickly after the baby is born. Just remember not to overdo it and you will be a model for good health all throughout your pregnancy.

Office Stretches for the Mother-To-Be

Office Stretches for the Mother-To-Be

March 16th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

No matter who you are, if you sit at an office desk all day, then it is a good idea to get up every few minutes and move around. It is also important that you stretch. However, if you are pregnant, then it is even more important to stretch and move about. While you may not feel the need to keep up a regular stretching and movement program each day at work while in your early pregnancy, you will find that, as time goes on and your body changes more and more, those stretches will be crucial to your overall level of comfort and health.

Starting stretches and movement during your early pregnancy will not only help prepare your body for later pregnancy and childbirth, it will also help build that habit of exercise early on so when you really need it it will be second nature to you. First of all, it is good to start each morning with some movement and stretches. You can run or walk on the spot (whichever is most comfortable for you) and you can do some general stretches.

At the office you will generally want to get up and move around for about 15 minutes for each hour that you are sitting. During this time of movement or at any other time during the day you can do a few stretches, all while sitting in your office chair. Here are a few stretches that you can do quickly a few times throughout your work day:

Neck Stretches: While sitting in your chair with a straight spine you will gently rotate your neck. You can also gently let your chin fall toward your chest and rotate your head from side to side. Be sure to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed during these stretches. Another good neck stretch involves keeping your shoulders down and relaxed and then bringing first your left ear to your left shoulder and then your right ear to your right shoulder.

Wrist Stretches: Next you can move on to your wrists. After all, they are very likely typing at a keyboard all day. By gently rotating your wrists both to the left and to the right you can loosen them up. You can also flex them by taking each in turn, keeping your elbow straight, and gently using your opposite hand to slowly bend your wrist down until you feel a stretch and then up until you feel a stretch.

Shoulder Shrugs: Shoulder shrugs are another great and easy stretch to do while you are sitting at your desk. Make sure your shoulders are relaxed, but that you are not slouching. Sit up in your chair with a straight spine. Then raise your shoulders toward your ears, bring your shoulder blades together, and then push your shoulders back down.

Upper Body Rotation: Cross your arms over your chest and slowly rotate your body from side to side.

Hip Stretches: While sitting, bring your right ankle up to rest on your left knee. Keeping your spine straight lead with your bellybutton and slowly stretch over your bent knee. Repeat on the other side. You will feel this stretch in the buttocks and your outer thigh.

As you can see these are all stretches that you can easily do while sitting at your desk. They will help keep your body loose and flexible and in combination with getting up and moving regularly your circulation and back will feel better as your pregnancy progresses. When it comes time to have your baby, your body will be in great shape.

How Prenatal Exercise Can Benefit You and Your Baby

How Prenatal Exercise Can Benefit You and Your Baby

March 15th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Can you imagine that there was a time when women were expected to rest and not get exercise during pregnancy? What were we thinking? It has become clear over the past 50-60 years that women need exercise and that exercise helps create a healthy mother and a healthy baby.

Of course, we all know that exercise benefits everyone. There are so many ways that exercise helps both the mind and the body that once you know about them it can seem crazy not to exercise. However, despite the fact that pregnant women were once told to avoid exercise, prenatal exercise has wonderful benefits for them as well.

The pregnant woman who gets a good amount of prenatal exercise will have stronger muscles for labor and delivery and to support loose joints. This will also help improve posture and reduce back pain. Exercise will also help a pregnant woman experience increased circulation, which is vital in carrying oxygen and nutrients to the developing baby, and increased flexibility. Exercise will also relieve muscle tension and help the mother-to-be feel more relaxed.

The above are all physical benefits of prenatal exercise, but exercise also carries mental benefits. You see, when we exercise, our brains produce a chemical called serotonin. This is a wonderful chemical that makes us feel good. During pregnancy the mental and emotional boost we get from exercise can help battle the mood swings brought about by hormones and promote a feeling of happiness and wellbeing.

Of course, it is important to ensure that you exercise safely while pregnant. You should never just jump into a new exercise routine while pregnant. If you have not been exercising prior to pregnancy, then take it slow and start off with walking or swimming a few minutes each day. You can increase as you feel ready, eventually reaching 30-45 minutes 3-4 days per week. If you were physically active prior to pregnancy, then you can generally keep doing what you were doing before as long as there are no complications in your pregnancy. For example, if you are a runner you can still run during pregnancy.

It is important to follow some general guidelines when doing prenatal exercises. Avoid activities that require good balance, especially after the fourth month. Avoid high-impact activities and avoid activities that involve deep muscle stretching. Also be sure to keep yourself well hydrated and do not raise your heart rate such that you cannot talk normally while exercising. You should sweat, but only moderately. Also, be sure that your body temperature doesn’t rise too much. You don’t want to overheat.

Before starting any prenatal exercise program it is important to discuss it with your doctor or midwife. You want to be sure they know what you are doing and that they give you the thumbs-up. This way you will know that you are completely safe in doing what you are doing, instead of second-guessing yourself. Your healthcare provider will also let you know the signs to watch out for if a problem develops during your exercise.

Prenatal exercise will allow you to have a healthier pregnancy, an easier labor and delivery, and you will bounce back faster after having your baby. You will look and feel great during and after your pregnancy and just might be more fit after baby arrives than you were before.

What You Should Know About Prenatal Exercise

What You Should Know About Prenatal Exercise

March 14th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

When it comes to exercising during pregnancy there is a lot of information out there and not all of it is accurate. How do you know what information to listen to and what to avoid? Well, it’s difficult to know. Below some popular myths about exercise and pregnancy are cleared up so that you know where you stand.

First of all, when you are exercising, there is no magical heart rate number. To say that your heart rate should not go above 130 is just pulling a number out of the air. Each person is different and this number will depend on a person’s size, age, and level of fitness prior to getting pregnant.

As for your abdominal muscles, you can and should exercise them during pregnancy. The core muscles in your body, including your pelvic floor muscles, are crucial when it comes to labor and delivery. They need to be in shape and the stronger they are, the easier labor and delivery will be. There is one precaution that pregnant women must take. It is not safe for a pregnant woman to lie on her back after the first trimester so it is important to do standing pelvic tilts and tightening and releasing the abdominal muscles while sitting.

Now, it is true that some exercises can be riskier during pregnancy. These are the exercises that require balance. After the fourth month of pregnancy the body’s center of gravity shifts and that means that a woman’s balance is easier to throw off. It is wise to avoid exercise that requires balance, such as biking and skiing, after the fourth month.

It is also important to be careful with any stretching and flexibility exercises. During pregnancy the body produces a hormone called relaxin, which is designed to relax the tissues around the pelvic joints to prepare for labor and delivery. This works on all the muscles and tissues in the body and while you may have a greater range of motion, you are also at a greater risk of injury. It is important to avoid deep muscle movements while pregnant.

If you have not been exercising before pregnancy, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t during pregnancy. It means that you should start slow and easy. If you jump right into marathon training, then you will be taking on too much. However, starting with daily walking or swimming and beginning with about 10 minutes of exercise per day is great. You can increase this as you progress and before you know it you will be more fit after your baby is born than before you became pregnant.

Exercising will not cause your body to steal nutrients form your baby. Your baby will still get everything they need to grow healthy and strong. If your caloric needs increase, you will simply need to eat more.

If you encounter spotting, pain, dizziness, or any other sign of a potential problem, this doesn’t mean that you will have to stop exercising entirely. If you encounter any problems, stop exercising and see your doctor or midwife immediately. You can let them know what you have been doing and they will tell you whether or not you can safely continue exercising.

Overall, exercise during pregnancy is not only safe, it is necessary. It creates a stronger body for the mother and a stronger body will be able to grow a healthier baby. So determine your exercise of choice and go for it. You will look and feel great throughout your pregnancy.

What You Need to Know About Pregnancy after 35

What You Need to Know About Pregnancy after 35

March 13th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

It is very common for women to wait until later in life to have children. Either they don’t find a partner until then and/or they choose to pursue their career before they settle down to have a family. Either way, the number of women who have their first baby later in life has increased significantly. The article “Babies Later in Life” on iParenting states that the number of women having their first baby between the ages 30-39 has doubled in the past 15 years. Women over the age of 40 having their first baby has increased by 50%.

This is important because there are special considerations for a woman when she has a baby over the age of 35. The first of these considerations is that a woman’s fertility begins to decline at around the age of 30. This means that by the age of 35, it can be more difficult to become pregnant as ovulation becomes unpredictable and erratic. It also becomes more possible for a woman to release two eggs during one ovulation and this means she will conceive fraternal twins.

When a woman who is age 35 or older decides to have a baby, her pre-pregnancy health is of the utmost importance, more so than if she were younger. Pregnancy over the age of 35 entails far more risks than pregnancy in younger women. Think about it like this. Females are born with all of their eggs. The eggs don’t form as women grow up or when they hit puberty. Every egg is already in a female’s ovaries when she is born. As the girl turns into a woman and the woman ages, so do the eggs. Over time, some of the aging eggs can become damaged or develop problems.

One of the risks with older eggs is the higher chance of a baby being born with chromosomal abnormalities. Down syndrome is one of the most common of these chromosomal abnormalities. The chances for younger women to have a Down syndrome baby are 1 in 1250. Once a woman reaches age 35, her chances are 1 in 378. By age 45, a woman’s chances of having a Down syndrome baby are 1 in 30! The chances of a baby with birth defects being born to an older mother increases as well.

Pregnancy itself is riskier when a woman is older. There is a higher risk that there will be complications. There is a higher risk of the mother having gestational diabetes, high blood pressure (known as preeclampsia), and vaginal bleeding. It is also more common for there to be problems with the placenta, placing both mother and baby at risk.

Of course, even with the higher risks, there are many, many mothers over the age of 35 who have happy healthy deliveries and babies. Having a baby when you are older does have its advantages. The mother is more mature and has more life experience to bring to her children. Of course, overall having a baby later in life is a personal choice that a woman must make. The important thing is that she makes that choice an educated one, being fully aware of the risks involved. Even more important is to make younger women aware of these risks. That way, if they don’t want to take the chances those risks entail, they may be able to choose to have their children at a younger age. If you do choose to have your children later in life, then take heart in knowing that successful pregnancies happen all the time and healthy babies are frequently born to older parents. No matter what you choose, enjoy the experience because there isn’t anything else like it in life!

Is Running Safe While Pregnant?

Is Running Safe While Pregnant?

March 12th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

If you have just found out you are expecting a baby, then you are probably elated. After all, what better experience could there possibly be in the world? Of course, when you are pregnant, there are lifestyle changes to be made to ensure that you have a safe and happy pregnancy and a healthy baby at the end of it. When it comes to exercise, you might be wondering if you need to make any changes, especially if you are a runner.

If running as a sport is new to you, then starting this new exercise regime when you are pregnant is not a good idea. This is true of any type of exercise. However, if you have previously been running and are in good physical shape, then there is no reason why you cannot continue running well into your pregnancy.

It is pretty much unanimous that you can continue to run during pregnancy, but you will probably find that you will run less and that your pace will be slower. This is to be expected and is also advisable. During your first trimester you will be fatigued, during your second trimester you will feel more awkward, and during your third trimester you will feel both. You will also find that by your third trimester you center of gravity will have shifted and you should be careful to maintain your balance. Running on a treadmill is a good idea at this point.

When you find out you are pregnant it is a good idea to discuss your running activity with your doctor or midwife. They will tell you if there are any risk factors and any warning signs that you should watch for. If you have any risk of premature labor, have vaginal bleeding, pain, or dizziness, or if your water breaks early, then you will have to stop running.

Dailyruns.com featured an article called “Oh Baby! Running While Pregnant“. The article told the story of Paula Radcliffe, the 2007 New York Marathon winner, who won the title only 9 months after giving birth. She ran throughout her pregnancy. With the help of her doctor and specialists, she monitored the health of her baby, rested and took days off when she needed to, and had a healthy pregnancy. You can too, if you take care of yourself.

When running while pregnant, pay close attention to your level of hydration and your heart rate. Make sure you drink lots of fluids and listen to your body. If you feel tired don’t run that day. Slow down if you need to. Don’t push yourself the way you normally would. After all, it is common for runners to push past the pain and challenge themselves, but doing so when you are carrying a baby simply isn’t wise.

As a runner, you know your body. Continuing to run while pregnant is safe as long as you listen to your body. Your level of exercise will allow you to push on after your baby is born. You will be healthier and you will lose your pregnancy weight faster than if you were sedentary during your pregnancy. Best of all, you will keep that facet of your identity in a world in which you become mother. Holding fast to something as personal as your identity as an athlete is important and will help you as you venture into the world of parenting.

Early Signs of Pregnancy

Early Signs of Pregnancy

March 11th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You have been trying for weeks or maybe months. Every little thing that feels different in your body makes you wonder. You are tracking every date of every little change and every event that takes place. You are ready and you are waiting, but how will you really know when you are pregnant? What are the signs?

Well, rest assured that there are definite signs that you are pregnant. Usually, the first sign that tips a woman off is when she misses her menstruation. This is a dead giveaway that there is now a new life growing inside your body. However, when you look back to the week or two prior to your late menstruation, you might, on hindsight, realize that there were other telltale signs of your pregnancy.

Fatigue is one of the early signs of pregnancy. Even before you miss your menstruation or have your pregnancy confirmed by a test, your body is already working very hard to grow that baby. Everything is changing and changing quickly and your body is striving to keep up with those changes. This is likely to cause fatigue in the first few weeks of your pregnancy, beginning soon after conception.

Another noticeable sign of early pregnancy is the shift in hormones. You just might feel moodier than usual. Early in pregnancy it is also common to feel nauseous. While this generally doesn’t come on until about the eighth week for many women, it is not uncommon for it to happen earlier. Morning sickness or nausea due to certain smells and foods can be a sure sign something is up.

One of the most noticeable signs of early pregnancy is breast tenderness. Women generally tend to experience changes in their breasts soon after conception. After all, the breasts are a crucial part of having a baby and the body begins immediately to prepare the breasts to produce milk.

In addition to the above-listed signs of early pregnancy there are a few others that commonly occur. These include food cravings or aversions, the need to urinate more frequently, dizziness or fainting, heartburn or constipation, higher body temperature, lower back pain, bloating, and implantation bleeding (spotting when the embryo implants on the wall of the uterus).

It is important to know that not every woman will experience all of these symptoms or experience them to the same degree as another woman. Some women will feel ultra fatigued, but notice no other signs. Some women will feel nothing at all until they miss their menstruation. One woman might not even experience the same signs from one pregnancy to the next. This means that, while the above early signs of pregnancy are common, you have to be aware of your own body and how it feels.

It can also be frustrating that these symptoms are very similar to those experienced each month when you are due to menstruate. This means that you cannot be sure if you are pregnant until you take a pregnancy test. If you are trying to become pregnant, then this can feel like the most frustrating thing in the world. The best thing to do is stay calm, try to remain stress-free, and wait until you can confirm your pregnancy with a test. Once you know for certain that you are pregnant you can celebrate the new life growing inside you.

Do Pregnancy and Cats Mix?

Do Pregnancy and Cats Mix?

March 10th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You are absolutely ecstatic! You have just found out that you are pregnant and what better cause for celebration and jubilation. You want to shout it from the roof tops and share it with everyone you know, including your beloved pet. However, you have been told by someone who was told by someone that cats can carry a disease that can harm your baby. Is it true? Do you have to give up your precious cat?

Well, you will be relieved to know that the answer to this question is NO. Just having a cat during your pregnancy is harmless. However, you will have to make one major change, because there is a risk of disease. This change, unless you are already very fortunate not to have this job as part of your chores, is that you must stop cleaning the litter box.

“Woohoo”, you shout. No more litter box scooping. Yes, this is a nice side bonus of being pregnant. If you are on your own for any reason and need to clean the litter box, then wear rubber gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after you are finished. So why all the fuss? The name of the disease that can be transmitted is called toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is generally transmitted to outdoor cats from a parasite that they pick up from prey that they eat or from contaminated soil. Indoor cats rarely have a chance of infection. If you work outdoors in your garden, then you should also wear gloves. Humans can also contract the disease from coming into contact with or eating raw or undercooked meat.

This means that if you eat meat, then you also need to take precautions. Of course, safe handling of meat is always a concern, but when pregnant you need to be even more diligent. Ensuring you do not cut meat and other food on the same cutting board and that you clean up thoroughly after handling and cutting raw meat is essential.

Of course, you might already carry immunity to toxoplasmosis. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that more than 60 million people in the US carry the parasite that causes the disease, but few show the symptoms of it because the human immune system generally keeps the parasite under control.

The symptoms of toxoplasmosis are often not present, but when they are present they are usually flu-like symptoms that last for a few weeks. Once gone, the parasite lies dormant and will remain that way unless the immune system becomes compromised. However, in the unborn child there can be severe consequences if infection occurs. The child’s neurological and ocular development can be compromised. Miscarriage is also possible.

Of course, if the pregnant woman already has immunity to toxoplasmosis, then the baby will also have that immunity. It is only when the mother contracts the disease for the first time while pregnant that the unborn child is in danger. If you take the precautions mentioned above and avoid cleaning the litter box or handling raw meat, you should be able to safely go through your pregnancy without concern. You can enjoy the feeling of being pregnant and you can still enjoy your first baby – your cat. After all, we do love our pets and you will want your child to grow up with the joys of having a cat in the house. Rest assured that you can do so safely.

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