Exercise during pregnancy is an important part of a healthy pregnancy and birth. Exercise can help you build stamina and make your delivery go smoother, along with numerous other benefits, including a general sense of well being and the minimizing of excess weight gain.

Heavy exercise during pregnancy (such as marathon running), or exercise (such as contact sports) that can put you and your baby at risk may be unhealthy for your unborn baby. The risk of abdominal trauma and falling outweigh the benefits of certain types of heavy exercise. It is best to save these potentially dangerous activities until after the birth of your baby.

Other concerns with vigorous exercise include dehydration during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, and breathing can become more difficult at this time. It is important that pregnant women (and women who are not pregnant as well) stay hydrated and not become over heated or short of breath. Recognizing your hydration and breathing levels can become difficult when you are pregnant, since your body is changing so rapidly.

Jet skiing, in particular, poses a specific threat in that water can forcefully enter the vagina when your bottom lands hard in the water. There is some concern that the water could enter your bloodstream and cause detrimental results. Most other water exercises, swimming included, are safe during pregnancy and most health care practitioners will readily agree that this is a safe activity while you are expecting.

Some other types of exercise generally thought to be unsafe while you are expecting:

horseback riding

scuba diving

high altitude skiing

contact sports

any exercise that can cause a serious fall

exercising on your back after the first trimester (because of reduced blood flow to the uterus)

vigorous exercise in hot, humid weather

exercise involving the valsalva maneuver (holding one’s breath during exertion), which can cause an increased intra-abdominal pressure

Additionally, it is probably not a good idea to take on any new type of strenuous activity until after the baby is born.

With all type of exercise, you should talk with your health care practitioner to decide on what type of activity level is safe and appropriate for your pregnancy.

Posted in Pregnancy

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