Bringing life into this world is an exciting process, and even though it’s different for everyone, it’s important to find ways to feel good in your body throughout your pregnancy journey. While eating right, staying hydrated, taking prenatal vitamins, and getting enough rest are all important details in your pregnancy health and wellness, staying fit and exercising are also highly crucial for the health of you and your baby. However, it isn’t hard to realize that pregnant bodies have different needs and limitations than non-pregnant ones. Whether you’re looking to get fit while pregnant or you’re hunting for ways to modify your already active life, there are so many pregnancy-safe ways to stay fit and healthy.
Of course, everyone’s pregnancy journey is different. Additionally, everyone’s fitness journey is also unique. This leads to different solutions working for different moms, and that’s perfectly all right. Whether you find just one fitness method on this list or you fall in love with a few, you can try out different workouts until you find the right one for your pregnancy and your lifestyle. Here are just a few ways that moms can stay fit during pregnancy.
1. Walking
Walking is extremely beneficial to overall health and wellness. Whether or not you are pregnant, trying to get some walking time in each day can be great for your cardiovascular, bone, muscle, and mental health. Most sources and professionals recommend trying to get at least 30 minutes of walking in each day. Of course, pregnancy can be difficult on the body, and if you can’t manage 30 minutes a day, trying to get at least a few minutes in is much better than nothing at all.
2. Playing With Your Kids
If this pregnancy is not your first, you are likely Learning the balancing act of caring for your own body during your pregnancy while also running after another kid or two. If this is the case, one of the benefits is that playing with your children can actually be a great source of exercise during pregnancy. Many of the features found in playground equipment can be great venues for exercising your strength. Of course, make sure that you aren’t climbing too high or playing on equipment that could cause you to lose your balance.
3. Yoga
Yoga is one of the primary forms of exercise recommended to pregnant moms, and for a good reason. Yoga combines breath work, stretching, and strengthening exercise in ways that are gentle to the body. Additionally, there are so many yoga classes and videos geared specifically towards pregnancy. If you are a complete beginner, you can start your yoga journey with prenatal yoga. However, if you are a long-time yogi In need of a modified practice specifically for your pregnancy, you can always adjust your yoga classes and speak to your teachers about pregnancy safety.
In this video, you can learn how to modify a yoga practice when you are pregnant:
4. Pilates
If you want to look in the neighborhood of yoga but perhaps find yourself interested in a slightly more high-intensity workout, Pilates might be your cup of tea. Pilates is another form of exercise that’s all about building comfortable strength within the body. There are plenty of prenatal Pilates workouts out there, but if you are a Pilates veteran, you can always speak to your teacher about modifying your routine.
5. Swimming
If you love the water, this one will be good news for you. Swimming, water aerobics, and other forms of exercise that involve bodies of water can be fantastic on pregnant bodies. Moving around in the water puts much less pressure on the joints, allowing you to move more comfortably through your workout. If you’re having trouble getting comfortable during your workouts on land, you may want to switch to something aquatic!
6. Barre
Barre is another form of exercise that can be great on the joints and muscles while also being a great time. If you like to dance or if you’re looking for a bit more structure in your workout, barre could be a great choice for you. Since barre workouts tend to have a point of balance — the barre itself — to grip onto, they can be awesome for those who struggle with their equilibrium due to the extra weight around the belly. Just make sure to let your instructor know you’re pregnant and avoid deep twists.
7. Zumba
Did somebody say dance? Whether or not you have tried Zumba before, this dance-centric workout class can be a wonderful choice for pregnant moms who want the more fun, aerobic movement to their fitness. Not only is Zumba great for the body, but it’s also a ton of fun and can be a serious stress reliever.
Staying Fit While Pregnant
Everybody has their own unique pregnancy journey. While some might favor walking in nature and calming yoga practices, others might be more content with a booming Zumba class or an intense Pilates session. No matter what you choose, staying active is important for both you and the baby. Do you have a favorite pregnancy workout routine?
