The importance of physical exercise in early pregnancy has long been proven. When asked whether sport is needed during pregnancy, leading experts give a positive answer. The main thing is to understand what activities will not harm the future mother and her baby. Pregnancy is not a disease, so even if a woman has not been involved in sports before, this period can be the beginning of an active life.
Advantages of playing sports during the period of bearing a child
In the modern world, every woman in a position has a chance to try out specialized specialized programs developed by leading gynecologists and teachers. In its structure, physical activity during pregnancy is aimed at improving the general well-being of the expectant mother. An important fact will be the development of muscles that will subsequently participate in the birth process, as well as weight control for 9 months.
Previously, women who were expecting an addition in the family, doctors recommended constant bed rest and a predominant state of rest. At the moment, opinion has changed radically. Over the past 40 years, researchers in the field of science have been able to prove that physical activity during pregnancy in the early stages is not only not able to have a negative effect on the baby, but also increase the working capacity of a woman in position.
Scientists were able to prove that sport for a lady in a moderate standard is able to:
- improve the digestive tract;
- normalize the metabolism in the body;
- strengthen the immune system;
- stabilize the general condition;
- ensure proper oxygenation of the child's body;
- protect from edema in late pregnancy;
- reduce the number of stretch marks or protect the future mother from their appearance;
- charge with positive emotions.
The sports side of a woman’s life will help keep her body in great shape. The parts of the body prepared for labor activities will more easily endure the process, and a young mother will be able to restore her figure much faster after the birth of a long-awaited child.
How do I know if training can begin?
In some situations, physical activity during pregnancy is not only not contraindicated, but also recommended by many leading experts. If before the time of happy time a woman was professionally involved in sports, exercises in the early stages should become less productive than before.
The training program will need to be adjusted in connection with the new situation. In other cases, it is necessary to appoint a consultation with a qualified instructor who is able to develop an individual training program based on the data obtained after the conversation.
What sport is recommended for women in position?
Having made sure that sports orientation during the bearing of the baby is possible and recommended by experts, expectant mothers begin to think which direction is better to choose in the near future.
Doctors focus the attention of pregnant women on several well-known for all sports that are well suited for any period of gestation:
- Swimming lesson. This will be the best method in dealing with excessive stress on the spine and joints. A set of exercises in water strengthens muscle mass, and also allows the body to relax and get rid of tension.
- Special fitness that will prepare the body for the birth process and improve the flexibility of all muscles.
- Exercises from yoga or Pilates, aimed at stretching, controlling the respiratory process, so important in childbirth, and improving the general condition of women. Almost all yoga schools teach special classes for expectant mothers, physical exercises during pregnancy will not be a problem in this direction. The doctor, whom the future mother will choose for consultation regarding sports issues, will have to select the feasible load for the body. To do this, he may need current analyzes and conclusions of specialists of various directions who have been examined over the past months. In the early stages of pregnancy, what is possible, what cannot be strictly determined by a doctor, you should not engage in self-prescribing.
Nuances and details in the classroom
A woman should understand that pregnancy is an individual process, therefore, not everyone is recommended the same exercises. Before starting workouts, you should meet with your doctor to determine which sport during pregnancy will be the perfect option for you. Given the dynamic development of society, interest groups gather with ease and abound with a variety of programs for every taste. At the slightest doubt, you can seek advice from a personal trainer.
Having decided on the regimen of training days, one should not forget that exercises that are allowed to be performed in the first months will be strictly prohibited in the later stages due to a growing abdomen. Over time, the instructor will have to pick them a decent sparing replacement.
General rules for pregnant women
Experts identify several recommendations that must be strictly adhered to in order to avoid serious consequences:
- It is strictly forbidden to overheat, this will contribute to violations in the blood supply to the baby.
- Too much diligence in stretching exercises can lead to stretching due to the action of relaxin.
- If the doctor leading the woman in position has diagnosed anemia, multiple pregnancy or a possible threat of interruption, then even charging during pregnancy becomes a moot point.
- It is not recommended for women at all stages of pregnancy to attend stuffy gyms without a proper ventilation system.
- Cardio loads during the period of bearing a baby must be deleted from the program of classes, since the heart is already subject to double stress.
The main goal will be to avoid physical activity that could cause an injury to the expectant mother or lead to a fall. Therefore, it is better to postpone the basketball, riding and snowboarding sections to a later date, and return to them only after the baby is born.
How much time to devote to sports?
For women who have not previously been actively involved in sports, physical activity during pregnancy should not exceed 30 minutes a day 3 times a week, especially in the first trimester. More frequent workouts can become an additional stress for the body, which is still only being rebuilt for a new stage of life.
A good initial training would be walking, preferably in a park area. There, the future mother will be able to stretch the upper and lower limbs with a light charge. In the future, in agreement with the attending physician, running during pregnancy is also possible.
Exercise When Finding a Health Problem
So, we found out that women in the situation are not at all forbidden to play sports, despite even the early stages of pregnancy. What can and cannot be done is determined only by specialists. If the expectant mother suddenly showed problems with the thyroid gland, blood vessels, heart, spine or too fast weight gain, then active exercises should be abandoned for a while.
Permission for any type of physical activity in this case can only be given by a doctor who observes pregnancy and an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Characteristic features of exercises in early pregnancy
For classes to be carried out with benefits for health, body and muscle mass, they should be done regularly, that is, at least twice a week. Only in this case the body will be in the required tone. Infrequent physical activity during pregnancy will bring more stress than benefit for the expectant mother.
Classes should begin at least two hours after the last meal, and also do not forget about replenishing the oxygen deficiency in the room or gym.
The developed set of exercises should provide only pleasure and a charge of positive emotions, as well as contribute to the desire to engage in further. Overfatigue is strictly prohibited, so that the mother and her unborn baby do not feel discomfort, which can adversely affect the course of pregnancy. Only if all of the above rules and recommendations are observed, physical activity will bring benefits and significant fruits that will help in the process of childbirth.