The dos and don’ts of exercise during pregnancy

Giving birth has been compared to running marathons back to back. You wouldn’t run a marathon (let alone several in a row) without training, would you?!

Exercise during pregnancy is a must for all moms-to-be and here’s why:

• The better condition your body is in, the better and easier the act of childbirth will be.

• Exercise will reduce the risk of complications before and during giving birth.

• Exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormone and has been shown to manage and stabilise cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, leading to a happier mom and baby, as well as helping to prevent postpartum depression.

• Improvement in posture, easing back pain and fatigue.

•There is evidence to suggest that exercise reduces the chance of developing gestational diabetes (diabetes developed during pregnancy).

• Increase in the confidence of the mother.

• Ability to recover sooner after labour and getting back your figure.

• A boost in energy and general mood.

As important as exercise is during pregnancy, there are some things to take note of before you get started:

• Ask your doctor before you start to exercise, in case you may have any underlying conditions or injuries to prevent further injury.

• Get the advice of a professional personal trainer who specialises in pre and postnatal training as they know all the dos and don’ts of exercise, like for instance: crunches and sit-ups are an absolute no-no.

• Avoid exercising in extreme heat or humidity.

• Make sure you get enough nutrition. Your body needs fuel when active.

• Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is of great importance.

• If you are doing exercises on the floor, get up slowly to avoid dizziness.

• Try to avoid lying on your back and sides for extended periods of time.

Some excellent tools to help you get your body in shape while growing that human inside you:

• An exercise ball is excellent to improve your posture, strengthening your stabiliser muscles and offer a base for a variety of exercises.

• A theraband (those stretchy rubber goodies) offer a good way to tone and strengthen muscles with tension that you can control and gives you resistance training without increased risk of injury.

• Light weights are a great way to get a bit of resistance for toning and to activate the metabolism.

Now, ditch the excuses and get exercising your mind, body and soul, and of course, your baby will thank you for it.

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