Fitness Before & After Baby Why Exercise?
During a first pregnancy it can be understandably tempting to watch boxsets and eat crisps during your free time, especially if the first twelve weeks (or longer) were hard work. But, while watching Friends for the 267th time or starting an exciting new Real Housewives habit is fine, giving up all exercise is not a good idea. Put simply, the more exercise you do, the easier your pregnancy is likely to be! Keeping fit will also help you cope with the often lengthy slog of labour, and – perhaps most alluringly – make it easier for you to get back to your pre-pregnancy shape and weight.
How to Exercise Walk instead of drive, use the stairs instead of taking the lift, sign up to a pregnancy yoga or pilates class, swim (swimming is lovely when you’re massively pregnant because the water totally takes away that cumbersome beached-whale feeling): all good ways to keep your pregnancy fitness levels up. As a rule you should be able to hold a conversation while exercising: if you’re too puffed, you’re overdoing it. If you do a non-pregnancy specialist class, tell the teacher you’re pregnant before the class starts.
How Not to Exercise
Any sport with a danger of falling is obviously not a great one for when you’re pregnant. So no cycling, horse riding, gymnastics, skiing, etc. Kickboxing, judo, squash and any other sports where you might get hit are also out, as is scuba diving. The general rule of thumb is that you can carry on working at your pre-pregnancy maintenance level, but don’t use this time to add extra challenges!
You should speak to your midwife and your instructor before starting any new exercise programme if you have any type of lung or heart condition, if you have diabetes (including gestational diabetes), if you have high blood pressure, or if you are expecting a multiple birth. You will be advised not to exercise during pregnancy if you have placenta previa, or have a history of premature labour or have previously had more than three miscarriages.
Post-Birth Exercise
Straight after giving birth you’ll probably be too busy recuperating, enjoying your baby, feeling impossibly exhausted and having the odd massive freak-out to think about getting back into shape – and quite right too. But when you’re feeling ready, whether that’s after a few days, a few weeks or longer (if you had a c-section check with your midwife or doctor that you’ve healed enough), gentle exercise will not only help you lose your baby weight and feel more energised, but it could also prevent post- natal depression.
Get Walking
One excellent way of getting out of the house, exercising, and relieving some of the boredom of looking after a tiny baby is to walk. Just walk! Push the buggy with your arms at right angles and your back straight, and get out there. Walk with friends or to see friends, walk to see nature, to go shopping, to have a coffee, or just for something to do – whatever you do, you’ll also be getting fit and losing weight.
Find A Class Pregnancy and Post-natal exercise classes are a great way to meet people while getting fit safely and at a pace that suits you/your stage in the parenting journey. Even better, you can often bring your baby along to postnatal classes, so it’s a bonding experience too! Make sure you have had your six week check with your doctor, and then search online for classes near you, or join relevant local Facebook groups to get personal recommendations!
Good luck, and enjoy! Author, Lucy Toleman, Founder of Indee Nest
14 Editor, Helen McClorry, Babies on board Magazine.
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