Exercise is crucial to the human body as it helps create optimal muscle length and strength, relieves nervous tension, enhances the benefits of good nutrition and can become an essential component of healthy living. During pregnancy, certain types of exercise are more important than others, and other forms of exercise are simply not as safe for the pregnant woman to partake in.

The key in pregnancy is to have an exercise program that includes moderate aerobic activity, stretching, relaxation and Kegels. Walking, swimming and yoga are all good ways to exercise in pregnancy. Running, high-impact aerobics, heavy weight lifting and cycling are not recommended for pregnancy. Both YogaYoga and Rolling Hills Yoga offer outstanding prenatal Yoga classes. As well, there are some wonderful prenatal exercise videos on the market for women who are already have an exercise routine. If you are someone who does not already have an exercise routine established, begin by attending some classes in a particular discipline. This way, you can learn the correct way of doing something from an experienced teacher. It is well worth the money spent to avoid injury.

Kegel exercises work the pelvic floor muscles. These are important in a woman’s life whether she is pregnant or not because these muscles provide sphincter control of the bladder and bowel; support the pelvic organs and their contents, specifically bladder, uterus and bowel; help withstand all the increase in pressure that occur in the abdomen and pelvis during pregnancy; enhance sexual response; and help the baby’s head slide out during birth. Instructions for Kegel exercises are at the bottom of this page.

Relaxation is also crucial for the release of daily tension that results from the stress and anxiety from living in this modern life. Anyone can learn to recognize and release excess tension with focused relaxation techniques which can include meditation, visualization, active relaxation exercises, and yoga.

As well, good breathing habits are fundamental to improving body performance of any kind, from moderate exercise to relaxation to just handling the stresses of daily living. Deep breathing is important as the actual exchanges of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in the farthest recesses of lung tissue. Shallow breathing does not permit this exchange.

Good posture is also important because our bodies need efficiency and endurance in all resting and working positions. Correct body alignment results from adequate support and easy coordination of the various body segments. Good posture in all activities avoids unnecessary tension and stress on muscles and ligaments and gives internal organs more space.

Ten general tips for exercising.

1. Start with a warm-up program that moves from the head to the feet.
2. Make sure that you always begin with the most optimal posture for each particular exercise; correct positioning is crucial.
3. Work within your own limit of comfort and tolerance; rest briefly between exercises. Stop before you are tired or if your muscles start to shake.
4. If you feel breathless, dizzy or tired, stop and rest.
5. Keep breathing while exercising.
6. Perform the exercise smoothly and safely.
7. Do not work out in hot, humid environments or “pound the pavement.” Instead, when exercising outdoors, do it somewhere where the air is fresh, cool and free of pollutants. Otherwise, exercise indoors.
8. Make sure that you have an adequate fluid intake. In Texas this is particularly important, especially in the summer.
9. Protect all the joints in your body, especially those most at risk for hyperextension, such as the pubis symphysis, the elbows and the knees.
10. Avoid harmful exercises, such as double leg raising and lowering, full sit-ups with feet fixed, running and bicycle exercise.

Kegel Exercise Instructions

First find the pelvic floor (PF) muscles. This can be achieved by stopping the flow of urine midstream and paying good attention to which muscles accomplish this. Only stop the flow of urine to identify these muscles. Do not perform this exercise regularly by stopping the flow of urine. After you have identified the PF muscles, begin by feeling how many contractions you can hold in a row at equal strength and then adding one more until you get up to ten at a time of equal strength holding each contraction for 10 seconds. Prolonged holding is not the aim of the exercise. Use frequent contracting and relaxing to avoid fatigue.

Kegels can be performed any time, any place as they are entirely private. Women should do at least 50 Kegels a day, every day for the rest of her life.