Fitness And Pregnancy

If your looking to learn a thing or two about fitness and pregnancy I recommend you keep reading. Let me introduce to you Madeline Alvarado proud mother of 2 wonderful little girls with her third child on the way. Make no mistake, although Madeline is on her third pregnancy, that has not stopped her from living a life of health and wellness. You can rest assure that she is putting in the hours at the gym. Mommies got to workout out to. She has also taken the time to share her thoughts on the mental and physical benefits of fitness during pregnancy. 

During pregnancy between fatigue, weight gain, overall aches and growing pains you may not always feel like exercising during pregnancy but it is an important habit to get into. It's just as important as eating a nutritious and well balanced diet while pregnant. Studies show exercise reduces the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, constipation, urinary incontinence and back aches. The benefits of strength training during pregnancy are not limited to your pregnancy itself, but also continue on into your labor, delivery and postpartum stages as well. You always hear about the benefits of exercise whether you are pregnant or not including but not limited to maintaining a healthy weight, increased energy, improved strength and overall mental health. Exercise has been proven to lower stress levels and improve your posture, helping you look and feel better about yourself. Exercising while pregnant gives you all the benefits of regular exercise plus more. Some of the different ways to exercise that are very beneficial to pregnancy and can improve labor & delivery include weight training, core exercises and flexibility training. 

SQUATS

Squats should be done while pregnant to strengthen legs and have been known to tilt the uterus and pelvis forward, placing the baby in proper alignment for birth. It also encourages and strengthens the intensity of contractions, while relieving lower back pain. In some cases squatting has been known to decrease the need for episiotomy in pregnancy. Some women even choose to squat during delivery and doing this throughout your pregnancy would be highly beneficial for this. It has also been known to make the 2nd phase of labor which is pushing less time consuming.

YOGA

Yoga is ideal for pregnant woman. It helps maintain muscle tone while increasing flexibility with minimal weight bearing on your joints. One study found pregnant women who did yoga daily were more likely to have an ideal weight baby, less likely to have preterm labor and less likely to develop hypertension than those who didn’t practice yoga or did not exercise during their pregnancies.

CORE

Core exercises during pregnancy are still considered negative but in actuality having strong abdominal muscles during pregnancy is vitally important. Many women feel they will harm their baby but the good news is there are safe core exercises you can do during pregnancy. A strong core helps you carry more comfortable as well as supporting your body.

During the first 4 months of pregnancy you should be OK to lie on your back . The pelvic tilt is an effective pregnancy exercise for your abdominal muscles. Start by laying on your back and bending your knees. Press the small of your back down into the floor and stretch your stomach muscles. Hold this position for three seconds and return to a neutral position.  After the fourth month of pregnancy this exercise can be done against a wall, standing or on all fours.

Plank-type exercises are another great choice because they can be modified to fit anyone's fitness level. These can be done throughout each trimester of pregnancy and can be done numerous ways including the traditional way, on an ab ball, side planks on or off of an ab ball. Learning to engage your abdominal muscles will come in handy when it is time to push during labor. When you deliver, some women experience abdominal separation. This is where the 6 pack-muscle can split disengaging the muscles. Developing abdominal strength during pregnancy can help ease postpartum recovery of the abdominal muscles.

MENTAL HEALTH

With increasing hormones raging and your once "normal" body changing this is one of the hardest parts for a woman. Mentally, exercise helps you love yourself for who you are and the changes your body will experience in those 9 months. The endorphins released during exercise provide positive psychological effects, reducing stress and improving your mood. You sleep better and feel better with increased energy. The benefits of exercise during pregnancy far exceed my expectations and I promise you that you will feel the same way. Just think of one of the greatest benefits is that you will get back into pre-pregnancy weight and fitness level a lot quicker than if you sat on that couch for 9 months.

Happy Pregnancy :)

Madeline Alvarado

BELIEVE.ACHIEVE.INSPIRE