Pregnancy Exercise
by Beverley Brooke

One of the best things you can do to prepare for pregnancy is start exercising regularly. You don't have to join the Boston Marathon, but even walking around the block a few times per week will help tone and condition your body and help you prepare for the journey ahead.

Women who regularly engage in some form of exercise before and during pregnancy are more likely to experience quicker and less problematic labours. That is a good enough reason in and of itself to start exercising as soon as you can.

The other important thing you need to do during your pregnancy is make an appointment to see your healthcare provider. Good prenatal care throughout your pregnancy is essential for maintaining a happy and healthy pregnancy. If you are not yet pregnant but thinking about becoming pregnant, many practitioners recommend scheduling a visit so they can review your health history for you and help overcome any potential barriers to your fertility.

Your healthcare provider can also set you up on a regimen of prenatal vitamins, and help you understand your cycle better so you know the times of the month you are most likely to get pregnant.

Most practitioners will schedule your first visit between 8-11 weeks if you are having a normal, low risk pregnancy. If you aren't sure when you became pregnant, you should consider scheduling an appointment with your provider right away to ensure that everything is going along as it should and that you have no risk factors for possible complications.

Once you get the go ahead from your doctor, you can embark on an exercise program that is suitable to your stage in pregnancy.

Here are just a few of the benefits associated with exercise during pregnancy:

- Exercise helps combat fatigue.

- Exercise helps minimize back pain because it helps strengthen back muscles.

- Exercise can help promote a smaller amount of fat gain during pregnancy.

- Exercise provides an exceptional form of stress relief.

- Women who exercising during pregnancy are less likely to experience difficult labors.

- Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster and recover more quickly after delivery.

There are some forms of activity that are better than others during pregnancy. Certain exercises can help promote physical fitness and are less likely to result in injury. Among the best exercises for pregnant moms include:

- Walking

- Swimming

- Stretching

- Yoga

- Pilates

- Dancing

- Stationary Cycling

- Low Impact Prenatal Aerobics