Walking and Pregnancy

Walking during pregnancy is one of the simplest and easiest ways to maintain your fitness levels and help promote a fast and easy labor. While walking won't guarantee a quick labor, it will help improve your endurance and help you recover much more quickly from the trials and tribulations of birth. Most doctors recommend that pregnant women engage in some form of regular exercise. If you haven't exercised prior to becoming pregnant, you might consider walking during pregnancy the best form of exercise available.

Tips for Walking Efficiently

Walking during pregnancy is not only good for your body but also good for your soul. Just getting out and enjoying some fresh air will do wonders for your spirit and your mood during pregnancy. While a casual stroll will help lift your spirits, a vigorous walking routine is what you'll need to engage in to provide maximal health benefits. Here are some tips for maximizing your walking regiment and promoting your health and fitness during pregnancy.

• Maintain good posture when walking. You don't want to casually stroll down the street with your shoulders humped over or lean over your child's stroller when walking. This will not help improve your health and may even contribute to back pain. When walking during pregnancy you should make a point to stand tall, you can practice at home by standing in front of a mirror. Relax your abdomen then pull your abdomen and shoulders back. Some women find wearing a maternity belt during pregnancy helps correct their posture, relieve back pain and improve their posture when walking. If you don't have a maternity belt you can easily acquire one online or at a local maternity store.

Breast Changes in Pregnancy

• Look forward while walking. You don't want to focus on the ground or look from here to there. You should look ahead a few feet in front of you. This will also help promote good posture and prevent you from accidentally walking into something (lets face it, we are all a little clumsier when pregnant).
• Walk quickly. You don't need to run and you don't need to job to reap the health benefits of walking. That said, you'll get a lot more out of your exercise routine if you walk at a swift pace. You can actually keep track of your heart rate while walking. You'll want to walk at a pace that is vigorous enough to get you breathing but not so fast you can't carry on a conversation. Most doctors recommend keeping your heart beat around 140 BPM while exercising during pregnancy.
• Stretch. You should stretch both before and after walking during pregnancy. During pregnancy our muscles and ligaments are more relaxed than normal thanks to circulating relaxin in the body, a hormone that helps prepare our bodies for labor and delivery.

Is it safe to travel in two wheeler during pregnancy

This handy little hormone can however also increase our risk for injury during pregnancy and make us feel a bit sorer than usual. Start your exercise routine slowly so you can monitor for soreness. You may find walking too quickly initially results in pelvic or hip soreness. Take things easy and work up to a more vigorous pace. Stretching before and after any physical activity may help improve your flexibility and cut back on any soreness you experience.

Pregnancy and Swelling

If you find you are having trouble getting motivated during pregnancy consider teaming up with a friend. Find another mother who is pregnant or a neighbor that has children and needs to go for a walk. The two of you will become best of friends and help keep each other motivated during and after your pregnancy.

back to Pregnancy FAQs

Body Image during Pregnancy

Pregnancy is filled with multiple challenges including emotional and physical changes that can impact a woman's self esteem and body image. How you perceive your body image during pregnancy is just as important as the way you perceive your role as mother, wife, partner and person. Unfortunately society has become so obsessed with body image, particularly that of thin and underweight images of beauty that many pregnant women develop unhealthy body images during pregnancy. The world would benefit significantly from more images in the media of the glory and beauty that surrounds and encompasses pregnant women.

The good news is you can learn to love and appreciate the changes in your body during pregnancy. Body image during pregnancy is merely a matter of perception. The key is adopting the right perception throughout your pregnancy.

Breast Changes in Pregnancy

Learning To Love Your Pregnant Body

Pregnant women are among the most beautiful women on earth. In ancient societies man viewed pregnant women as the ultimate sign of fertility. A pregnant woman represented all that is wonderful and bountiful about life. Why then do pregnant women today have so much disdain for their body image during pregnancy?

In today's weight obsessed society it is often easy for women to fall into the trap of feeling negative about their body image during pregnancy. Self esteem and respect during pregnancy however are as much the result of a woman's feelings toward herself as they are the way her body looks.

Here are some tips that will help you develop a positive body image during your pregnancy:

1. Remember that you are carrying the miracle of life within you. No matter how much weight you gain, whether you have acne or not and regardless of the stretch marks pregnancy brings, your body is changing in a remarkable way because you are helping nurture and welcome a new life into the world.
2. No matter what you think of your body, your baby absolutely adores you. Your baby is nestled deep inside your warm womb. Nothing could make a person happier than that close, intense feeling.
3. Your body is changing to provide your baby the support he or she needs to grow into a healthy newborn. If your body wasn't capable of changing and expanding there is no way you could support the life within.
4. Pregnancy weight gain is a normal and natural process. Your weight gain is as much the result of your increasing metabolism and caloric needs as it is your expanding uterus. As you put on weight you help shield your baby from disease and provide a warm and nurturing home.
5. Exercise during pregnancy can help improve your body image and help you feel better about your changing shape.
6. Most women's breasts grow and expand in addition to their bellies. Enjoy this newfound fertility symptom and revel in your womanly shape.
7. Most women give off a unique glow during pregnancy. This is the one time in life people will remark on your beauty regardless of how much effort you put into your appearance.

During your pregnancy you should take some time to pamper yourself and your growing body. You can invest in a pedicure or take time out for a relaxing massage. You should also indulge yourself in one or two outfits you really love that make you feel spectacular. Show off your figure while you can. You'd be surprised in the grand scheme of things how quickly pregnancy passes. Before you know it you'll be longing for the days when your body was ripe with life and love!

back to Pregnancy FAQs

Pregnancy and Back pain

Almost all pregnant women at one point or another will suffer from back pain in pregnancy. Some will experience more pregnancy back pain than others.

Backache in early pregnancy is caused by hormones and a woman's shifting center of gravity. When pregnant your hormones prepare you for childbirth by loosening up the ligaments that attach the pelvic bones to your spine. Many women feel backache in early pregnancy while walking, standing or bending. As your uterus continues to grow and push upwards, it will also weaken your abdominal muscles and change your posture, which can put added strain on your back. When at rest you could use pregnancy pillows to support that aching body. Many women feel sharp backache during pregnancy up and down their back, legs and buttocks during pregnancy. This back pain during pregnancy often results when the baby's head presses on the pelvic bones, which subsequently press on sciatic nerves. This may cause legs to feel weak or numb as well.

Breast Changes in Pregnancy

Treating Low Back Pain in Pregnancy

Fortunately there are many things you can do to help alleviate some of the low back pain in early pregnancy you might be feeling during pregnancy.

Resting and soaking in a warm bath often help alleviate a back that is sore and aching. It is not a good idea however to sit in a hot tub. Immersion in water hotter than 102F can be dangerous for your baby. Hot and cold packs applied directly to the affected area are safe and can help relax strained muscles and ligaments with pregnancy back pain.

Some women are kept up at night by back pain or back ache during pregnancy. If this is the case you might be more comfortable if you try sleeping on your side with a pregnancy pillow propped up between your legs. The Snoozer pregnancy pillows and body pillows are made for side sleeping. The Snoozer pregnancy pillow is shaped perfectly to place your head on and between your knees at the same time.

Is it safe to travel in two wheeler during pregnancy

Avoiding Back Pain in Pregnancy

Of course, it would be best if you could avoid backache during pregnancy all together. Though there are no guarantees, there are some things you can do to avoid worsening back pain during pregnancy.

• Exercise to prevent low back pain in early pregnancy - Starting an exercise program early in pregnancy can help strengthen and stretch the muscles in your back and legs. Swimming is an excellent exercise for women at all stages of pregnancy and helps strengthen the lower back. In addition the buoyancy of the water may help alleviate the strain you are experiencing in pregnancy back pain, joints and ligaments. Pregnancy pillows will also help to alleviate that lower back strain.
• Sit up Straight to avoid back pain with pregnancy - If you find yourself sitting at a computer terminal or sitting in general for long periods of time, make an effort to keep your feet slightly raised off the floor. Take frequent breaks to get up and walk around which will help stretch your muscles and ligament and relieve back pain during pregnancy.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes to avoid back pain - For most pregnant women, comfortable shoes are those that are low profile. High heels are not recommended, particularly if you want to avoid unnecessary back pain in pregnancy. When you get home take those shoes off and snuggle with your pregnancy pillow.

• Bend from the Knees if you want to avoid back pain - If you have to lift objects, bend from your knees and not your waist. This will help prevent injury.

back to Pregnancy FAQs

Regaining Pre- Pregnancy Figure

Losing weight after nine months of housing a new life is a natural and ambitious endeavor. Most moms are eager to return to their pre-pregnancy figures just as soon as humanly possible which is a great goal to have, however you must be patient. Your body has just gone through one of the most challenging events in your life as a woman. It will take time to fit back into those old jeans, in fact your body changes so much when you are pregnant you may never wear those specific jeans again.

Don’t get too discouraged though that is only because many women find that even after they lose the baby fat their bone structure has gone through changes, this is caused by the hormones that are released into your body during pregnancy that help your body adjust to the extra weight of carrying a child, your bones and joints actually shift and move. You can still obtain a beautiful, toned and slender body but it may not be exactly as you remember it.

There are limitations to when and how you can start to lose weight after having a baby; most new moms can start walking almost immediately after their first post pregnancy doctor’s visit. Many women lose weight just walking with their new babies, after you factor in the stroller, diaper bag and purse you are pushing around a good quantity of weight.

Dieting is not recommended immediately after having a baby but a healthy diet is a great idea. You can eat healthy foods while keeping in mind that if you are breast feeding your body actually needs more calories now than it did when you were pregnant.

Do not cut those calories, it is good to eat healthy but crazy dieting will not produce enough energy for your body to supply your newborn with milk as well as function as a new mother. If you have spoken with your doctor and have been given the green light to start working out it is important to only do so when you have the energy to, when you factor in waking up 3-4 times every night to take care of your new baby energy is a precious commodity to come by. The first three months of motherhood should really be devoted to eating healthy and getting enough nutrition to cope with the lack of sleep and stresses that come with motherhood. You will often lose weight while breast feeding because this is a true labor for your body to produce and express milk.

After the first three months when your life is starting to come back together it is great to start working out. Try not to focus on losing weight quickly though, remember it took nine months to get to your fully pregnant weight and it will take at least six months to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. You should aim to lose no more than two pounds per week with moderate to vigorous exercise, the average post pregnancy weight lose is around half a pound to a pound a week when eating healthy and working out consistently.

However if you are not losing the average amount of weight do not get discouraged this is a process that takes time; because your body has been through so many changes within such a short amount of time your body may need more time to adjust than “the average”.

The most important things to remember when losing weight after having a child is that it is not a race, you need to allow yourself the time and permission to lose the weight when it is comfortable for you. Being a new mother is so stressful that when you get caught up in how the rest of the world wants you to look and how long the rest of the world thinks it should take you to lose the weight, you can become depressed and discouraged, and this is not good for you or your new baby.

back to Pregnancy FAQs

Pre Pregnancy Fitness

Pregnancy is a time when your body goes through numerous changes by nature’s design. However, considering today’s lifestyle, things we do may not necessarily be ideal. Hence, you need to prepare yourself BEFORE the pregnancy to ensure you have a smooth ride!

Being fit helps in most health conditions and pregnancy is no exception. So, the right time to start exercising was yesterday. However it’s never too late. If you do not have a schedule, come up with one. Involve your husband as your baby will inherit a part of him also!

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need expensive gyms or elaborate equipment. Proper targeted exercises should suffice for ideal results.

During pregnancy, the fluid level in your body will increase from the normal 5 litres to about 6 - 6.5 litres. There will also be a concurrent increase in your haemoglobin levels, but the increase will not be proportional to the increase in water, thus leading to dilution of the red blood cells. This will lead to increased fatigue and tiredness during pregnancy. Building stamina pre-pregnancy is a good way to reduce most of these symptoms.

A good haemoglobin level reduces fatigue and is also very important for a healthy baby. Women with good muscle tone tend to burn more fat and get back to pre pregnancy states faster than those who do not exercise. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking, swimming, jogging or cycling, takes care of the above mentioned problems and helps you through a smooth pregnancy. So head to the treadmill or get out early morning for a smooth pregnancy.

Of course, pregnancy involves your tummy and the muscles. For someone who has been walking straight for a quarter of a century, you would suddenly have to deal with a huge tummy that puts a lot of strain on your back muscles and the muscles of your abdomen. Common sense tells us that strong muscles will reduce the incidence of back pain and also help your muscles in the tummy post pregnancy. Good abdomen exercises along with back strengthening exercises will take care of these two problems. And while you are at it, might as well tone up your shoulders and arms as well!!!!

An ideal regime is given below, but don’t hesitate to ask your fitness trainer for a personalized regime.

Monday, Wed, Fri-

30 mins of Cardio, either Cycling, Treadmill, Early morning Jogging or swimming

Tues, Thurs and Sat-

Shoulder Press 15 reps X 3 sets

Biceps Curls 15 reps X 3 sets

Chest press 15 reps X 3 Sets

Followed by Abdomen Crunches 15 reps X 3 sets

Leg Raises 15 reps X 3 sets

Side Crunches 15 reps X 3 sets

Back Hyper extension 15 reps x 3 sets

Sunday- Rest

30 mins of exercises a day will give you a relatively easier pregnancy, a smooth child birth and a hot body pretty soon after pregnancy!

back to Pregnancy FAQs