Pregnancy Exercise…Part 2

During the second trimester of pregnancy, the body changes tend to be less difficult, in regards to exercising (morning sickness, sore boobs) than the body changes that occur during the first trimester of pregnancy, and they tend to be less severe than the body changes that occur during the third trimester of pregnancy.  One of the biggest second trimester body changes, and the one that most often makes pregnant women very excited, is the fact that, sometime between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, or about halfway through the second trimester of pregnancy, you will be able to feel your baby move.   Also during the second trimester your body will begin to change in that you will experience a more steady weight gain.  On the average, a pregnant woman will gain around one half to one pound each week.  Both of these changes require small changes in your exercise routine to keep both mom and baby safe. 

Important Second Trimester Guidelines include:

• Avoiding exercises that require you to lie on your back from 60 seconds or longer, as the babies increased weight can place pressure on your inferior vena cava (large blood vessel that returns blood to the moms heart) which can decrease oxygen to both mom and baby.  If you feel faint while on your back, roll over on your side to reestablish blood flow.
• Be careful of overheating, which can raise the heart rate of both mom and baby.  A good way to watch heat is by using a heart rate monitor and keeping your heart rate under 140bpm.
• Sometime during this trimester, you want to shop for a new sports bra, because your existing one is probably getting too tight.
• If you feel unbalanced during these weeks, consider discontinuing any activity that can throw you off balance, like gymnastics, tennis, downhill skiing, skating, horseback riding, trail biking, and hiking in the woods over rutty trails. Replace with swimming, water aerobics, or a stationary bike, which don’t require excellent balance.
• Because your baby is growing and becoming more vulnerable if you fall or are hit in the abdomen, during this trimester, your healthcare provider may ask you to stop ball sports (soccer, basketball, racquetball, and so on), contact sports, and outdoor biking. (Note that because of your expanding abdomen, you may find a recumbent bike more comfortable than a traditional stationary bike).
• If you’re doing step aerobics, make sure that your step is no higher than four inches off the ground, unless you feel absolutely stable and balanced with a higher step.
• If you’re rowing, you may find that this super-intense sport is too fatiguing for the rest of your pregnancy. Pay careful attention to how you’re feeling and how well you and your baby are gaining weight.
• If you’re weightlifting, don’t overwork your thigh muscles, because machines that work the thighs also tend to place stress on the ligaments around the pelvis and cause discomfort.
• If you’re doing yoga, now’s the time to stop doing back bends, any moves that have you lying on your stomach or back, jumps, and inverted poses.
• Be careful during this trimester (and the next and for about five months after you deliver) not to overstretch or make sudden moves. While you’re pregnant, a hormone called relaxin gets you ready for childbirth by relaxing all your ligaments and joints. This means that you may be at risk of injuring yourself, because your joints and ligaments won’t stop you from overextending yourself as well as they did when you weren’t pregnant.

Do Your Kegels
Kegel exercises should be a part of your daily routine, beginning in the second trimester. During the last months of pregnancy the growing fetus puts pressure on your bladder, which makes you feel the need to urinate frequently. Sometimes women limit their fluids when this happens, but it’s absolutely essential that you keep your fluid intake high to stay hydrated. A better solution: Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles around your urethra. Here’s how: Contract the muscles in your vagina, urethra, and anus — as if you were trying to hold back urine. Hold for 5 to 7 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 to 20 times a day.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

• 
  Digg
• 
  Facebook
• 
  Delicious
• 
  StumbleUpon
• 
  Twitter
• 
  LinkedIn
• 
  Technorati
• 
  reddit
• 
  Mixx
• 
  Newsvine