Exercise for Pregnant Women - Practical Guidelines

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Maintaining physical activity is crucial for preserving health and fitness for many years. It does not have to be linked to performing challenging workouts, even daily walks can bring positive effects on health. Pregnancy is a time in a woman's life when she especially desires to care for her and her child's health. Many expectant mothers inquire if it is possible to continue exercising during pregnancy. If so, how can this be done securely?

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Why activity during pregnancy is crucial

Regular physical activity during pregnancy can bring many benefits to both mother and child. During pregnancy, there are many changes in a woman's body. Increasing from week to week, the abdomen adds additional burden to both the back and joints, and the organs do more work. Regular activity in pregnancy can: strengthen the muscles, help maintain proper posture and reduce pain, e.g. the lungs, reduce the risk of osteoporosis after childbirth (acquired from acute lactation), minimize the stress associated with pregnancy, pregnancy and pregnancy, support circulation and respiratory function, help maintain proper body weight during pregnancy and counteract its excessive increase, improve skin elasticity, which affects the reduction of the risk of stretch marks, improve mood, reduce stress and reduce the risk of depression, prepare the woman's body for the effort associated with childbirth, shorten the duration of childbirth, facilitate the process of returning to form after childbirth, increase lactation, it can appear earlier and last longer due to better blood supply to the glands.

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Which form of physical activity to select during pregnancy – practical guidance

The individual nature and intensity of the physical activity carried out by a woman during pregnancy is influenced by many factors such as the level of pre-pregnancy training, self-awareness, and the available time for exercises. In addition to a competently conducted pregnancy, regular exercise with an external load is not excluded, e.g. in the form of her own body weight, the right amount of exercise or weight gain. Women who did not exercise regularly before pregnancy should also learn the proper technique by training under the supervision of a trainer or physiotherapist. During pregnancy, there are no restrictions regarding the positions taken during exercises, however, from the fifth month of pregnancy, it is recommended to avoid positions in which the woman lies on her back. Women who engaged in strength training before pregnancy should remember to gradually reduce the weight and avoid exercises with abrupt movements and jumps. Instead, they should focus on exercises in a kneeling position and lying and semi-lying positions, which help to relax the body and are an excellent way to strengthen the muscles. In addition to strength training, pregnant women should also consider fitness classes with an instructor, such as yoga and pilates, which help to activate the deeper muscles and positively affect the ergonomics of postural muscles.

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Contraindications pertaining to regular physical activity during pregnancy

Women who are pregnant with complications, with a leading fetal membrane, with cervical insufficiency, with hypertension, a multiple pregnancy, diabetes, as well as heart and lung diseases, who have bleeding/stains, and for whom the attending physician has not given consent for regular physical activity, should avoid regular physical activity during pregnancy. Moreover, special caution is required during training, especially at the beginning of pregnancy, in the first trimester. At this time, the development of the child is intense, and in the woman's body, dynamic changes are taking place, so the body should not be overloaded. Abdominal cramps, which can be triggered by too intense training, can lead to miscarriage.

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Overview

Pregnancy constitutes a unique epoch in every woman's life, hence every mother should be conscious of how many positive implications regular physical activity can have. Upon receiving approval from the supervising physician, there is nothing else to do but start training!

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