Exercising when you are pregnant

From Mommyplace.com WiKI Page

The rule to follow with exercise during pregnancy is to check with your Ob/Gyn before starting a new type of exercise that you did not do before pregnancy.

Exercising during pregnancy can be very healthy for both you and your baby.

Most Ob/Gyns say to not get your heartbeat over 150 when you are pregnant and exercising. However, this most likely assumes that you were exercising before pregnancy. Again, talk to your Ob/Gyn to get their recommendation on where to max out your heart rate.

When doing rigorous exercise, consider wearing a heartrate monitor so that you can keep an eye on your heartrate. Heart rate monitors can be found at most sports/athletic stores.

Here are some great forms of exercising during pregnancy:

1) Walking

This is probably the easiest and safest form of exercise during pregnancy for alot of women.

2) Swimming.

The great thing about swimming during pregnancy is that you are buoyant and it feels like all of the weight you have been carrying disappears once you hit the water. I swam throughout my pregnancy...including the day I went into labor.

3) Spinning

Again, if you were spinning before pregnancy, you should be able to continue during pregnancy. Just monitor your heartrate.

4) Weight lifting

Same rule applies...if you lifted weights before pregnancy, you should be able to during pregnancy. Talk to your Ob/Gyn about how much weight you lifted before pregnancy and if you should reduce during pregnancy.

5) Running

I was a runner before pregnancy and ran through my 5th month during pregnancy. Towards the end of my 5th month it just started not feeling that great when I ran, so I stopped. But some women run into their 8th or 9th months! Running is something you absolutely should not start during pregnancy if you did not run before pregnancy. Wear a heart monitor if you are going to run while pregnant.

6) Abdominal work

Talk to your Ob/Gyn before starting or continuing ab work during pregnancy regardless of whether or not you did ab work before pregnancy. This is where I've found the biggest difference in opinions on what's OK and what's not OK. There are probably types of ab crunches that are not a good idea...or even physically possible as your pregnancy progresses. But there is some ab and side work that I've heard is OK. Talk to your Dr.

7) Eliptical Machine

This is a great form or cardio when pregant because it's low impact.