Even though it happens all around the world every single day, a woman’s ability to give birth truly is a miracle. Her body goes through so much in order to bring a new human being into the world.
This is not to be taken lightly.
If you are pregnant, it’s wise to remain as active as possible during this time. While your body will do what it needs to do regardless, remaining active and healthy can safeguard your body and mind during this time. When you’re actively stretching, exercising, and moving, this strengthens your ability to be the healthiest version of yourself during one of the most strenuous stages of a woman’s life. In order to remain active during pregnancy, consider the following tips.
1. Prioritize Hydration
During the course of any given day, your body naturally loses water. This happens primarily through sweat and urination. It is imperative that you replenish your body by drinking enough water. This is the case for every human being but even more important when you’re actively growing a human being inside of you.
When you’re pregnant and carrying more weight, you’ll naturally sweat more. Do your best to drink as much as you can in order to remain fully hydrated. It’s not necessary to be guzzling a day’s worth of water in one sitting. One of the best ways to remain hydrated involves sipping gradually throughout the day.
2. Talk to Healthcare Professionals
While it is tempting to concoct your own exercise routine and take on a few high-intensity workouts, do not move a muscle without consulting your doctor. For example, an OBGYN in Richmond, VA will know exactly what your risks are and use their experience to make informed suggestions.
Depending on your stage of pregnancy or possible medical concerns, you might not be able to do a whole lot. While remaining active can help, the worst thing you can do is push yourself past your limit when pregnant. Instead, get your doctor’s approval before you make any changes to your exercise routine.
3. Avoid the Heat
If you’re pregnant in the summertime, this can be a challenge as you may feel very uncomfortable at times. Knowing this, try your best to exercise somewhere cool. Keep in mind, the sun can take a lot out of you even if it doesn’t necessarily feel hot outside.
If you really love to exercise outside, try to avoid being outside between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Either work out in the early morning hours or the early evening hours. This way, you can get the fresh air and exercise you need without combating the heat of the sun and overexerting yourself.
4. Consider Your Current Fitness Level
You need to consider your current level of fitness when working to stay active during pregnancy. If you’re a woman who lifts weights every day, lives in the gym, and has six-pack abs, you will definitely have an advantage over someone who doesn’t work out at all.
If you weren’t lifting weights before you were pregnant, you should avoid starting a heavy lifting regimen now. With your doctor’s approval, it may be okay to lift 5lbs to 8lbs weights. Similarly, you may want to reconsider taking on any new high-intensity hobbies or training programs while pregnant. Instead, consider your current level of fitness and do enough to challenge yourself, but don’t overexert yourself.
5. Stretch Often
Stretching is wise because it helps you keep your limbs, joints, and muscles limber. If you don’t stretch, your body is going to get stiff. Granted, as your pregnancy progresses, it’ll be harder to stretch in the same ways that you once did. However, this is where you can learn more about how to stretch throughout your pregnancy.
There are classes that teach women how to remain flexible and limber. Prenatal yoga and stretching classes are available in most cities. You can also contact your healthcare professionals in order to find out if they have any services to guide you through this process.
Conclusion
As you find ways to become more intentional about remaining active during your pregnancy, it’s also great to find ways to incorporate movement into your everyday life. Park further back in the parking lot in order to get some more steps in. Do a few stretches as you watch television. Purchase a walking pad in order to move as you type on the computer.
All of these activities add up and will help you feel your best during your pregnancy.