Pregnancy is a natural thing in which a woman’s body goes through numerous physical, mental, and emotional changes for nine months. The best way for a pregnant woman to maintain their and the baby’s health is eating adequately, having a good rest and most importantly exercising regularly. The easy and low impact physical activities are necessary to reduce the physical and mental problems which are common with pregnancy.
The pregnancy of nine months is divided into three stages, which are called trimesters. The first trimester starts from Week 1 and end till Week 12. The second trimester is from Week 13 to Week 28. The third trimester starts from Week 29 and continues until the baby is born. The simple and easy exercises that pregnant women should perform are walking briskly, swimming, riding indoor stationary cycle, doing yoga, Pilates, and doing low impact aerobic exercises. The different problems that pregnant women face are muscle pains, backaches, nausea, lack of sleep, constipation, bladder and bowel problems, indigestion, heartburn, and frequency in urination. The regular physical workout is necessary for pregnant women and studies to have shown that exercise is helpful in
- Reducing the pregnancy complications. The pregnant women who exercised do not develop gestational diabetes and also do not require a Cesarean section for childbirth.
- Allowing pregnant women to get back into shape quickly after childbirth. The women who care about their fitness during the nine months of pregnancy are more likely to get into their shape much faster as compared to those women who do not exercise regularly.
- Ensuring that the weight of the mother is controlled and she is not overweight as it can cause complications for both the mother and baby during labor and childbirth
- Toning the muscles particularly of the back and abdomen which helps during labor and delivery
- Lowering the blood pressure as it is common that blood pressure does tend to go up during pregnancy
- Relieving muscle fatigues, backaches, pain in the shoulders, and pelvis region.
- Reducing the risk of constipation
- Improving the sleep pattern and allowing pregnant women to have a good rest.
Yoga is one of the best activity that pregnant women should perform. The pregnant women should first consult their personal doctor who can give tips and instructions which may be helpful during the yoga workout. Yoga is a very popular exercise worldwide and is known to help individuals find the correct balance between their mind and body. The purposeful balance is achieved through physical postures and movements, relaxation, breathing techniques, and meditation. There are many forms of yoga, and the postures suited for pregnant women could easily be carried out in the fitness center. The pregnant women should join a fitness and well being center and take part in yoga classes for pregnant women conducted by a professional and experienced trainer. The yoga class begins with a warm-up session, which is stretching of the arms, legs, and back. After the warm-up session, the main part is performing different postures and bodily movements to boost strength and endurance. The yoga classes usually end with a relaxation and meditation session. A typical yoga class lasts for an hour and a half. The prenatal yoga emphasizes providing flexibility and strength to the pregnant women. The yoga postures and breathing techniques result in toning of the muscles and stamina required for labor and childbirth.
The yoga trainer will modify the yoga postures and know which posture, the pregnant woman needs movement, and breathing technique according to the stage of her pregnancy.
The things included in a typical yoga class are
- Gentle stretching
As a pregnant woman, you would be advised to gently flex your arms, neck, shoulders, and back. You are asked to show your full range of motion. The gentle stretching allows to warm the body for other yoga practices.
- Postures
The yoga postures are performed in every body position, whether you are standing, lying, or sitting. The body is positioned in several postures that will provide strength, balance, and flexibility. The accessories that can be used for support during a yoga class are pillows, blankets, and belts.
- Breathing
You will be advised to breathe in and out for a few minutes slowly. The focus would be for you to breathe through the nose deeply. The prenatal yoga breathing practice is best for a pregnant woman to cope shortness of breath during contraction occurring in labor and childbirth.
- Relaxation
The yoga class would end when you are told to rest and relax, which helps to calm the muscles and restore the heart rate to normal.
The yoga classes for pregnant women are quite effective, and their benefits include
- Reducing the stress and anxiety
- Improving blood circulation
- Enhancing stamina and toning the muscles for labor and childbirth
- Improve sleep
- Decrease lower back pain, headaches, pelvic pain and shortness of breath
- Enhance muscle flexibility, endurance, and strength
- Reduce the chances of preterm labor
- Allow the pregnant woman to feel emotionally calm and agile