Pregnancy
Exercise
Pregnancy exercise is important in allowing you to enjoy a pain-free pregnancy without that constant, nagging back pain. We can help you relieve the pain, so you can enjoy every moment of this beautiful time pain-free.
EXERCISE DURING PREgNAnCY
Safe and Beneficial Exercise During Pregnancy
Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you should stop exercising. There are lots of myths about exercise in pregnancy and while there are some contraindications for exercising when you are pregnant these are not common. For most women there is strong evidence that exercise in pregnancy is very beneficial for both you and your baby.
Some of the benefits for the mother include decreased musculoskeletal discomfort, improved cardiovascular function, decreased lower limb swelling/oedema and weight gain, and attenuation of gestational diabetes and hypertension. The baby benefits by having decreased fat mass, improved stress tolerance and advanced neurobehavioural maturation. Both mum and baby may benefit by having a shorter labour, lower incidence of caesarian section and lower rate of prematurity.
the right exercise
Choosing the Right Exercise for Your Pregnancy
The type of exercise you should do while pregnant depends on what exercise you have been doing prior to your pregnancy. If you are a regular runner and you don’t wish to give up there is no reason to stop, but you may have to make some modifications to accommodate your pregnancy. However if you have not been doing regular exercise then now isn’t the time to take up running – a pregnancy hydrotherapy class, regular walking, basic strengthening exercises are examples of more suitable ways to improve your fitness. Extra considerations when exercising in pregnancy include keeping your heart rate a bit lower, avoiding overheating and high impact exercise, and limiting exercise sessions to about 45 minutes at a time.
STRENGTHEN YOUR PELVIC FLOOR
Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is also the time to pay attention to your pelvic floor muscles. It is commonly believed that these muscles are only affected during a normal delivery but not with a caesarean section. This group of muscles does get stretched and sometimes torn during delivery of the baby through the birth canal, but they also are weakened during pregnancy. Pelvic floor muscles stretch and start to sag as the size of the foetus increases (much like a trampoline looks with someone sitting on it). So it is especially important to keep this muscle group as strong as possible during pregnancy regardless of the type of delivery that is anticipated.
Our physiotherapists have a particular interest and expertise in this area, and would be happy to discuss an exercise program that best helps you during and after your pregnancy. Many of our clients also benefit from a Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Exercise program. Make an appointment today!