Talk to your doctor about the many different forms of excerise to suit your needs and requirments during pregnancy.

Photo by Pte Shannon Joyce, Army newspaper

In days gone by mothers-to-be were advised to be careful of exercising. Today the advice is more to be wise about it.

The body goes through various external and internal changes during pregnancy and has some “inbuilt” protection systems for both yourself and your child.

Generally, women who exercise regularly are able to continue exercising at a mild or moderate level during pregnancy as long as the pregnancy is uncomplicated.

So after consultation with your medical officer and physiotherapist you can carry on exercising with confidence.

The purpose of this article is to provide expecting mothers with information regarding the guidelines for exercising safely and the importance of performing core stability and pelvic floor exercises.

Basic guidelines

Most women are able to perform mild to moderate exercise during their pregnancy.

But, this is not the time to start a new sport or do some sort of exercise that you would not normally have done before you became pregnant.

The following guidelines are for members who are “recreational” athletes wishing to gain some health benefits. Members who are serious athletes and wish to continue with intense training should seek further medical advice from their medical officer or gynaecologist.

Try to adhere to these guidelines:

Type of Exercise

There is no one recommended type of exercise for pregnant women. You are encouraged to continue performing the exercise that you enjoy the most unless it causes discomfort. Exercises can be modified during the later stages of pregnancy to accommodate the growing uterus as the baby takes up more room in your belly. The following forms of exercise can be enjoyable, but ensure you remain within the guidelines.

Water activities

Water activities are very popular during pregnancy as the water offers buoyancy and allows exercise to be performed in warmer climates without raising the mother’s core temperature too much. Activities such as swimming, walking and running in water are some of the many exercises that can be performed safely in water. For specific strengthening exercises that can be performed in water seek advice from your physiotherapist.

Jogging

This is a very popular form of exercise during pregnancy. The pace and distance you jog will vary depending on the stage of your pregnancy. Running on softer surfaces and in shoes with adequate support is important in preventing injuries to your lower limbs. For information on what shoes provide adequate support seek advice from your physiotherapist.

Cycling

Cycling is an excellent form of non-weight bearing exercise during pregnancy. It is advised that cycling be performed on a stationary bike in the later stages of your pregnancy due to balance problems caused by a change in your centre of gravity.

Potential risks to the foetus

Direct trauma to the foetus, which although rare, can occur in the second and third trimesters (third to ninth month of pregnancy) when the foetus lies in the abdomen. During this period contact sports or sports with high risk of contact should be avoided.

Another potential risk is maternal hyperthermia (overheating). Moderate exercise in normal environmental conditions results in minimal increases in core temperature but exercising in hot or humid weather and in areas with poor ventilation should be avoided. You should also drink plenty of water when exercising in warm weather.

Other potential risks

Exercising during pregnancy shows an increased incidence of musculoskeletal injuries (or injuries to your joints and muscles), especially low back pain.

This is due to a combination of factors including:

The occurrence of lower back pain can be reduced by: