Exercises in Pregnancy

Many doctors recommend some simple and light exercises during your pregnancy. This exercises increases your strength and flexibility. Performing theses exercises will take hardly half an hour. If you feel you are not doing the exercises correctly, please consult with a qualified parental exercise instructor.

Simple Exercises During Pregnancy

Upper Back/Arm Stretch

• Raise your arms over your head. Keep your elbows straight and the palms of your hands facing one another. Hold for at least 20 seconds.
• Lower your arms out to your side. Keep your upper back straight.
• Bring the backs of your hands together as far as possible behind your back and stretch.
• Repeat the exercise for 5 times.

Abdominal Exercises

These exercises strengthen stomach (abdominal) muscles and may ease backache, which can be a problem in pregnancy:

• Start in a box position (on all fours) with knees under hips, hands under shoulders, with fingers facing forward and abdominal lifted to keep your back straight
• Pull in your stomach muscles and raise your back up towards the ceiling, curling the trunk and allowing your head to relax gently forward. Don’t let your elbows lock
• Hold for a few seconds then slowly return to the box position
• Take care not to hollow your back: it should always return to a straight/neutral position
• Do this slowly and rhythmically 10 times, making your muscles work hard and moving your back carefully
• Only move your back as far as you can comfortably.

Sit Ups

Forward Sit-up

• Lie on your back with your knees bent. Slowly breathe in through your nose.
• Breathe out through partially pursed lips as you raise your head, hands pointing to your knees or placed behind your head.
• Tuck your chin toward your chest and lift your shoulders off the floor (not more than 45 degrees).

Diagonal Sit-up

• Lie on your back with your knees bent. Slowly breathe in through your nose.
• Point your right hand toward your left knee while raising your head and right shoulder. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Keep your left knee bent slightly and your heel on the floor.

Pelvic Tilt

This exercises strengthens your abdominal and back muscles, decreasing back strain and fatigue.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent.
• Inhale through your nose and tighten your stomach and buttock muscles.
• Flatten the small of your back against the floor and allow your pelvis to tilt upward.
• Hold for a count of five as you exhale slowly.
• Relax, repeat.

Squatting

This is a good exercise to prepare for squatting during the pushing stage of labor.

• Move to the squatting position, knees over your toes.
• Keep your heels on the floor; feel the stretch in the back of your thighs.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Gradually increase the time to 60 to 90 seconds.
• Relax your head and arms throughout this exercise.

Kegels

This exercises tone the pubococcygeal (PC) muscle, you use to stop and start the flow of urine. Exercising this muscle helps you to prevent hemorrhoids, supports your growing baby, assists during and after labor, keeps the muscles of the vagina toned, and may increase sexual pleasure for you and your partner.

• Squeeze the PC muscle for five seconds; relax for five seconds, then squeeze again. At first do 10, five-second squeezes, three times a day.
• Flutter exercises: Squeeze and release, then squeeze and release as quickly as you can.
• Work up to doing 100 Kegels each day.

Calf Stretch

If you are bothered by leg cramps at night, this exercise can be very beneficial.

• Lean against a wall or firm surface.
• Reach one leg out behind you, keeping your heel on the floor.
• Lean into the wall to increase the stretch of your calf.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat with each leg.