Prenatal exercise

I regularly exercise and make it a priority to be physically fit. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew that this was not an excuse to become a couch potato. But I also knew that I would have to make some changes to my regular exercise routine. I did my research and talked with my doctors about exercise.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends regular, mild to moderate exercise, for 30 minutes a day for most days of the week (preferable all days of the week). It is of course very important to listen to your body, since the changes in your body may affect your exercise capabilities.

The type of exercise depends on how active you were prior to your pregnancy. This is not the time to start a new intense activity. But you should be able to continue with the activities that you were active in before, within reason.

I truly believe that I have had a pretty healthy and positive pregnancy because I was fit before I got pregnant and because I have continued to be fit. I continue to workout 4-5 days a week, I lift weights, do yoga, take my step classes, and jog. I plan to continue to exercise throughout my pregnancy for as long as I am able to. So far so good, but I am definitely feeling the changes in my body taking a toll on how much I am able to do. I am slowing down, I am not able to jog as far as I was able to in the past, I am not able to do all the choreography in my step classes anymore, I am not able to exercise with the same intensity, I am not able to do all the yoga poses I once was. For the most part it is not because I do not have the stamina, rather it is because my feet hurt, my legs hurt, and/or my baby bump gets in the way. I have a feeling that is all due to the extra weight my body is now carrying.

We'll see how long I can keep going. It is always interesting to get some looks at the gym. But everyone is pretty supportive of me and proud of me for keeping up with my routine. I was fortunate to have role models at the gym. A couple of my aerobics instructors were teaching step classes classes while they were pregnant (and even as pregnant as they were they kicked my butt!). I've also heard Papa Bear brag about my keeping up my fitness routine to others. I do feel good and I hope I can continue to feel good for the time I have left in my pregnancy.

My doctors says that by exercising I will make my pregnancy healthier, my labor easier, and my postpartum recovery faster. I am all for that!