Exercise & Fitness in the First Trimester Health Article

Exercise is beneficial whether you're trying to get pregnant or you're in your third trimester. If you are just beginning to exercise, the key is to do it slow and steady. You should warm up, exercise, stop if you feel short of breath or are in pain, and slow down before you come to a complete stop. It is always wise to get your doctor's stamp of approval before you begin an exercise program or if you want to continue or change your program while pregnant.

While your body still looks like it did before, there are many small changes going on inside during your first trimester of pregnancy. Many women don't feel much different, at least early on in the pregnancy, and there's little risk to the baby; so, this is a great time to continue or regulate your exercise program and to think about the benefits of exercise. Exercise in pregnancy has a multitude of benefits-from improving your sleep to making labor and delivery easier, to providing endorphins and making you feel better, and to helping you get your figure back more quickly after delivery.

What Activities Should I Avoid While I Am Pregnant?

Activities that put you at a higher risk of injury-such as downhill skiing, horseback riding, mountain climbing, and contact sports like soccer and basketball-should be avoided during pregnancy. Racquet sports also carry the risks of joint injury from abrupt side-to-side movements and the risk of blunt trauma from the ball.

How Can I Prevent Getting Overheated?

It is important for women exercising during pregnancy to avoid getting overheated. Research shows that when a pregnant woman's core body temperature increases by two degrees Fahrenheit, the superficial blood vessels in the skin dilate to get rid of excess heat, which can shunt blood away from the uterus and deliver less blood to the baby. Although there is no definitive evidence that overheating is a cause of birth defects in humans, it is in laboratory animals. Therefore, most doctors recommend that you avoid overheating just to be on the safe side.

Below are some tips on how to avoid overheating during exercise:

• don't exercise under very hot or humid conditions;
• stay away from saunas and hot tubs;
• wear loose clothing and exercise in well-ventilated areas;
• stop exercise before you get overheated; and
• keep hydrated-drink at least two glasses of water every hour you exercise.

What Exercises Are Appropriate During the First Trimester of Pregnancy?

Aerobics, yoga and relaxation techniques, Kegel exercises, and weight training can be done safely during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is any exercise that increases breathing and heart rate, such as brisk walking or swimming. Aerobic exercise can:

• improve the body's use of oxygen;
• improve circulation to the fetus;
• prevent problems of venous stasis, such as hemorrhoids, fluid retention, and varicose veins;
• increase muscle strength and tone, which can prevent back pain and ease labor;
• improve blood sugar control and reduce your risk of gestational diabetes;
• burn calories so you don't gain excess weight; and
• improve sleep, well-being, and confidence.

To get the maximum benefit from aerobic exercise, sessions should last 20 to 30 minutes, several times per week.

Walking

Walking is good exercise that poses few risks. Make sure you get properly fitted shoes that provide good support. Be conscious of the weather, and avoid your risk of overheating by not walking long distances outside in hot or humid weather.

Swimming

Swimming is also a good exercise for pregnant women. It provides a cardiovascular workout while stretching and toning muscles, and it provides this in a nearly gravity-free environment, which minimizes joint strain. During your first trimester, swimming at least 20 minutes, three times a week will keep you in good shape.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques help your breathing and focus, relieve daily stress, make you feel better, and help train your mind to let go of emotional tension. This can be especially helpful during labor and delivery. Yoga also helps you control your breathing and provides an excellent means of stretching and toning muscles.

Yoga works both your body and mind, strengthening and toning muscles and leaving you with a renewed sense of peace and calm. There are many styles from which to choose. Some popular ones include kundalini yoga, which focuses on breathing techniques and meditation; iyengar yoga, which emphasizes posture, alignment, and balance; and power yoga, which features aerobic workouts to build strength and endurance. In your second or third trimester, your doctor may advise you to avoid some yoga postures, such as those that require you to lie flat on your back.

One of the other major benefits of yoga is the focus on breathing techniques. Learning to be conscious of your breathing can be very helpful during labor and can help you stay calm and focused-even through distractions, such as labor pains.

Special This Trimester: Treat yourself to a massage. Having your body stroked and kneaded can help loosen tight muscles, calm your nervous system, increase blood flow throughout your body, and ease the discomforts that can accompany pregnancy. Some studies suggest that massage may even boost your immune system.

Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises are recommended for all women and have particular benefit during pregnancy. By strengthening and toning the muscles of the pelvic floor, Kegel exercises help prepare these muscles for the stress of delivery and help them return to their former shape after delivery.

Locating and Contracting the Pelvic Floor Muscles

Finding the pelvic floor muscles and exercising them correctly is not always easy. The pelvic floor muscles are those that you contract if you are trying to hold back urine and can be identified by halting the urine stream while you are urinating. It is a good idea to consult a nurse or doctor to be sure you are contracting the correct muscles.

The Daily Exercise Regimen

1. Begin exercising by contracting the pelvic floor muscles as tightly as you can for a count of ten, then relax.
2. Repeat the contraction again for a total of five contractions.
3. In sets of five contractions, aim for a total of 25 to 50 contractions performed as tightly as possible. These sets can be spread out over the entire day. You can try getting through a set of five contractions while stopped at a red light, while watching a television commercial, or at any other time.

Weight Training

Using weights to increase muscle tone and strength can have many benefits during pregnancy, delivery, and after. You can either use free weights, resistance training machines (like those found at health clubs), or a combination of both. If you already have a routine, consider working out with lighter weights and increasing your repetitions to prevent injuries from lifting weights that are too heavy. Be sure to check with your doctor or health care practitioner before beginning a new exercise program.

If you use weights during pregnancy, you should avoid straining with your airway closed (as if you were straining to have a bowel movement). This straining is called the Valsalva maneuver and is often done unconsciously when lifting weights. Straining in this way increases pressure in your abdomen and pelvis and can be risky during pregnancy. Focus on keeping your breathing smooth and consistent when lifting, inhaling and exhaling without holding your breath.

Use controlled movements when lifting and avoid jerky movements that can cause joint injury. Do not lift heavier weights than you are prepared to. This is not the time to be pushing your limits. Be sure to rest for 60 seconds between sets of repetitions.

Other Strength and Stretching Exercises

What Can I Expect During the First Trimester?

2nd Month

By now, you may have noticed some changes in your body. For many women, this is a period of significant fatigue. While exercising may seem too exhausting, it is important and may even decrease your fatigue. Exercising regularly is the key. Even a 20-minute walk around the neighborhood every day will make you feel better, strengthen your heart and lungs, tone your muscles, and stimulate your body's natural feel-good chemicals (endorphins). Just make sure you get a thumbs-up from your doctor on your chosen workout and don't overdo it-moderation is key!

3rd Month

At this point in your pregnancy, you may find it as easy to exercise as you did before you were pregnant. If you are feeling fatigued, try light exercise or stretching at a lower level than your usual workout. You can gauge the level of your workout by ensuring that you can talk comfortably without stopping to breathe too much. Also, make sure to stretch before and after exercising and drink lots of fluids. At this stage of pregnancy, most exercises are considered safe-ogging, swimming, low-impact aerobics, dance, and weight training are all good choices. You'll need to change or stop some of these activities, such as jogging and heavy weight training, near the end of pregnancy, so now is the time to make the most of it.

Go toPhysical Changes in the First Trimester, Healthy Diet During Pregnancy andComplications During the Prenatal Period.