Suggested exercise activities during pregnancy
During pregnancy, our body will go through many physiological change such as changes in cardiovascular and respiratory system, hormones generation, and changes in postural. Exercise during pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits. Physical activity may also help manage some symptoms of pregnancy and make you feel better, knowing you’re doing something good for yourself and your baby.
ADULT PRE-EXERCISE SCREENING SYSTEM
Activities that are generally safe during pregnancy, even for beginners, include:
- walking
- swimming
- jogging
- muscle strengthening exercises, including pelvic floor exercises exercise in water (aquarobics)
- yoga, stretching and other floor exercises
- Pilates
Pelvic floor exercises and pregnancy
Your pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy and during birth (vaginal delivery), so it is extremely important to begin conditioning the pelvic floor muscles from the start of your pregnancy
Pelvic floor squeeze exercise
- Sit forward on the chair so you feel the contact that you have with the chair (perineum is the outside part, whereas behand that is the pelvic floor), hands on the knees
- Zipping up from the back to the front (close the doors of elevator)
- SQUEEZE Up and LIFT Up (elevator goes up)
Abdominal exercises and pregnancy
Strong abdominal muscles support your spine. The internal core and pelvic floor abdominal muscles act as a natural ‘corset’ to protect the pelvis and lumbar spine.
During pregnancy, it is common for women to experience the condition known as diastasis recti abdominis – a painless splitting of the abdominal muscle at the midline (greater than 2cm check after 3 days), also known as abdominal separation. Traditional sit-ups or crunches may worsen this condition, and can be ineffective during pregnancy.
Abdominal ‘core’ activation exercise
- Zipping up from the back to the front (close the doors of elevator)
- SQUEEZE Up and LIFT Up (elevator goes up)
- Draw in the lower abdominal and belly button towards the spine (belly button in)
- Hold for 10 sec, brace, breathing
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