What Are Good Exercises for the First 3 Months of Pregnancy?

Lots of things change in the first three months of pregnancy — you may feel nauseated, have food cravings and even start to show a belly bump. The good news is that your current exercise routine doesn’t have to change drastically

If you were doing an activity regularly before you got pregnant, you can continue through your first trimester, according to MayoClinic.com. Now is not the time, however, to decide to train for a marathon or pick up a new sport.

 

New To Exercise

If you haven’t been exercising lately but want to begin during your pregnancy, take it slow. Activities like walking, swimming and riding a stationary bike can usually safely be done up until delivery. However, no one can say what the perfect exercise choice for you is, so try a few different options.

If you like the support of other pregnant women, consider a prenatal yoga or aerobics class. Choosing to get active now has benefits for you and your baby, as you can potentially avoid gestational diabetes, high-blood pressure from pregnancy and postpartum depression, says MayoClinic.com.

Exercising during pregnancy also helps you keep your weight gain in the advised 25- to 35-pound range.

 

Pace

While you can keep your pre-pregnancy work out, you may ponder exactly how seriously you can work out. Doctors previously advised pregnant women to keep their heart rates under a certain level, but that sort of thinking has been revised.

According to MayoClinic.com, if you can carry on a conversation while exercising, you aren’t pushing yourself too hard during pregnancy. If you feel dizzy, short of breath, have a headache or any sort of abdominal pain or bleeding, stop immediately.

 

Timing

Morning sickness, which can strike at any time of day, may interfere with your regular workout schedule. You may be used to jogging in the morning or after work, but if you now feel nauseated at those times, you don’t have to stop the activity entirely.

If you are one of the lucky ones and have dodged the morning sickness bullet, you might just be too exhausted for your usual aerobics class or run. Exercise at the time of day you feel best, even if that means simply slipping out for a 10-minute walk on your lunch break.

 

When to Stop

While most women can continue at the same exercise intensity they were at before conceiving, every pregnancy is different. Go to every pre-natal appointment so your doctor can monitor your baby’s growth and your own health

If the baby is growing more slowly than they would like or they notice the placenta is in an unusual place, they may advise you to cut back on or stop a certain kind of exercise.

Most exercise classes or gym workouts can be continued through the first trimester, but if you were previously doing exercises with a risk of falling, like snow or water skiing, you should stop immediately. Also off-limits are sports where someone or something might hit your stomach, like karate or football.