I will be the very first to admit how to difficult it can be to stick with any sort of exercise regime through the first harrowing months of pregnancy. And of course, once you start slacking, it only becomes easier to do so. I know marathon runners, who gave up on exercise altogether while pregnant! Thanks to morning sickness and some early bleeding, I myself abandoned most attempts at exercise (other than walking) for at least four or five months when I was pregnant with my son.
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But as my belly got bigger and I became more and more uncomfortable, I quickly determined that something had to be done. For me, it was nightly yoga and pilates stretches. It was gentle enough that I wasn't worrying about hurting myself or the baby, and it truly eased a ton of discomfort, helped me sleep better, and when the time came, I got through most of my labor completely unmedicated and healed like a champ after my son was born. Nevermind that I lost all the weight, plus some in less than six months. I'm not saying this to brag at all, I'm saying it because I'm living proof of some of the most important benefits of exercise during pregnancy, and that was with minimal effort. And you know what? My baby may have benefited too! A recent study shows that exercising while pregnant can boost your child's health by boosting his or her vascular system.
If all that is not enough to motivate you, check out the collection of exercises below — some of which can be done in only about 10 minutes. Just be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise regime.
1. If you are relatively fit and have stayed fairly active throughout your pregnancy, Dr. Cathy of EducatedPregnancy.com, has an excellent series of short videos that range from simple stretches to tougher cardio-intensive exercises. You can do one at a time or combine several for a full-body workout.
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lPIr4OUqsY
2. Even if you are well into your pregnancy, it's not too late to start prepping your body for labor and delivery. There are many stretches and moderate to low intensity exercises that will help you improve your flexibility, strengthen the muscles you will use most during labor and delivery and open up the birth canal. I especially like this series from SteadyHealth.com's YouTube channel.
Embedded content: http://youtu.be/VO5fkJb592U
3. Of course, once you give birth and you have been cleared by your doctor to resume exercise, you'll need some idea of how to get started. There are a slew of excellent exercises on the Lionsgate BeFit channel on YouTube, including this one that includes tips from celebrity trainer Andrea Orbeck, who has helped stars including Heidi Klum and Maria Menounos.
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD647aNRl-c
Image via Thinkstock
