Some Exercises To Do During Your Second Trimester of Pregnancy

Staying Active!

The news of pregnancy will create joy in you and your partner. But preparing for the new child is hazardous and needs proper diet and exercise. It is fine to start or maintain your usual physical exercise if you are healthy and your pregnancy is normal. Your chances of premature birth, low birth weight, or early delivery do not increase with regular exercise. Let us discuss more related to the exercises during pregnancy.

Exercise During Pregnancy Is Valuable

Consistent exercise in your second trimester of pregnancy has many advantages. Some of them are:

• It ensures healthy weight gain during pregnancy.
• It makes you fit and active throughout the pregnancy.
• It reduces back pain.
• It is beneficiary for your heart.
• It relieves constipation.
• It reduces the risk of diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy.
• The chances of ordinary delivery increase.
• It aids in weight loss after the birth of your baby.

Is This Safe For Me To Perform Exercise While Pregnant?

It is safe for you to exercise if you have a normal pregnancy, without any complications. Moderate exercise during pregnancy is not harmful and it is beneficial for you. You should always consult your doctor about the type of exercise that may suit you, depending on your condition.

Certain conditions for which exercise during pregnancy is not advisable are:

• Severe anaemia.
• Vaginal bleeding.
• High blood pressure.
• Risk of preterm birth.
• Placenta Previa.
• Weak cervix.
• Heart or lung diseases.
• Multiple pregnancies.

Exercise You Can Do Safely In The Second Trimester

The following exercises can be done safely during the second trimester. These improve blood flow throughout the body and strengthen your muscles and joints.

• Walking: Brisk walking is a great exercise to do during your pregnancy. It strengthens all the muscles of the body and doesn’t put excessive pressure on your joints.
• Swimming and water exercises: They strengthen your muscles and water even supports your body weight, so there are minimal chances of injury.
• Modified yoga and modified Pilates: Prenatal Pilates and yoga exercises are specially designed for pregnant women. These make your body flexible, provide stretching to your body, relax your body and soul, and improve your breathing.
• Cycling: Cycling on a stationary bike is advisable during pregnancy as there is no tendency to fall. 1
• Stomach-Strengthening exercise: Assume a box position, with knees and hands on the floor, back straight, pull your belly inside, and curve your back upwards. Hold for a few seconds and return slowly to the box position.
• Pelvic-tilt exercises: Stand straight against a wall. Pull your stomach in, such that your back lies flat against the wall, hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.

Exercises You Should Avoid During Pregnancy

• Contact sports: There is a risk of injury as in judo, kickboxing, football, tennis, and hockey. So, these should not be performed during pregnancy.
• Hot yoga: You should avoid hot yoga and hot pilates to prevent yourself from being overheated, as it can be harmful to the baby. Also, avoid yoga poses in which you must lie on your back for a long time.
• Suba diving: Because of the sudden changes in pressure in scuba diving, it can cause decompression sickness in the baby.
• Exercising at high altitudes: You should avoid exercising at high altitudes so that the oxygen levels in your body do not decrease.
• Other activities: Horse riding, gymnastics, cycling on a standard bike, downhill skiing, and Ice hockey should not be done as there are chances to fall, and you can injure yourself.
• High impact or intense exercises: These are also not recommended as they may not be comfortable for you and may cause a rise in your body’s temperature, which may harm the baby.

How Much Exercise Should You Do?

You should do moderate-intensity exercises for about 30 minutes daily. If you are just a beginner, you can start with 10 minutes and increase your workout slowly for 5, 10, 15 minutes, and so on. Ensure you stay hydrated before, during, and after exercising. 

Warning Signals To Stop Exercising

Here are some signs which indicate you need to stop exercising during pregnancy and consult your doctor right away.

• Vaginal bleeding or discharge.
• Shortness of breath before exercise.
• Weakness or dizziness.
• Calf pain or swelling.
• Chest pain.
• Headache.
• Painful uterine contractions. 

Conclusion

Exercising during the second trimester of pregnancy will help you maintain a healthy weight gain and get you ready for labour. It can also help you feel better to navigate those crucial nine months of your life.