Training and strength training during pregnancy

2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 11:16

Strengthening exercise, when properly performed according to the criteria and needs of a pregnant woman, strengthens the body and can therefore reduce and prevent the risk of injury.

The Vasalva maneuver

Let's start with the Vasalva maneuver, a maneuver that many people do without even realizing it. It is the act of holding one's breath while performing weight training exercises or any activity that requires physical exertion. The Vasalva maneuver can create hypotension which in turn puts pressure on the vena cava artery. This pressure allows blood to flow easily and return to your heart and brain. What then results is dizziness and reduced blood and oxygen flow to your baby. Always exhale with the effort and contraction of the muscle, and inhale while releasing or returning to the starting position.

A pregnant woman, in addition to being overweight, has more flexible joints due to the hormone relaxin. This makes the pregnant woman more susceptible to injuries and back problems. Strength training, when properly performed according to the criteria and needs of a pregnant woman, strengthens the body and can thenreduce and prevent the risk of injury. The shoulders and upper back get tired due to the larger chest and the round belly that was not there before. No need to point out that this excess weight makes our posture work! These muscles need exercise to be strengthened and to properly support this additional weight and avoid the load on the lower back. This can cause even more imbalance in the posture if the muscles are not strong enough to compensate for this new alignment of the body.

The endorphins produced when you exercise will give you more stamina, strength, and tolerance during pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. A 7 pound newborn at the end of a day looks like 20 pounds! Now is not the time to break your weight load records! Continue with the load you were taking before pregnancy. For those starting a muscle conditioning regimen, it is recommended to take lighter weights and do the number of reps you are comfortable with. It is recommended to do strength exercises for 20 to 30 minutes 3 times a week. Note that after the 5th month, your range of motion becomes more restricted.

During the hot and humid summer months, try to exercise outside, and early in the morning (this is a good start in preparing for your new baby's early bird schedule). baby!), in the early evening, or in an air-conditioned room. Modify the intensity of your exercise regimen according toroom temperature to avoid overheating. Also, be sure to hydrate before, during, and after exercise.

If ever, during physical exercise, you experience excessive hot flashes, nausea or even an excessive heartbeat, stop exercising and walk in place for a minute. Sit down and keep your head higher than the level of your heart to regain your strength and the normal course of your breathing. Maybe you're pushing yourself too hard, or your body is possibly giving you a signal that it's too tired for such an effort… so take a he althy walk instead.