Pregnancy Exercises - Exercises During Pregnancy

Exercises During Pregnancy

In the last weeks of pregnancy some pregnant women feel dizzy when they lie on their back, and that is because of the uterus which compresses on a major blood vessel, inferior vena (IVC) which transports blood from the lower limbs to the heart, all this will cause hypotension, so don't lie on the back and always lie on the side and do the mentioned exercise.
You may feel that your knees and pelvis are more lose.
You may have muscle cramps but this will disappear later on.

exercises during pregnancy useful for your circulation

Benefit of exercises during pregnancy:

They are useful for your circulation and help to protect you from varicose veins.
Decrease labour pain and make the uterus contract in the puerperium.
they increase the contractions and by that help to push the head downward.
Squating help the pregnant female to get rid of constipation, and your baby will be in the proper lie, and they will help in labour.
If you can't do it while you are in labour; you can do it while you are pregnant.
These exercises may help you to get rid of back pain and will strengthen your muscles.
They will prepare your pelvis for the passage of the baby.

Normal vaginal delivery video | Caesarean section video

Appropriate Position and exercises during pregnancy and before delivery: Standing position

A To keep good body shape:

This will make you feel comfortable during pregnancy and after delivery, because they will prevent back pain, and will keep your fingers, toes and joint straight and relaxed.

1-Standing position:

Lift your head and hold it as if somebody is pulling it upward.
Keep your back straight because bended shoulders give you an ugly look.
Hold your abdomen while you are trying to pull your abdomen upward and inward, and try to elevate your pelvic bone upward.
Bend your knee a little bit.
Try to do these exercises in front of a mirror, so that you can see yourself, because bad position will weaken your abdominal muscles, and cause you back pain, so try to shift your weight from one foot to another, or from the toes to the ankles, this will decrease back pain, also avoid high heels because they increase back pain, and try to wear comfortable shoes.

2-Sitting position:

While you are at home: You may spend a lot of time sitting on a chair or on the floor.
If you are on a chair: Pull your buttock anteriorly, and support your back on the back of the chair.
In case you are working on the disk: Pull your buttock backward, till the back of the chair and keep your back straight.
If you are sitting on the floor: lying your legs while you are bending your feet towards your body as shown in the picture.

3-Lying down position:

As pregnancy progress, your baby will get bigger, your big belly is more annoying, and you may not find a comfortable position.
You may feel comfortable, if you lie on your side because this will improve your blood circulation.
But if you are lying on your back this will prevent blood from reaching your lower limbs and your baby, and that is because of the pressure made by your uterus on the major blood vessels, so you need to put a pillows in between your legs or under them.

4-How to lift yourself up from the floor:

First, use your arms to push against the floor and sit down, then bend your knees and slowly elevate yourself using your knee as a support one after the other.

How to lift yourself up from the floor

5-How you pick things up from the floor:

Open your legs as far as possible to support your weight, then bend your knees slowly while keeping your back straight, then after picking up things elevate yourself same as before, and for better result, hold something to support you while standing.

B - Exercises before delivery:

These exercises is important to strengthen the muscles that have a role during labour, even if you were an active person and exercise daily, this may not be effective to strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles which will affect labour.
Try not to do heavy duty or exercises, because you will be exhausted.

Benefits of exercise before labour:

Decrease the stress on the muscles associated with joints and… pregnancy.
Decrease back pain.
To maintain maternal health and weight.
To protect the good condition of pelvic muscles, joints… which become lose during pregnancy because of its hormone.
To maintain the effectivity of the abdominal and pelvic muscles.
To supply the lower limbs with blood.
To decrease daily stresses.
To strengthen the abdominal muscles which will support the enlarged uterus.
To keep self respect and confidence of the mother, these exercises help the mother to recover rapidly after delivery, and decrease post partum complication.

Before you start to does any exercise consult your doctor regarding any problem face you and do not do exercise once you feel tired and exhausted. At the beginning try to exercise 1-2 times daily then increase it to 5 times then up to 10 times, if you feel pain in your muscle or joint decrease the number, exercise in a room with good ventilation and wear comfortable clothes.

Swinging of the pelvis pregnancy exercises:

1-Swining of the pelvis while you are lying:

Purpose:

To maintain the shape of your body.
To strengthen the abdominal muscle.
To avoid treatment of back pain, this is due to weakness of muscles and their tendons.

How to do it:

Lie on your back while bending your knees.
Take a deep breath while you are bending your abdominal muscles and pelvis while keeping your feet on the floor.
Exhale slowly and relax your muscles.
Repeat these exercise.

2-Swinging of pelvis while you are on your knees and hands:

Purpose:

As mentioned previously.

How to do it:

Support your body and knees while you are putting your hands on the floor, let your arms perpendicular with the shoulders, knees and pelvis, don't relax your back.
Hold your abdominal muscles and elevate your back.
Lifting your legs straight pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

Strengthen your abdominal and legs muscles.
To increase the elasticity of the lower back.
To increase blood supply to the lower limbs.

How to do it:

Lie on your back.
Bend one knee and elevate the other straightly around 30-45o.
Put it down slowly.
Change with the other leg.

4-Special pregnancy exercises: To strengthen back muscles, and abdominal muscles

Purpose:

To strengthen back muscles, and abdominal muscles.

How to do it:

Lie on the floor with your knees bended.
Elevate your hips as shown in the figure.
Then return it back and relax.

5-Semisitting pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

To strengthen the abdominal muscles.

How to do it:

lie on your back while bending your knees..
Stetch your arms straightly and upward.
Push your head and shoulder anteriorly as shower in the figure.
Then return your head and shoulder backward to the ground, rarely parts of abdominal muscles may tear later in pregnancy, so to avoid these complications you need to perform the previously mentioned exercises to strengthen the abdominal wall muscles early in pregnancy.
If you notice that your muscles are separate hold your abdomen between your arms.

6-Stretching your muscles pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

To strengthen your inner thigh muscles.

How to do it:

Stretch your limbs apposing each other while you are pulling your feet toward your body.
Put your palms on your knees as shown in the figure.
Try to push your knees downward to reach the floor.

7-Stretching your calf pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

To avoid calf cramps

Method (1):

Stand behind a chair stretch your calves and that is by bending your toes upward as in the figure.

Method (2):

Sit on the floor or bed and stretch your calves and that is by pulling your toes towards your body, you can do it by yourself, or somebody helps you by holding your feet and pushing your toes towards you, doing this will prevent or decrease muscle cramps.

8-Rotation of your shoulder pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

To keep the shape of your body.
To increase blood supply to the arms and decrease numbness in the hands and arms.

How to do it:

You may stand or sit.
Do circular movements for the shoulder anteriorly and posteriorly.

9-Stretching your arms pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

To decrease GI upset or shortness of breath and this by expanding your chest.
To keep the shape of your shoulders and back.

How to do it:

You may sit or stand.
Stretch your arms above your head then stretch one arm above the other.
Repeat this exercise alternatively for each arm.

10-Pelvic exercise pregnancy exercises:

Purpose:

The perineum is composed from multiple layers which support the pelvis.
The inner muscles support the urinary bladder, uterus and rectum.
The outer layer support the urethra and the cervix, and works as a sphincter for the anus, and by strengthening the pelvic muscles, they may support the enlarged uterus more.
To decrease the chances of tearing these muscles and avoid hemorrhoid formation, to control urination post delivery without suffering from incontinence, you need to perform these exercises.

How to do it:

It is called kegel exercises.

Imagine how you feel once you need to stop urination while you are voiding.
To contract your anal muscles imagine, that this area is in the basement and imagine that it want to get up through the elevator to the 1st, 2nd and 3th floor as you contract these muscles.
Now try to relax these muscles as if we are returning back down the 1st floor.
Then repeat these contractions and relaxations again.

Pelvic muscles are not strong enough as the arm and thigh muscles so don't overdo these exercises epically after delivery, you may repeat these exercise 20-30 times, you may do these anytime and anywhere and nobody will notice that you are doing these exercises.

Repeat these exercises in order to have a healthy baby, and a grateful labour.

Normal vaginal delivery video | Caesarean section video

Other pregnancy exercises you can do

Beginning of the exercise:

Lie on your back, bend your knees and make the distance between your feet 30cm, your heels are attached to the floor.
Support your head and shoulders on pillows; put your arms beside your body on the floor.

This exercise is allowed only till the 4th month of pregnancy, after that it is better to avoid performing exercises while you are lying on your back because the enlarged uterus may compress your blood vessels.

Contract the perineal muscles as far as you can till you reach 10 seconds there relax them slowly, after the 4th month you should do these exercises while you are sitting or standing repeat this exercise at least 25times/day.
Exhale your breath while you are pushing by the uppermost part of your back on the floor, take a deep breath and relax your spine, repeat it 3-4 times you may do it while you are standing and pushing your back against a wall (this could be done after the 4th month of pregnancy).
Lie on your left side while your shoulders, buttock and knees straight, put your right hand on the floor anterior to your chest, put your left hand under your head, relax, take a deep breath then exhale it while you are elevating your right leg slowly as far as you can while keeping it stretched, repeat it 10 times on each side.
Put your hands and knees on the floor while your back are relaxed straight, keep your head straight with your neck an spine then bend your back up ward like: the hump, and let your head fall down, relax your back slowly and elevate your head back, repeat it 3-4 times, this exercise is good all through pregnancy even during delivery to help to decrease the pressure over the spine.
Squatting is so comfortable and try to stretch your arms over your shoulders then upward, and try to stretch each arm alternatively as it you want to reach the ceil above you, repeat it 10 times on each side. This helps you to relax your neck.
Squat while your eyes are closed, take a deep breath, turn your head in to half a circle slowly exhale your breath, relax and let your head bend forward, repeat it 4-5 times with turning your head to the opposite side, repeat this exercise 3-4 times daily.

Consult your doctor before doing any of these exercises or if any symptoms occur to you due to these exercises.

Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist

Pregnancy Exercises - Exercises During Pregnancy | Dr N Layyous