5 safe and important workouts that you can practice during pregnancy

Yes, an offspring developing inside you can be a scary thought and dealing with morning sickness and frequent trips to the washroom will make sure exercise is the last thing on your mind. But, as uncommon as it might sound, working out during pregnancy can be the best thing that happens to you as it can lower the risk of excess weight gain, postpartum depression and many other problems.

Making light physical activity a routine during pregnancy not only helps improve mood but also ensures an easier labour, lesser complications and speedy recovery. A lot of women face difficulty sleeping during pregnancy but working out regularly can help you improve your sleep quality and make sure you wake up properly rested.

But even though there’s absolutely no evidence that light exercises cause complications during pregnancy, pregnancy can seem like a phase of not doing anything in terms of movement. As scary as it might seem, there are many activities that will help you through the uncertain weeks of pregnancy with ease.

Here are some of the exercises you can continue while you’re pregnant without worrying:

1. Walking or Swimming

Movement is a crucial part of pregnancy to stay fit. If you’re expecting, moving every now and then is important as it helps reduce back pain, makes you more energetic and makes sure you get back to your original body shape post-delivery.

Even if you take a walk around the block or go for a swim, staying active can reduce a lot of common aches and strains that occur during pregnancy and the best part is, you don’t really need a fancy kit of equipment to go for a walk or a swim.

But you really need to be careful with the wet and vulnerable surfaces, always choose a level terrain to walk and try not to dive into the pool.

Rather you can just step or slide in as the baby inside you is not used to the bubbles that form when you change altitudes under water this quick.

2. Pilates

Pilates makes sure your tummy, back and pelvic floor muscles are strong, and these are the areas that can cause complications during pregnancy and after the birth of your child.

Pilates is a great exercise to do when you're pregnant, although some of the exercises will need to be modified as you get nearer your due date. You can ask your trainer to help you with the modifications and keep a check on you as each pregnancy can differ with each body and each passing day. 

3. Low impact Aerobics or Zumba

If you’re a beginner to working out and don’t exactly know how to keep yourself active during pregnancy, low impact water aerobics or dance workout like Zumba are a great set of activities that will help you burn calories, increase your heart rate and release endorphins, which help you feel in a good mood.

Do not ever engage in physical activities that require a lot of balancing during the exercise routine as your centre of gravity is likely to be off a bit as your pregnancy progresses along and you might be prone to injuries.

4. Prenatal Yoga

Especially designed for pregnant women, prenatal yoga is intended to help you prepare for childbirth by relaxing the body and creating a balance between emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual dimensions. Prenatal Yoga helps improve sleep, reduce back pain, manage stress & anxiety and also helps with nausea, headaches and shortness of breath.

Prenatal Yoga focuses on safe techniques and different poses for all stages of pregnancy, it makes sure your post-delivery recovery is as speedy as comfortable during the delivery of your child. Practicing this particular style of yoga increases the strength, flexibility and endurance of the main muscles needed for childbirth.

Living a hygienic and eco-friendly life when you’re expecting is as important as eating healthy for the baby. If you are looking for an eco-friendly yoga & exercise mat to work on, try our Maji Sports Jute Premium Eco Yoga & Exercise mat made of eco-friendly natural Jute fibres, which comes with non-sweaty and anti-microbial surface for a safe and healthy practise.

5. Birthing Squat

If you are looking to prepare for and assist delivery of your baby, birthing squat is the best position to reduce the risk of tear to the perineum, reduce blood loss and reduce the time of the first and second stages of labor.

Birthing squats help you widen and strengthen your pelvic region, which will help ease delivery and helps reduce the likelihood that there are heart issues to the baby and you both.