When Not To Exercise During Pregnancy

Exercising during pregnancy is seen as forbidden by a lot of women, especially in Nigeria. Most women believe the myth that exercising when pregnant can hurt their developing babies.

However,  today, we know differently. not only is it safe and okay to maintain or start a fitness regime during your pregnancy, but it has been proven to be beneficial to both mother and child. “You need to be physically active during pregnancy. It has terrific benefits that are associated with a better pregnancy outcome and even shorter labors. It’s a win-win for baby and for mom,” says Laura Riley, MD and author of Pregnancy: You and Your Baby.

Every pregnancy is different, you might have been able to exercise conveniently during your first and second pregnancy, that might not be the case for the third pregnancy. Some women might not even be able to participate in any form of exercise, especially during pregnancy due to some health conditions. The key is to remember to avoid movements that might cause trauma to the abdomen,  and cause severe joint injuries.  Aside from that, there’s relatively little that pregnant women can’t do:

However there are some stop signs, that just tell you when not to delve into any form of fitness. Some of them are listed below:

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• Multiple gestation could pose risks for premature labor: If you are carrying more than one baby, chances are you will have to rule out any form of exercise.
• Pregnancy induced hypertension: If you fall into this category, you have to proceed with utmost care and caution, better still just avoid any exercise, getting your blood pressure too high might be dangerous for you and your baby.
• Chronic bronchitis
• Vaginal bleeding : Any form of bleeding noticed after or during any exercise should be reported immediately to the your doctor, and the exercise discontinued.
• Dizziness: Remember to always stay hydrated, not just during your pregnancy, but if you are trying to be fit. However, if you find it difficult to stand minutes after your routine, please discontinue.
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling (need to rule out the normal swelling that comes with pregnancy)
• Decreased fetal movement: babies tend to move less when you move more & move more when you stop moving. If you are concerned about a decrease in your baby’s movements, stop moving, drink plenty of water & rest for a while. If you don’t feel your baby move as they usually do it’s a good idea to call your doctor.