How much should I exercise?

A 2017 study showed that 30 to 60 minutes of exercise two to seven times per week may reduce hypertension. If possible, try to space out exercise during the week. This rest may help your body recharge. 

What is the best kind of exercise?

There isn’t one “best” kind of exercise. It depends on your level of comfort and what you enjoy. For example, if you were a runner before becoming pregnant, you can likely continue. If you’re new to exercise, try fast walks and low-impact options such as prenatal yoga, walking, light weights, and swimming. See how you feel and shift your plan as needed. 

What exercise should I not do?

This will depend on your health. However, some exercises are usually riskier than others. Try to avoid exercises that:

1. Involve collision, physical contact, and falling
2. You haven’t done it before becoming pregnant
3. Make you feel overly tired

What are the risks?

If you have a healthy pregnancy, exercising while pregnant has no known risks. It will not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery. 

Is there anything else I should remember?

Yes! Here’s what to keep in mind:

1. Listen to your body 
2. Focus on what works for you 
3. Work with a trusted healthcare provider 

You and your healthcare provider can work together to make sure you are safe and comfortable. You can also read more about preeclampsia and exercise below.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read More

• Preeclampsia: What you need to know 
• Being your own health care advocate
• Low-impact exercise during pregnancy
• What’s a risky exercise during pregnancy?

Sources

• Magro-Malosso, Elena R. “Exercise during pregnancy and risk of gestational hypertensive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Obstetrics and Gynecology. 96(80: 921-931. Web. August 2017. 
• “Healthy Pregnant or Postpartum Women.” Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. June 3, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/ basics/pregnancy/index.htm
• “Exercise During Pregnancy: Frequently Asked Questions.” The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. December 2021. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy#:~:text=Regular%

But what if you found out that BMI is not a useful indicator of your health? BMI is actually a deeply flawed calculation that was only intended to be used for populations, not for individuals.

Let’s break down the fraught history behind BMI.

BMI: The backstory

BMI (first called the Quetelet Index) was invented by a Belgian mathematician (you read that right, not a doctor) named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet in the early 19th century. He set out to find the “average man” by studying the height and weight of (mostly) European men. His work excluded women and people of color. 

BMI, a calculation of weight (in kilograms) divided by height in (meters squared), was later picked up by health insurers and medical providers in the U.S. They used various BMI categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese) to determine insurability and individual health. 

Is this starting to raise some red flags for you?

OK, but does it work?

The short answer is no, it does not work and there are a few reasons why.

1. BMI was originally created to indicate population health, not to determine individual health.

Quetelet was a statistician. His intention was to collect large amounts of data to uncover population-level trends, not to assess an individual’s health or risk factors. 

2. These categories are problematic for individuals who were left out of the original studies

Given the fact that so many groups were excluded from the development of BMI in the first place, it doesn’t make much sense to apply it to them retrospectively. Further, BMI suggests that there is an ideal height/weight ratio. This is simply not true.

3. BMI equates muscle, fat, and bone

The body is made up of (among other things): bones, muscles, and fat. BMI groups all these categories together into one, treating bone, muscle, and fat the same. Not only that, but which out of these three parts of the body weighs the most? Bone. The least? Fat.

So is there a better way to calculate health?

There are alternative calculations of health informed by weight, but the issue at play here goes far beyond the biased history of BMI or its misguided application to individuals, because even weight itself is not a strong indicator of health. Research has shown that simply changing one’s body weight is not a reliable measure of improvement in one’s health. 

If you’re looking to feel stronger and healthier, there are things you can do, like starting a health promoting behavior. 

Here are a few examples of health promoting behaviors

• Setting a goal to drink more water
• Figuring out what type of exercise you enjoy and doing it consistently
• Finding a mindfulness practice that helps you tune into your inner needs
• Intuitive eating: listening to your body’s requests for nourishing food

Setting goals like these – that are based on how you feel, how your body functions, and what you personally need to be living in a healthier body – is more reliably associated with improvement in overall health. 

Providers that rely too heavily on BMI might be missing the whole picture of your health. If you’re concerned that your provider isn’t understanding the whole picture of your health, seek out a HAES (Health At Every Size) aligned healthcare provider. There are therapists, body image coaches, doctors, nurses, and dietitians who are all trained in HEAS. You deserve to feel seen and cared for by your provider, regardless of your BMI or the size of your body. 

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read more

• Pregnancy in a bigger body
• Tracking your weight during pregnancy

Sources

• Brazier, Yvette. “How Useful Is Body Mass Index (BMI)?” Medical News Today. MediLexicon International. September 6, 2021. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255712.    
• Jackson-Gibson, Adele. “The Racist and Problematic Origins of the Body Mass Index.” Good Housekeeping. Good Housekeeping. November 1, 2021. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a35047103/bmi-racist-history/. 
• “Adult BMI Calculator.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 21, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html. 
• “About Adult BMI.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 27, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html. 
• The MNT Editorial Team. “BMI calculations and charts.” Medical News Today. Medical News Today. May 3, 2021. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323586. 
• Devlin, Keith. “Top 10 Reasons Why the BMI Is Bogus.” NPR. NPR. July 4, 2009. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439. 
• Eknoyan G. Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874)–the average man and indices of obesity. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2008 Jan;23(1):47-51. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfm517. Epub 2007 Sep 22. PMID: 17890752.

Leasa Wright has been practicing yoga and meditation her entire life. She joins us today to speak a bit more about the benefits of prenatal yoga, how to get started, and why she’s so passionate about making time for a prenatal yoga practice. When she was pregnant with her first child, Leasa says, “I fell in love with empowering pregnant people. They need to feel strong and safe in their bodies.” She’s been teaching a prenatal yoga practice weekly ever since. 

While movement in general, and yoga specifically, can be beneficial at all times in your life, there’s something different about prenatal yoga. “Once I realized I was pregnant, I felt a sense of responsibility for that little being,” says Leasa. Plus, pregnancy can be hard on the body and it’s common to feel very sore if you’re not moving around every day. Prenatal yoga is a great way to integrate that movement, connect with your baby, and form a community. 

A couple safety notes before we dive in:

• Most people should wait until after the first trimester before starting a prenatal yoga practice.
• If you’ve never practiced yoga before, it’s a good idea to be a bit more cautious when starting out. Check in with your provider to make sure it’s a good fit for you. 
• To prevent injury, do all the modifications your instructor recommends and don’t push yourself. Especially if you haven’t practiced yoga before, it can be hard to know your limit, so go easy on yourself.

How is prenatal yoga different from a yoga practice for those who are not pregnant?

​​Prenatal yoga is a curated collection of customized asanas/yoga poses that cater to the shape of the pregnant body. A person’s center of gravity changes during pregnancy and they lose the ability to fold inward. This leaves a person with an unbalanced yoga practice if they continue to sit out postures in a traditional class. Prenatal yoga classes offer a balanced sequence of joint mobility exercises, seated postures, standing postures, hip openers, breathing, and relaxation exercises — leaving out the contraindicated postures, but still offering an overall, accessible, and whole body practice.

How can it benefit people during pregnancy (physically and emotionally)?

There are so many reasons to choose to participate in prenatal yoga. It offers the opportunity to connect with your baby and it gives you the chance to connect with other people who are making the same healthy lifestyle choices as you. It’s common to form friendships and build relationships in a class environment. And that community can help alleviate anxieties you may be having about becoming a parent. 

As far as physical benefits: prenatal yoga can improve your sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase the strength, flexibility, and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth. Additionally, it can help to decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches, and shortness of breath by lengthening the muscles around your rib cage. From your physical body to your emotional state, prenatal yoga can be a key ingredient to a healthy, happy pregnancy.

Where should we start?

For many, pregnancy is a time to make your health a top priority. Ensure you get plenty of sleep overnight, as a growing baby uses up a lot of energy. A well-balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods will also help to boost your energy. Finally, staying active is a key aspect of pregnancy self-care and can be extremely beneficial for managing certain symptoms associated with pregnancy.

Any advice for slowing down when the stress of pregnancy is overwhelming?

Try mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and massage to bring your mind into a peaceful state so you can cope better with the busyness of daily life. Take yourself to a place where your mind and body can be still, allowing you to focus inward and breathe deeply.

Simple things like getting enough rest, eating well, exercising regularly, and seeking support from trusted friends and family can increase your resilience in stressful times. And check in with your partner. You and your partner can act as a support system for one another during this time.

What about creating space in your day?

If you can, try to schedule naps during your day to get more sleep and restore your energy. Take catnaps during the day, even if you just rest your eyes for 15 minutes with your feet up. Book yourself regular pamper sessions at home. A night in with a favorite facemask is a lovely way to treat yourself.

Set aside time for the hobbies and activities that were a part of you before you became pregnant. And try to keep in touch with the friends who add value to your life by scheduling an assortment of standing dates with your circle. 

Any tips for integrating a prenatal yoga practice into your routine? 

A simple first step is to make sure you have correct posture at work by learning some good stretches to practice at your desk during breaks. 

Sign up for an in-person workshop at a local studio who specializes in prenatal yoga. And don’t apologize for making yourself a priority. If it’s easier, try an online yoga class so you can practice from the comfort of your own home. 

If you’re having trouble getting started or staying consistent, ask a friend to be your accountability buddy to ensure you show up to practice. 

How can people make sure they’re staying safe in their practice?

Start by asking your doctor, midwife, or doula for local recommendations. Always attend your scheduled prenatal visits and talk to your provider if you have questions or concerns about your pregnancy. They are a great resource you should take advantage of during this time.

If you’re wondering if a yoga studio offers certified prenatal yoga classes, call and ask if they are certified in prenatal yoga by Yoga Alliance, the organization that sets standards for yoga teachers nationwide. Knowledge of the dos and don’ts of prenatal yoga is one of the most important reasons you should seek out a qualified prenatal class. 

You should always avoid internal twisting, belly compression, and heated yoga classes. Any balancing poses should be done with extreme caution, against a wall.

How can I safely continue my practice postpartum?

The best way to ensure you’re ready to resume practice is to get the approval of your healthcare team first. The standard guidelines recommend waiting 6-8 weeks after birth before continuing your practice. Sometimes that can be longer, depending on your birth experience – ask your provider. 

What’s your favorite part of your yoga practice?

Community. I taught my first prenatal yoga classes during my first pregnancy and have remained connected to those mamas to this very day. You can expect to form beautiful connections with others during prenatal yoga. The bond you create with other pregnant people is one that carries into postpartum and beyond. If there’s anything a community needs, it’s to be full of strong, empowered, and supportive mothers.

Yoga has brought me strength, mindfulness, breathwork, and awareness of my body, which has helped my physical and personal growth tremendously. I am so grateful for this practice and how it has manifested itself into my life’s work.

Read more

• Prenatal pilates
• Low-impact exercise during pregnancy

Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?

For most people, exercise is safe during pregnancy. However, not all types of exercise are equal. It’s important to discuss with your healthcare provider which types of exercise are right for you. Some people with certain medical conditions, such as placenta previa, high blood pressure, or heart and lung disease may be very limited in terms of exercise and should have a detailed discussion with their providers about which activities are safe for them to participate in and specific limitations they have throughout their pregnancy.

What are the benefits of exercise during pregnancy?

Incorporating movement or exercise during your pregnancy has many benefits to your health. Exercise keeps you mobile and strong. Varied types of movement contribute to your flexibility, circulation, and stamina. All of these benefits help minimize some of the symptoms of pregnancy such as backaches, leg cramps, constipation, bloating, and swelling. It’s also been shown to help boost your mood and energy levels and help you sleep better. 

Regular exercise and movement during pregnancy can help prepare your body for labor by improving muscle tone, strength, and endurance and may even reduce labor time and lower the chance of an unplanned cesarean. 

How much exercise should I be getting?

It’s recommended for most pregnant people to get 2 ½ hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Moderate intensity means your breathing becomes faster and deeper, your heart rate increases, and you break a sweat. An example would be going for a brisk walk. To get your 2 ½ hours of exercise in, try breaking it up by exercising for a half hour each day. You can also try fitting in bursts of 10 minutes of exercise 3 times a day.

What types of exercise should I avoid?

Certain types of exercise, like high-contact sports, are not recommended during pregnancy due to their impact on your growing baby. You should also avoid activities where you could fall and exercise in very hot environments (like hot yoga). If you are exercising to the point of exhaustion or so hard that you can’t talk, you may be pushing it too much. Listen to your body and when it’s telling you to slow down.

Tips

Incorporating movement and exercise into your day is important during pregnancy. Going for a walk with a friend or heading over to your favorite yoga class are great ways to get some movement into your daily routine. If you have questions about what kind of exercise is right for you, contact your healthcare provider and they can offer some tips and options. And as always, pay attention to your body’s cues while exercising so you don’t injure or overwork your muscles.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read More

A prenatal visit calendar

Skin changes when pregnant

Sources

• “Exercise during pregnancy” The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. July 2019. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Pregnancy and exercise: Baby let’s move!” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. March 12, 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-and-exercise/art-20046896
• “Exercise during pregnancy” March of Dimes. March of Dimes. September 2020. https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy.aspx
• “Exercise during pregnancy” American Pregnancy. American Pregnancy. n.d. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/exercise-during-pregnancy/

While there are pelvic floor-related conditions unrelated to pregnancy, we won’t be discussing those here. 

What are the pelvic floor muscles?

The pelvic floor is the set of muscles beneath your pelvic organs that support them, often referred to as a hammock. The pelvic floor wraps around the bladder, rectum, and both uterus and vagina (or prostate in men). Pelvic floor muscles control bladder and bowel function — this is why you can feel your pelvic floor muscles relaxing when, for example, you go to the bathroom. They also work together with other muscles to stabilize your spine. Having trouble visualizing the pelvic floor? Head to the first episode of our pelvic floor strengthening series in Ovia Parenting with Dr. Amy Hoover, where she explains it. 

What about during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles are working harder than they were pre-pregnancy, providing a solid foundation for your expanding uterus. This increased pressure can cause many people to experience frequent urination, lower back pain, or incontinence during pregnancy. 

What about postpartum?

Now, let’s get into some common symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. While some of these symptoms can feel scary, they are also all treatable and it can be helpful to prepare for them. 

The pelvic floor muscles may be strained or injured during vaginal delivery. There are other reasons the pelvic floor might be strained, for example, during surgery or with age. The most common side effect is urinary incontinence.

OAB or Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder, or the frequent or very pressing need to urinate, can be incredibly uncomfortable and frustrating. OAB is extremely common — 40% of women in the U.S. have OAB symptoms. 

Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control your bladder, which can result in leaking urine. There are two types: stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence might be triggered by coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Urge incontinence, which is a form of OAB, involves the involuntary loss of urine associated with a sudden need to pass urine. 

UI is particularly common during pregnancy and after birth as it can be the result of strained pelvic floor muscles and/or hormone changes. If you’re finding that urinary incontinence is impacting your day by preventing you from doing certain activities that you enjoy, that’s your sign to contact a provider. 

Flatulence incontinence

The inability to control gas. This is common but can be extremely frustrating. As with fecal urgency and incontinence (below), strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can help.

Fecal urgency and incontinence

The inability to control bowel movements. As with urinary incontinence, those with fecal incontinence can experience a range of severity, from small occasional bowel accidents to complete loss of bowel control. 

Seeking treatment 

While many people feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about these symptoms, we guarantee you that your provider really has seen it all before. There are treatment options and you deserve to have access to them. 

Pelvic floor exercises

Exercises (like kegels) can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, and address or prevent issues of urinary and/or fecal incontinence. To learn more about how to do these exercises head here or talk to your provider. 

Kegels

A kegel is an exercise that involves tightening and lifting the pelvic floor and is an effective way to improve symptoms associated with a strained or weakened pelvic floor. Consult a provider before doing them during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. For more information on pelvic floor strengthening head here.

Once you get good at them, you can do your kegels from anywhere, no equipment needed. To learn more, watch our pelvic floor strengthening series. 

This content was reviewed by Dr. Lisa Hickman and Dr. Katie Propst. Dr. Hickman runs the Childbirth Pelvic Floor Disorders Clinic at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Propst runs the Postpartum Care Clinic at Cleveland Clinic. 

Read more

• Don’t be floored by postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction 
• Mental health postpartum

Sources

• “Accidental Bowel Leakage.” American Urogynecologic Society. 2016. https://www.augs.org/assets/2/6/ABL.pdf. 
• “Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14459-pelvic-floor-dysfunction.
• Mayo Clinic Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Program in Minnesota. Mayo Clinic. February 5, 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/pelvic-floor-dysfunction-program/overview/ovc-20467221. 
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “What to expect after a vaginal birth. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. March 11, 2020. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/in-depth/postpartum-care/art-20047233.
• Yvonne Butler Tobah, M.D. “What can I do to treat hemorrhoids during pregnancy?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. August 16, 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/hemorrhoids-during-pregnancy/faq-20058149.

The pelvic floor

First, a quick note about the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is an important set of muscles beneath your pelvic organs that support them — like a hammock holding everything together. The pelvic floor wraps around the bladder, rectum, and both vagina and uterus (or prostate). Pelvic floor muscles control bladder and bowel function — this is why you can feel your pelvic floor muscles relaxing when, for example, you pee. These muscles also work together to stabilize your spine.

What is a kegel, really?

The first step is to identify your pelvic floor muscles. This can be done by tightening the area around your vagina (imagine trying to hold in a tampon) and around your rectum. You should be feeling the muscles tighten particularly in the back of the pelvic floor towards your rectum. If you’re not confident you’ve found them, speak with your provider who can help you identify these muscles! They might even recommend a pelvic floor physical therapist. 

Getting started

Once you’ve identified these muscles it’s time to start your kegel exercises. Start by rolling out a yoga mat or finding a particularly comfortable spot on the rug and lie down on your back. Once you get the hang of them, you can practice your kegel exercises while sitting, standing, doing anything really, but as you learn to identify the right muscles, it’s helpful to lie on your back. 

Getting kegel exercises right

• First, tighten the area around your vagina and rectum for a few seconds 
• Release the contraction and pause for a few seconds 
• Continue to repeat several times 

Signs that you’re doing kegels wrong

• If you feel a tightening in your abdomen, buttocks, or other muscles 
• If you feel pain (stop right away and reach out to your healthcare provider)

Once you get into the groove, you can do kegels basically anywhere. Which is great because doing a few sets of kegels throughout the day is better than doing them all at once. If you’re just getting started, try doing one set of 10 per day and then slowly increase to 3-4 sets of 10 per day with the goal of holding each squeeze for 10 seconds. 

For the advanced kegel-ers

Some people find that doing a kegel or two right before they sneeze, cough, or do something that would typically cause them to leak urine can help them prevent it from happening. Over time, kegels can mean you don’t leak at all, have improved stability, or improved sexual function. Not all pelvic floor concerns can be solved through kegels alone, so be sure to touch base with your provider for more support when needed.

Read more

• What is the pelvic floor?
• When to consider seeing a pelvic floor specialist

Sources

• “Step-by-step guide to performing Kegel exercises.” Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. August 10, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/step-by-step-guide-to-performing-kegel-exercises

Sara LindbergFreelance writer focused on health & wellness

There’s something about making it to the 14th week of pregnancy that has moms-to-be smiling more, feeling less stressed, and definitely noticing an increase in energy. Maybe that’s why the second trimester is often referred to as the “honeymoon period.” During this time, nausea typically subsides, an increase in energy occurs, emotions even out, sex drive returns, and you start to feel the baby move around in your tummy.

If you were active prior to pregnancy, maintaining an exercise program is probably high on your list of priorities. After all, the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of staying active are countless. Most health experts will tell you exercise helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling, and may help decrease your risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery. Additionally, it has been shown to increase energy, improve mood, promote muscle tone and muscle strength, helps you sleep better, may improve your ability to cope with labor, and makes it easier to get back in shape after childbirth.  

There’s no one way to keep your workout going during pregnancy, but there are many strategies that can be helpful.

Make a date

Get into the habit of scheduling your workout by making an appointment with yourself. Write it in your date book or put it in your phone and treat it as seriously as you would a doctor’s appointment

Use the buddy system

Knowing that a friend is waiting for you to show up for a workout is sometimes all you need to get out the door. Choose one or two friends who are regularly active (bonus if they’re also pregnant) and schedule a class, walk, or swim date once or twice a week.  

Binge watch your favorite show

If you enjoy cardio machines, one way to stay motivated is to cue up your favorite television series and only watch it while working out.

Buy some new exercise gear

Treat yourself to some comfy new pants and workout tops that compliment your growing body and feel good on.

Mix it up

Avoid boredom by doing a variety of activities and exercise. Here’s a sample five day workout:

• Day 1: Walk/jog 30 to 45 minutes — stretch when finished
• Day 2: Prenatal pilates class or video
• Day 3: Full-body light weight training workout and 20 minutes on favorite cardio machine — stretch when finished
• Day 4: Prenatal yoga class or video
• Day 5: Walk/jog 30-45 minutes or take a low-impact exercise    class — stretch when finished

Get creative with your steps

Tracking steps is all the rage right now, so why not put your fitness tracker to use and aim for 10,000 steps a day? And in case you need some ideas for getting your steps in, try walking back and forth the next time you’re on the phone, or doing laps around the soccer field while your older child practices. If work consists of sitting most of the day, get up and go for a short walk every couple of hours.

Sign-up for a prenatal class

Prenatal yoga and pilates classes both offer a safe and supportive environment for women. Designed with the changing body in mind, these classes help you stay fit and prepare your body for childbirth.

Exercise at home

If getting to the gym has been a bit of a challenge for you lately, consider investing in a few prenatal workout videos. With a variety to choose from, these workouts range in time from 15 to 60 minutes and focus on pilates, yoga, low-impact cardio, stretching, and bodyweight exercises.

About the author:
Sara Lindberg is a freelance writer focusing on parenting, health, and wellness. She is passionate about all things fitness and health and loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and son.  

Read more

• Low-impact exercise during pregnancy
• Why you should track your nutrition during pregnancy

Sources

• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Second trimester pregnancy: What to expect.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, June 21 2017. Retrieved July 12 2017. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20047732.
• “Exercise After Pregnancy.” American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians. Frequently Asked Questions, Labor, Delivery, and Postpartum Care 131. June 2015. Retrieved July 12 2017. https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Exercise-After-Pregnancy.

While there are many exercises that help build muscular and cardiovascular strength, none is as low-impact as swimming, which is crucial during pregnancy to help you stay comfortable.

Strength

Pregnancy isn’t a walk in the park – it takes a lot of strength and energy to carry around a growing baby for nine months and beyond – and they don’t call it labor for no reason. Exercises that build strength are therefore highly recommended to pregnant women. Swimming helps build core, lower, and upper body strength, all of which can make the road to Baby a lot easier.

Stamina

Another of swimming’s main benefits is the cardiovascular strength that you’ll build. Many women report feeling fatigued during pregnancy, and while it can be difficult to exercise when you’re exhausted, swimming can help increase your stamina to make you less tired in general. Whether you join a pregnancy-specific swim class, or simply do laps in your local pool, swimming is an excellent way to increase your stamina, and prepare for the long haul.

Low-impact

Although there are lots of exercises that help build both muscular and cardiovascular strength, what really sets swimming apart from the others is its low-impact nature. Swimming is unlikely to cause any extra physical discomfort, as opposed to running and other activities that can be tough on the knees and elsewhere. Because of this, swimming is one of the best exercises for preventing and managing symptoms like swelling and joint pain, as it probably won’t agitate anything like running might.

Although swimming is generally safe for pregnant women, those whose amniotic sacs have broken, or those who have been recommended advised to avoid exercise by their healthcare providers should hold off. It’s also good to remember that while swimming is safe, its more daring cousins, scuba diving, water skiing, and cannonballs should definitely stay off-limits. It’s also true that most healthcare providers do not recommend picking up a new form of exercise during pregnancy, so you should talk to him or her about the safety of swimming during pregnancy if you are concerned.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read more

• Activity during pregnancy: everything you need to know
• When not to exercise during pregnancy

Sources

• B Sternfeld, CP Quesenberry Jr, B Eskenazi, LA Newman. “Exercise during pregnancy and pregnancy outcome.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 27(5):634-40. Web. May-95.
• “Swimming During Pregnancy.” NewHealthguide. NewHealthGuide, n.d. Web.
• “Swimming Guidelines for Mums-to-be.” Swimming.org. Swimming.org, n.d. Web.

As long as your healthcare provider says it’s safe, getting plenty of exercise while pregnant is incredibly important for your health as well as Baby’s, and tracking your activity can help you make sure that you’re getting enough to foster a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Activity and you

It might seem odd because pregnant women can expect to gain between 15-40 lbs. throughout the course of the nine months, but staying active is even more important when pregnant. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that all moms-to-be get about 30 minutes of activity each day.

Getting sufficient activity during pregnancy will not only help you keep your weight gain to within a recommended level and assist in the prevention and treatment of pregnancy symptoms like stretch marks, fatigue, and swollen ankles, but may also decrease the risk of developing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, among other dangerous pregnancy complications.

Staying in good physical shape will also help prepare your body for the tremendous stress delivery will bring, and will help make your pregnancy pounds slip right off after you give birth.

Tracking your activity can help you establish a pattern between the amount of exercise you’re getting, and any symptoms you may notice, so you’ll be able to make adjustments as needed. Tracking will also help you monitor your general health, which can be one of the most accurate indicators of how well your pregnancy is progressing.

Activity and baby

Baby is totally dependent on you while they’s living in them amniotic bubble, so your health affects them more than you’d know!

When you exercise to temper your weight gain, you’re also helping to ensure that Baby’s weight remains within a healthy level, as both too high, and too low of a birth weight can be dangerous for them (and you).

Exercise is very beneficial for your overall health, and the healthier you are, the healthier Baby will be. Your body can operate at a higher level of performance when you stay active, and will therefore be able to take care of them better. Exercise also helps moms-to-be deal with stress and feelings of depression, both of which are great risk factors for babies.

Tracking your activity with Ovia can help you understand when you might need to make an adjustment in your exercise regimen, both for your sake and Baby‘s.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read more

• Activity during pregnancy: everything you need to know
• The best pregnancy exercises

Sources

• “Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Number 548.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1/13/2015. Web.
• Committee on Obstetric Practice. “Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Committee Opinion Number 267.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1/2/2015. Web.
• “Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: FAQ034.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 9/14/2015. Web.
• “Gestational Diabetes: FAQ177.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 9/13/2015. Web.

What is activity tracking?

Activity tracking involves recording data about your activity level and exercise schedule, generally to help monitor your health and make correlations between your activity and other parts of your life (for pregnancy, this may mean symptoms and moods).

Why track activity?

Tracking your activity during pregnancy is a great way to help you stay healthy, as it makes you super-aware of your body, and the connections between different systems. Some of the greatest benefits of tracking your activity include:

• Healthy weight gain: Pregnant women need to gain weight during pregnancy, but it’s important to keep it within a healthy range – tracking your activity can help you make sure that you’re getting enough exercise to keep your weight at the happiest of mediums.
• Managing symptoms: Staying active can really help get your blood flowing, and prevent or manage tons of your pregnancy symptoms like leg cramps, bloating, and varicose veins, so tracking your activity against your symptoms can be highly effective.
• Keep Baby healthier: Staying fit is a wonderful way to help keep your body running at 100%, which Baby is really hoping you are because they depends on you so much during pregnancy. Tracking your activity to ensure that you’re getting enough can help you monitor your overall health, which in turn, will help Baby’s.

How do you track activity?

Beside manually writing down your activities, there are other, more efficient ways of keeping track of your activity. Ovia helps you track by allowing you to log your activity directly into your account on the app or website, or through the use of integrated self-tracking devices, like those made by Fitbit and Withings. These self-tracking devices provide the easiest way possible to record your activity data, as all you have to do is make sure that you don’t forget your device at home!

Tracking your activity is a marvelous way to stay on top of your pregnancy, and make sure you’re doing everything you can for Baby!

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read more

• Exercise during pregnancy: why it’s important
• When not to exercise during pregnancy

Sources

• “Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Number 548.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1/13/2015. Web.
• Committee on Obstetric Practice. “Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Committee Opinion Number 267.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1/2/2015. Web.