What I did in my pregnancy. (Exercise When Pregnant in general)

Member Name: ariom

Product:	Exercise When Pregnant in general
Date:	13/10/08 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: kept me aerobically fit, inexpensive, didn't put on too much weight

Disadvantages: not enough strengthening exercises for my arms

I have always been a very active person. I didn't like the thought of not being able to exercise just because I was pregnant, so I made an effort to keep active throughout my pregnancy. I found that I fel I recovered quickly after the birth (within 2 weeks was back to hill walking) and also felt that I didn't gain too much unnecessary weight. I did listen to advice about avoiding impact activities, avoiding activities where I could fall or be hit on my bump and not doing too much abdominal exercise after 13 weeks.

Here is what I did:-
Weekly Tai Chi classes (1 hour)
I did this until 36 weeks (approx) pregnant when they were cancelled due to lack of interest. I found it helped me develop balance and stability to cope with my growing bump. It strengthened my core muscles and also was very relaxing. I didn't enjoy being used for demonstrations of how Tai Chi can be used defensively as I was the most similar in stature to the instructor!
Walking to and from transport links for work (1 hour- 1 1/2 hours a day)
This fitted easily into my daily pattern, was easy to do and maintained a level of aerobic fitness. The only problem was that it was hard to keep going out if the weather was bad once I was on maternity leave.
Line Dance Class (1/2 hour per week)
I taught this at a school where I worked. The movements are simple and don't put you off balance easily. There is little jumping and impact and this can easily be replaced if you need it to be. It's good overall aerobic exercise and as you do it to music it can be uplifting too (and the music isn't all country and western!)
Hill Walking (2-3 hours once a fortnight approx)
This was something that I engaged in regularly before I got pregnant and missed a lot once I was pregnant. It can easily be done so long as you pick trails with stable paths and go at a reasonable pace you feel comfortable with. For me it was uplifting to see the views and get the fresh air, as well as good aerobic exercise.
Home-made aerobics (1/2 hour per day)
Once I was pregnant I came up with a number of simple exercises to be done daily (box steps, basic dance steps etc) which I set myself a numerical target for daily. It was good because I could go at my own pace and could do them (subtley!) while waiting for public transport etc.
Aquanatal (1 hour per week)
Once I was on maternity leave I attended these classes. They were designed for pregnant women so I knew they were safe. They provided a good mix of aerobic and conditioning activities. The pool helped me feel less heavy.

Overall, I feel that my exercise pattern helped keep me aerobically fit and not put on too much weight. Now I've had my baby and am 5 months down the line, I only wish that I'd done more strength and conditioning activities, especially on my arms - who'd have known lifting a little baby could be so much hard work?

Summary: kept me physically and mentally fit!