See exercises to prepare for pregnancy – 11/10/2023 – Balance

Pregnancy can feel like a nine-month test of strength and endurance, full of relentless physical challenges, from the extreme fatigue of the first trimester to the shortness of breath and back pain of the third.

While regular exercise during pregnancy can help deal with these issues, experts say you can also prepare your body before getting pregnant — much like you might train for a sporting event — by using exercises that specifically benefit a pregnant body.

“The work of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum—it’s all one long marathon,” says Maura Shirey, who runs Bodies for Birth, a prenatal and postpartum fitness program in Seattle. “If you can take the time in the beginning to have a solid foundation, it will mean a more energetic, more comfortable, and stronger experience,” she says.

Exercising regularly beforehand also allows you to continue at a similar pace throughout your pregnancy. If you were inactive before pregnancy, your options are more limited because doctors advise not to go too far above your typical activity level during pregnancy.

“You’ll get a lot more benefit if you start earlier,” whether that’s six months earlier or six years, says Michaela Burns, a personal trainer in San Francisco who specializes in prenatal and postpartum fitness. Plus, she adds, once you’re midway through your pregnancy, “it’s really hard to start a routine, especially in the first trimester when you feel so bad.”

“Pregnancy is a stress test,” adds Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, a high-risk obstetrician in San Diego and chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ exercise during pregnancy committee. “There are so many complications that can be mitigated by being healthy first.”

Treat injuries

It’s important to treat any lingering musculoskeletal issues like sciatica, plantar fasciitis, hip problems or back pain before getting pregnant, says Lisa Schoenholt, founder of Brooklyn Embodied, a Pilates-based prenatal and postpartum fitness program.

“If you have an injury or pain, it tends to be exacerbated during pregnancy,” she says, due to increased pressure on the spine and hormonal changes (like the release of relaxin, which relaxes your muscles, joints, and ligaments to help your body stretch).

A physical therapist or exercise physiologist can help resolve any issues a few months or more before trying to conceive.

Find an aerobic exercise that works

Doing regular aerobic exercise before getting pregnant can create a solid foundation for pregnancy, says Catherine Cram, an exercise physiologist based outside Madison, Wisconsin, who trains healthcare professionals in prenatal fitness.

“The changes of pregnancy, cardiovascularly, are so profound,” she says. Your blood volume increases by 45%, your heart rate increases and you are at risk for gestational high blood pressure. “Exercise really helps with all of these stresses,” she adds.

She suggested finding an aerobic activity that you enjoy and can do regularly. Walking, running, swimming, cycling and dancing are all great options. Aim for about 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

Know your pelvic floor

Pregnancy also puts stress on the pelvic floor, the set of muscles at the base of the pelvis. These muscles are not only important for core strength, but they also hold several organs in place, including the bladder, intestines, vagina, and uterus. When they are weak, you may have incontinence or pain.

The solution isn’t to do a hundred Kegel exercises a day, says Carrie Pagliano, a pelvic floor physical therapist in Arlington, Virginia. Like any muscle, being able to relax your pelvic floor muscles is just as important as being able to activate them, she says, so that they are able to have a full range of motion. Learning how to do both correctly before pregnancy can help you deal with future challenges.

Try a basic pelvic floor exercise to become familiar with it, or visit a pelvic floor physical therapist for a personalized assessment and program.

Strengthen the muscles you’ll need most

Experts recommend full-body strength training before pregnancy, but most suggest paying special attention to a few specific muscle groups that are likely to be most taxed.

During pregnancy, your core muscles [localizados entre abdômen e quadril] will need to support a rapidly growing uterus and belly. The deep transverse abdominal muscles that wrap around your lower torso are especially important. When they are not strong enough to support the weight you are carrying in front of your body, you may experience pain and tension in your lower back.

An effective way to strengthen the full cylinder of your core muscles is to do planks, side planks, and pelvic raises three or more days a week, says Burns. However, core muscles that are too tight can also lead to injuries during pregnancy, says Schoenholt, so it’s important to balance strength training with flexibility training.

“Your abs separate and then come together during pregnancy and postpartum, so we actually want there to be a lot of elasticity,” she says. Breathing exercises can help.

Workouts like yoga and Pilates focus on strengthening your core muscles, but they also include deep breathing exercises, which can help improve both the strength and flexibility of your deep core.

During and after pregnancy, the muscles in your lower body will be working hard—not only do they help support the extra weight of pregnancy and stabilize your lower back, but they are also essential for safely lifting and lowering your baby.

Burns recommends doing squats, pelvic raises, and deadlifts at least three days a week to strengthen them. “Squats are your best friend,” she says. “Body weight squats are great. Loaded squats are great with any type of weight.”

During pregnancy, as the breasts and belly expand, gravity pulls the upper body forward. Then, during the postpartum period, holding or breastfeeding a baby can keep the baby in this hunched over position. “There’s a lot of load for a long time,” Burns says.

To combat this problem and avoid the neck and shoulder pain that can occur, focus on working your upper back muscles, she says.

Rowing movements, flyes, and “anything that can get your shoulder blades to come together behind you,” she says, will help build the upper back and shoulder strength you need.

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