Benefits of exercising during pregnancy
Staying fit during your pregnancy is good for both you and your baby. Regular aerobic and strength training exercise can improve the outcome of your pregnancy in a number of ways. It can:
- increase your energy level
- prevent you from gaining too much weight during pregnancy
- help you sleep better
- relieve pregnancy symptoms like back pain and constipation
- reduce your risk for preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
- lower your odds of needing a cesarean delivery
- help you lose your pregnancy weight faster after you deliver
Exercise might also lower your chances of developing gestational diabetes. Having gestational diabetes can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Having gestational diabetes can also increase your baby’s risk of being born overweight.
According to a 2017 study, 22 percent of overweight or obese women who participated in a 30-minute cycling program three times a week developed gestational diabetes, compared to nearly 41 percent of women who didn’t take part in the program. The exercise group also gained less weight during their pregnancy.
Obese or overweight women who exercise for 30 to 60 minutes a day, three or more times a week can lower the risk of delivering their babies prematurely, found a
Here are four moves that can help strengthen the muscles in your hips, butt, and thighs.
