The benefits of pregnancy exercise during pregnancy and after childbirth

Pregnant exercise may be a trend among pregnant women (pregnant women), especially those who are still young. However, this is not just a trend, exercise can provide real benefits to mothers during pregnancy and after childbirth. What are the benefits of pregnancy exercise? Check out the explanation below.

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The benefits of pregnancy exercise can be felt during pregnancy and after childbirth

Being pregnant doesn't mean you have to stop exercising. In fact, exercise during pregnancy is highly recommended to be done regularly.

This is because staying active during pregnancy, for example by regularly doing pregnancy exercises, can bring various benefits for you and the fetus.

Here are some of the benefits of exercise for pregnant women (pregnant women) which would be a shame to miss:

1. Help provide energy

Regular exercise such as pregnant women exercise can help you in carrying out your daily activities, one of which makes you not easily tired.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy can also improve body fitness and train muscles to stumble.

That way, the wags on some parts of the body that usually appear can disappear.

2. Reducing the risk of pregnancy complications

Some pregnancy complications whose risk can be reduced by doing pregnancy exercise are gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

The reason is, the risk of babies born with excess body weight can decrease if pregnant women with gestational diabetes exercise three times a week.

Not only that, the risk of giving birth by caesarean section will decrease.

The benefits of pregnancy exercise can also help maintain body weight thereby improving your overall health.

3. Helps reduce stress and raise moods

Sports, one of which is exercise for pregnant women, is considered to be able to increase serotonin levels.

Serotonin is a mood-related brain chemical that can make you happier and more energized.

This is of course very good for the fetus in the womb.

4. Reducing discomfort during pregnancy

You may feel unwell during pregnancy due to back pain, constipation, flatulence, and swelling (for example in the legs).

By exercising, the body is more active in moving so that it supports the smooth circulation of blood in the body.

Exercises such as gymnastics can also strengthen muscles, helping to prevent and manage pain during pregnancy.

5. Make sleep better

Sports in the form of pregnant women exercise can make your body quite tired.

Therefore, pregnant women who regularly exercise, such as doing pregnancy exercises, in the afternoon or morning tend to sleep better at night.

6. Helping the body prepare for birth

Exercise during pregnancy can help make labor easier and shorten the time of delivery.

The benefit that is not less important is that it can reduce the risk of childbirth complications.

This is because the body is used to being trained and expends a lot of energy during sports or gymnastics.

7. Helping the body recover faster after childbirth

Exercising or exercising regularly during pregnancy can strengthen muscles.

This allows the body to recover faster after undergoing postnatal care because the muscles are used to being trained daily.

Should you take pregnancy exercise classes?

You don't have to take outside pregnancy exercise classes. The most important thing is that the mother moves or does as much light exercise as possible during pregnancy. It doesn't matter if you don't take pregnancy exercise classes.

However, pregnant women should keep exercising every day with a duration of at least 20-30 minutes a day.

However, if your doctor advises you not to exercise due to a medical condition, follow his advice.

As suggested by the American Pregnancy Association, choose the right exercise during pregnancy.

There are many sports that are safe for pregnant women to do. However, don't overdo it and always have to be careful.

If you were used to exercising before becoming pregnant, you may be able to continue during pregnancy.

It's just that, also adjust it to your abilities while pregnant.

Do not do sports with high risk, such as the risk of falling, jumping, doing in hot weather, and so on.

Types of exercise movements that are safe for pregnant women

The following are various types of exercise movements that are safe for pregnant women (pregnant women):

1. Pilates

Pilates is a pregnancy exercise that focuses on stretching the abdominal area, back muscles, and pelvic muscles.

In general, Pilates during pregnancy offers benefits including increasing flexibility, strengthening joints, and strengthening core body muscles.

Prenatal Pilates also builds balance and improves posture so that pregnant women don't fall easily. In addition, Pilates exercises can help with low back pain that is often experienced by pregnant women.

When doing pilates as a pregnancy exercise, avoid poses that require you to lie on your back and twist your stomach.

It is feared that this will cause the effect of diastasis recti, which is when the abdominal muscles separate due to a large pull on the abdominal area.

2. Kegel exercises

Another pregnancy exercise that is safe to do during pregnancy is Kegel exercises. You don't even need to register for classes at a gymnastics studio or the gym .

Kegel exercises you do yourself at home. However, you must first know where your pelvic floor muscles are.

You can find it when you try to stop the flow of urine when you urinate or like when you are holding your pee.

You can also insert your finger into the vagina and try to squeeze the muscles surrounding it. If you can get these muscles to move when pressed, these are your pelvic floor muscles.

Once you've found your pelvic floor muscles, tighten these muscles for 5-10 seconds then relax again.

Repeat this pattern 10-20 times. Try not to hold your breath while doing the Kegel. Also, don't move your legs, glutes, or abdominal muscles during the exercise.

Do Kegel exercises at least three times a day. Kegel exercises help strengthen the lower pelvic muscles to prepare the body for childbirth.

3. Yoga

Prenatal yoga has many benefits as a special exercise for pregnant women.

Apart from keeping your body healthy, strong, and active during pregnancy, yoga helps you breathe better and reduce back pain.

In addition, there are also many prenatal yoga postures that help strengthen the muscles in the hip area in preparation for childbirth.

Yoga is also a pregnancy exercise that is effective in relieving stress, lowering blood pressure (pregnancy hypertension), and restoring energy due to fatigue during pregnancy.

vital Records: When doing gymnastics you should avoid positions that put you at risk of falling, such as poses warrior and tree pose.

It's a good idea to ask the instructor or your partner to support your body while holding the pose. Avoid turning your stomach during pregnancy.

4. Pelvic gymnastics

After being in the second trimester until the end, your enlarged stomach makes your back feel sore quickly.

Well, pelvic exercises can help pregnant women deal with back pain. Pelvic exercises during pregnancy also help maintain the mother's posture and facilitate later labor.

The following are options for pelvic exercises during pregnancy and the steps:

All fours

The following is the pregnancy exercise movement with the second tailor pose:

1. Position your body as if you are going to crawl. First, cover the floor with a yoga mat to prevent falls due to slippery or sore knees.
2. Straighten your arms at shoulder level for maximum support. Make sure that your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips.
3. Spread your fingers wide and bend your palms slightly.
4. Take a deep breath, and slowly push your stomach toward the floor while pulling your pelvis and chest toward the ceiling.
5. Try not to look down. Raise your head so that you look forward, keeping your neck stretched and extended.
6. Hold the pose for 3-5 seconds.
7. Slowly pull your belly up to return to a crawl position as you exhale. Make sure the back and neck are straight parallel
8. Let your lower back relax first before repeating the movement.

While standing

Following are the pelvic exercises while standing up:

1. Stand straight, leaning against the wall with your feet hip-width apart. Relax your spine.
2. Take a deep breath while bending your knees slightly.
3. Exhale while slowly pushing your pelvis away from the wall and lifting slightly from the starting position.
4. While the pelvis is still elevated, begin inhaling and return to the initial standing position.
5. Do 5 to 10 reps for about five minutes and repeat several times throughout the day.

If your pelvis is in pain during this pregnancy exercise, you can change to a lying position as follows:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. In this neutral position, your lower back will be slightly raised off the floor.
• Keep your spine straight.
• Exhale and gently shake your hips toward your head. While doing this, you will feel your lower back pressing on the floor.
• Hold this pose for a few times, take and exhale deeply. When you are ready, inhale and return to your neutral position.
• Do 5 to 10 repetitions for about five minutes, and repeat several times throughout the day.

5. Squat pregnant

Squat is the easiest pregnancy exercise to do. You only need to squat and do not use any equipment.

Squat can prevent or reduce pain in the lower back area.

Here's how to do pregnancy exercise with movements squat :

1. First, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and point your feet outwards to maintain balance.
2. Bring your hands together in front of your chest and press your palms together.
3. Slowly bend your legs in a deep squat.
4. Open your palms and press your knees with both hands to make room for your stomach.
5. Maintain this balance and position until you feel comfortable.

6. Exercise the tailor pose

Exercise for pregnant women (pregnant women) poses tailor provides benefits because it can strengthen the muscles of the pelvis, hips, thighs.

In addition, this one movement can also help relieve lower back pain. This exercise can be done when you are free and can be done many times a day.

How to do the first tailor pose for pregnant women exercise:

The following are pregnancy exercise movements with the first tailor pose:

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent inward.
2. Cross your ankles.
3. Take a breath and lean forward slightly. Keep your back straight but relaxed.
4. Return to the starting position while exhaling.
5. Repeat several times.

How to do gymnastics for pregnant women in the second tailor pose:

The following is the pregnancy exercise movement with the second tailor pose:

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet pressed together.
2. Hold the ankle and pull the leg gently toward your body.
3. Take a deep breath while pressing your knees to your hands
4. Hold for five seconds.

Is it better to do pregnancy exercises at home or take classes?

Pregnancy exercise can be done at home or by taking classes. Both have their respective advantages.

Exercising pregnant women at home can make you feel more comfortable when compared to gymnastics or other gyms.

You can do this anytime and save time and money.

Before doing exercise at home, make sure you have consulted your gynecologist about what exercises to do or not.

You can watch pregnancy exercise on YouTube by expert gymnastics instructors.

Meanwhile, if you are exercising in a special class, you will be guided by a special instructor who can also supervise your condition.

You can also interact with other pregnant women so you can share experiences and increase knowledge and connections.

The safe way to do exercise during pregnancy

Although gymnastics is recommended to help pregnant women stay healthy, doing this one sport also has its limits.

These limits are made so that you are free from the risk of injury. The following are things that must be considered when participating in exercise for pregnant women, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Make sure to consult with your doctor first to make sure the movements are safe and will not harm your baby.
• Get enough exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Wear loose and comfortable pregnancy exercise clothes for pregnant women.
• Drink water before, during and after exercising. Water prevents dehydration and lack of oxygen.
• Increase your strength by focusing on back, shoulder, chest and bicep exercises so you can stay strong to pick up and carry the baby later.
• Don't force it to continue to do gymnastics when you're tired. Stop immediately and take a short break before starting again. Understand your body's conditions and tolerance limits.

Abstinence when participating in pregnancy exercise

In addition to the benefits of pregnancy exercise, before taking part in this exercise, know some taboos that should be avoided, namely:

Don't do it too hard

When doing gymnastics for pregnant women, it is forbidden to use heavy weights and bouncing or jerking movements, especially during the third trimester.

Hormones during the third trimester make your body more malleable.

Lifting weights can put too much stress on the tendons, ligaments, and bones, making you more susceptible to injury.

Lie on your back

Avoid exercises that require you to lie on your back. This is to avoid undue pressure on your spine when doing pregnancy exercises.

Do it in a hot room

Do not do exercises for pregnant women in temperatures, weather, or in a room that is too hot.

Make sure to do pregnancy exercises in an air-conditioned or cool environment to prevent dehydration.

Impose themselves

Do not do excessive exercise for pregnant women. Limit your exercise routine to no more than 3-5 days a week. Your body needs adequate rest.