The Importance of Physical Fitness During Pregnancy Essay

This paper is to critique a study of adherence to walking or stretching during pregnancy in high risk women who were sedentary and had previously experienced preeclampsia. The introduction of this article does give a sense of the importance of the problem area. This four-year study investigates the effects of walking or stretching on the incidence of preeclampsia and

**Hormonal changes** occur throughout pregnancy. During your third trimester, high levels of relaxin hormones are working to help loosen your pelvic joints, in preparation for childbirth. This, and the fact that you're carrying a significant amount

As your pregnancy progresses in the last trimester you will feel more and more tired with every passing day. The fatigue you experience is attributed to the extra weight you are carrying and the strain on your back. Remember to be kind to your body and take as many breaks as you can manage through the day. You might have days when you feel you can run a mile and then there will be days when you just want to sit in front of the television. Cash in on the good days and get some amount of physical activity incorporated into your routine so as to keep your muscles conditioned.

Make sure the better care of your self during the first trimester. This is the time when you need to be fit emotionally and physically both. Talk to your friends and the member of the family to be emotionally fit and for the physical fitness intake

Another important factor is doing daily activities as tolerated. Exercise in moderation, and incorporate stretching lower and upper extremities with rest period. Also monitor daily weight daily and notify physician if any critical change. The pregnant woman will be encouraged to practice deep breathing exercises and this can be used to minimize anxieties and promote energy. This will also prepare the pregnant woman for proper fitness and endurance during delivery and caring for the newborn. These regimens mentioned will minimizes fatigues both on the mother and the developing fetus.

Reducing the risk of fetal mortality, infant mortality, and stillbirth, is the goal of Healthy People 2020. Recommending the following to have a healthy pregnancy such as having a healthy weight, not to use illegal drugs, getting vaccinated, taking prenatal and or during pregnancy vitamins, managing any chronic conditions prior of having a baby, having recommended screening test and controlling diabetes.

Second daily activity, start up a low impact exercise routine to obtain pre-pregnancy weight. This will help both mentally and physically once you are closer to your pre-pregnancy weight. The lack of physical activity contributes to excess weight gain during pregnancy and weight retention during postpartum. Many gyms have child care, and as your child ages this will help him or her fine tune attachment social skills early.

While exercise may not be able to eliminate all of the discomfort associated with pregnancy, it can help with circulation, digestion, and constipation, as well as improve posture and muscle tone, which you will need to support joints that are loosened by various hormones as your body prepares for childbirth. Additionally, exercise can counteract the changes in body image and self-esteem that you possess. Most importantly, an appropriate exercise program can help prepare for the mental and physical demands of labor and delivery.

Squats strengthen the thigh and leg muscles as well as opening the pelvis, which will help ease the strain of delivering your baby. To try this exercise,

Depending on your circumstance, they may recommend a variety of exercises you can do at home to keep your muscles, tendons and ligaments where they need to be, all while strengthening your body. This added strength is a great way to stay healthy and active during pregnancy. Your chiropractor may recommend:

Much like other types of childbirth-preparation classes, prenatal yoga is a multifaceted approach to exercise that encourages stretching, mental centering and focused breathing. Research suggests that prenatal yoga is safe and can have many benefits for pregnant women and their babies. Prenatal class includes breathing exercise, gentle stretching, postures, mini meditation, deep

During the pregnancy term, the human body releases a high dose of a hormone called Relaxin. The purpose of this hormone is, quite simply, to relax the joints and muscles in the pelvis and lower back--an obvious necessity for the process of child birth. By the time a woman is approximately 38 weeks pregnant, the amount of Relaxin that the body produces is approximately ten times higher than under normal circumstances.

Granted during this time, it will be extremely modified, but maintaining her health will help maintain the baby’s health as well. This can be done within the first trimester by maintaining your normal workout routine. Many don’t even know they are pregnant until halfway through the first trimester. By the second trimester, you would want to greatly decrease the weight and maybe even begin some modified exercises. Within the third trimester, you would want to fully modify your routine so as not to over stress the baby. Some exercises that can be done throughout the whole pregnancy though, may consist of: Pull ups with band assistance, chin ups with band assistance, kegels, chair dips (body weight only) basic squat from chair, wall sits, alternating reverse lunges with hands on a chair, alternating leg extensions to the back with hands on a chair, heel slides, single heel drop, double heel drop, side single leg raises, the clam (legs bent and slightly elevated, heels together, slightly open and close at the knees), side bicycles to the front and the back, scissor kicks back and fourth, speed bicep posture curls with 5lb – 7.5lb hand weights (one armed, hammer curl, fully extended two arm curl), internal/external rotator cuff exercise with bands or 2lb – 5lb hand weights, Single arm, and 45 degree bent over, tricep kickbacks with 2lb – 7.5lb hand weights. If you do not have diastasis recti, (the splitting of the abs) it

For some women the thought of exercise during pregnancy is as appealing as a root canal without novacaine. In their minds they have a nine month pass to stay out of the gym. The first three months they are battling morning sickness and exhaustion. The next three months they are beginning to show. The last three months are so uncomfortable that walking ten feet to the bathroom is pure torture, so there is no way they will be able to walk on a treadmill for ten minutes.

There are three techniques to help during the process of natural childbirth: the Alexander technique, the Bradley method, and the Lamaze method. The Alexander technique is helpful for a pregnant woman to solve the problems like muscular tension, restoring her body’s original poise, for attaining proper posture and increasing her breathing capacity. It would be easier for her to open the cervix during dilation and also it helps in preparing for effective pushing as the baby comes.