Keeping Fit during Pregnancy

Pregnancy, labor and birth can make huge demands on the body and it is best to be prepared physically and mentally.

You can start exercising as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed or even before you are pregnant and then build up gradually so as to be able to retain a 20 min daily schedule throughout those nine months. If there are any health concerns, do consult an expert or go to antenatal classes to learn the right techniques.

Guidelines for Exercising Sensibly

If you have enjoyed sports, you can continue fitness in pregnancy, but do not launch into a fitness overdrive in case the body is not accustomed.
If you want to continue dance classes make sure the instructor knows that you are expecting
Don’t exercise to the point of tiredness or breathlessness
Avoid a sport like riding or skiing that can stress abdominal muscles
Take extra care in the first and the last semester of pregnancy.

Safe Exercises during Pregnancy

Swimming is an excellent and perfectly safe exercise as water ably supports the body.
Brisk walking
Stationary bicycling
Low impact aerobic exercises that are taught by a qualified instructor
Tennis and badminton are safe provided you are careful with balance
Jogging and running can be done in moderation
Yoga can be done under a trained instructor who has been informed about the pregnancy

Exercises to Be Avoided During Pregnancy

Any exercise/activity that involves holding your breath
Activities where you can fall – horse riding, skiing etc
Contact sports like football, basketball, volleyball etc
Exercises that may cause stress to the abdomen and even rapid changes in directions like the Ferris Wheel and other joy rides
Activities that require jumping, hopping skipping
Deep knee bends, full sit ups, double leg raises, straight leg toe touches etc.
Exercises that require lying on the back or the right side for more than 3 minutes

Who Should not Exercise

Expectant mothers with asthma
Those with diabetes
Those with hypertension including PIH or Pregnancy induced hypertension
In case of bleeding or spotting
Weak cervix
Ruptured membranes
Premature labour during current pregnancy
Severe anaemia
Extreme morbid obesity
Extremely underweight
IUGR pregnancy
Poorly controlled thyroid disorder
Those with a history of extremely sedentary lifestyle
Heavy smokers

Question of the Day

Is there any particular exercise that should be practiced during pregnancy?

Pelvic floor exercises can be really helpful if learnt and practiced regularly during pregnancy. Pregnancy puts a lot of burden on the pelvis and the pelvic floor exercises strengthen the pelvic muscles. This can ease the problem of leaking urine problem and even ensure an easier labor.

When you know how to relax the muscles, you can reduce the risk of a tear by easing the passage of the baby through the pelvis. Take the help of your fitness consultant or doctor to learn this exercise.

To read more on Pregnancy, click on the link below,

Pregnancy

Pregnancy & Nutrition Tips

Pregnancy, the happy stage of a woman’s life can get complicated if proper care is not taken. It is important to care for both under nutrition and over nutrition as it is a physiological burden on a woman’s body.

To understand it better, let us divide the nutrients and understand the significance of each and how much and why we need them.

The various nutrients that need to be taken care of comprises of:

Energy: An increased calorie intake of 300 kcal is needed to meet the growing needs of the baby, for the growth of maternal tissue and to maintain good health of the uterus. This increase in calorie need can be compensated by an additional two glasses of milk/paneer/chaach.

Protein: The regular protein requirement is 1 gm per kg body weight. During pregnancy there is an increased need of 15 g for the healthy growth of the baby and the mother. Rich sources are eggs, paneer etc.

Folic Acid: This is a very important nutrient during pregnancy. Deficiency of folic acid may lead to neural tube defects in the baby . 600ug/d is the prescribed dose for the same. Rich sources are dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach and dried legumes.

Iodine: There is an increased need of 25mg per day to prevent mental retardation, still birth and promote healthy development of the brain of the baby. Good sources of iodine are sea vegetables, cranberries, cheese etc.

Iron: Iron is needed for the formation of blood for the baby’s growth, to replace blood loss during delivery and to provide for reserves for the baby as mother’s milk lacks sufficient iron. The additional iron need can be calculated to 700 mg extra. Some good sources of iron are red meat, pork, poultry ,and dark green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron and hence with increased iron intake there needs to be an increased consumption of vitamin C. 10 mg extra needs to be consumed. Good sources of vitamin C are dark green leafy vegetables , kiwi, oranges, amla (gooseberry)etc.

Calcium: Calcium needs can be calculated to about 1300 mg per day for a woman less than 19 years of age and 1000 mg per day for an adult woman. The normal calcium needs for a woman is around 600 mg per day. Good source of calcium is dark green leafy vegetables, soy, milk products. To put it simply, one glass of milk/fermented milk product has approx 150 calories, and milk is a complete meal in itself. If the expecting mother just adds 2 glasses of milk or paneer or chaach made from 500 ml milk, that is sufficient to meet the additional needs during pregnancy. The only thing lacking in milk is iron which can be taken care of separately.

Right care taken during pregnancy can go a long way in preventing complications and in promoting good health for both the mother and the child.

To read more on Pregnancy, click on the link below,

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Keeping Fit during Pregnancy

Pregnancy & Nutrition Tips

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