exercise

Checklist: Getting Ready to Get Pregnant

September 15, 2010 By dena

If you want to get pregnant, there are a number of things you must do before you start trying. Item number one: Go skydiving. Because there’s no way they’ll let you jump out of that plane once you’ve got a baby on board! Do you think I’m kidding? Well, skydiving is not my thing, personally, but really any high-action activity you want to do or trip you’ve been meaning to take should be considered before you become pregnant. Whether it’s scuba diving, mountain climbing, or riding all the roller coasters at Six Flags, do it now!

But aside from that, here are some important things you’ve got to tackle in order to be mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to get pregnant.

image: Saida Online Magazine

Consider genetic testing: Some genetic diseases affect certain ethnic groups, such as Tay-Sachs in the Ashkenazi Jewish community, and sickle cell disease, among African-Americans. If a disease runs in your family, you may want to get tested to, for your own peace of mind.

Face up to the Scale: Aim for a healthy weight, as being underweight can affect ovulation, and being overweight contributes to problems like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Take a look at your diet: The healthier your body, the better chances you give your baby to start life healthy, too. Cut back on white flour, sugar, and processed food. Add more lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits, veges, and whole grains. Yummy home-made soups and smoothies are great ways to sneak in good nutrition!

Exercise: If you already have an exercise routine, don’t slack off during pregnancy! And if not, well it’s never too late to start, but talk to your doctor about easing into it. Some benefits of a good workout (or even a nice walk around the neighborhood) include preparing your body for childbirth, higher energy levels, better sleep, stress reduction, and reduction of pregnancy-related discomfort. Plus, if you stay fit during pregnancy, you will regain your figure quicker after the birth.

Take Folic Acid: This all-important B vitamin helps lower the risk of birth defects like spina bifida. These defects form very early in baby’s development, before many women even realize they’re pregnant, so ask your doctor about taking a supplement as soon as you think about wanting to get pregnant.

Talk to your doctor about your medications: Some are best to stop taking during pregnancy, while some are OK– or necessary– to continue with. You should not make this judgement on your own!

Visit the dentist: Good oral hygiene is one of those things we encourage during pregnancy. Getting a bacterial infection can lead to premature birth and preeclampsia. Plus, better not to get x-rayed while you’re pregnant.

Cut back on Caffeine: A little bit is OK but too much is no good for a growing baby. The caffeine also affects fertility, so cutting back may increase your chances of conceiving.

Cork up that bottle, and throw the cigarettes in the trash where they belong. A healthy baby needs a healthy environment to grow in! He should follow your lead and not just for moral support: Excessive drinking and smoking can lower sperm count, too.

Paint the nursery: And the dining room, pantry, and bedroom too, if you want! But don’t do it while you’re pregnant or have a newborn in the house. Toxins such as pesticides, oven cleaners, paint, and paint stripper contain chemicals that have been linked to birth defects.

Hand over the kitty litter sifter: Sure, it might just be a good excuse to get out of an unpleasant job. But it is true that litter boxes contain parasites that can make you sick (it’s called toxoplasmosis). So let hubby do the job, or wear gloves and wash up carefully when you’re done.

Work that budget: Finances shouldn’t have to stand in the way of having a family! Sit down with a financial planner if you need to, and figure out how you can put some money away for prenatal care and raising your baby. Also find out about your company’s maternity leave policies, your health insurance’s prenatal care and childbirth policies, and look into life and disability insurance.

Be emotionally prepared: Women who have given a great deal of thought to what pregnancy and parenting entail are better adjusted later on, compared with those who did not consider the demands their new role will place upon their lives. As a couple you need to think about how a pregnancy and new baby will impact your family, work, and psyche.

Pregnant Women Step up the Pace!

January 18, 2010 By dena

You may have heard the advice that “gentle” exercise is good for your pregnancy, but that strenuous sports and activities should be avoided. This may not actually be the case, as I recently read here. In fact, vigorous exercise appears to be quite safe during pregnancy, and has additional benefits for your baby too!

Benefits of Vigorous Exercise

The book “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy” by James F. Clapp M.D. cites over 20 years of research into the pregnancies of competitive athletes. Dr. Clapp found that exercising at a fairly high level throughout your pregnancy, including full weight bearing exercises, is safe and actually has many positive effects. Some of theses outcomes are obvious, such as reduced maternal weight gain and fat accumulation, and improving your mood, energy levels, and muscle tone. But some are more surprising, including:

reduced pregnancy-related symptoms
Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling
May help prevent or treat gestational diabetes
good placental growth
fewer big babies
increased chance of delivering close to due date
shorter and less complicated labors
more rapid recover after delivery.

Changes in Your Body

Your body is changing in many ways during pregnancy. You should be aware of these, as they will affect the way you move and exercise.

Joints: Pregnancy hormones cause the ligaments supporting your joints to relax. This puts them at increased risk of injury, so you should avoid jerky, bouncy, or high-impact motions.
Balance: The extra weight you’re carrying causes your center of gravity to shift. It also puts stress on your joints and muscles, specifically those in the pelvis and lower back. This puts you at risk of back pain, loss of balance, and falls.
Heart Rate: Growing a baby is hard work, and your body is working extra hard to deal with the weight gain and other changes. Exercise directs oxygen and blood flow to the muscles being worked, and thus away from other parts of your body. It’s important not to overdo it if you begin to feel short of breath, faint, or exhausted.

What’s Safe and What to Avoid

This may come as news to your Grandma, who has probably told you to stop carrying the groceries into your house, and to lie down and put your feet up. But there are, of course limits to how much your pregnant body can handle. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends walking, swimming, cycling, and aerobics. Other activities, such as running, racket sports, and strength training are good if you’re body is already accustomed to these exercises.

Activites that should be avoided during pregnancy include:

Downhill snow skiing: Your changing center of gravity can throw off your balance and cause falls and sever injuries. High altitudes with less oxygen may not be the best idea, either.
Contact sports can result in injuries to you and your baby as well.
Scuba diving: The water pressure can put your baby at risk for decompression sickness.
Excessive weight lifting.
Yoga poses that have you lying on your back or hanging upside down.
Activities that increase your chance of falling and injuring yourself, such as horseback riding, water skiing, and gymnastics.
Standing still for long periods of time should be avoided.

If you haven’t been exercising much before you became pregnant, start slowly and carefully. It’s a good idea to consult your doctor about what types of exercise are best. You should also expect that physical exertion will become more difficult during the last trimester, and respond accordingly. Always incorporate a warm-up and cool-down stage for 5-10 minutes each.

Things to Watch Out For

Women with the following conditions will be advised against exercising during pregnancy:

Risk factors for preterm labor

Vaginal bleeding

Premature rupture of membranes

The ACOG recommends the following guidelines for a safe and healthy exercise program:

After the first trimester of pregnancy, avoid doing any exercises on your back.

Avoid brisk exercise in hot, humid weather or when you have a fever.

Wear comfortable clothing that will help you to remain cool.

Wear a bra that fits well and gives lots of support to help protect your breasts.

Drink plenty of water to help keep you from overheating and dehydrating.

Make sure you consume the daily extra calories you need during pregnancy.

Stop exercising and call your doctor if you get any of these symptoms:

Vaginal bleeding

Dizziness or feeling faint

Increased shortness of breath

Chest pain

Headache

Muscle weakness

Calf pain or swelling

Uterine contractions

Decreased fetal movement

Fluid leaking from the vagina

Bottom Line: It’s good news for pregnant sports lovers and exercise enthusiasts! Exercise during pregnancy can help prepare you for labor and childbirth, in addition to staying fit and feeling good. And exercising afterward can help you get back into shape. So put on those running shoes, get out your tennis balls and rackets, or head to the gym or nearest hiking trail. If there’s something you loved doing before pregnancy, chances are you may be able to continue in almost the same way that you always have!

feature image from Hello Beautiful

The best way to tone your tummy after pregnancy

February 17, 2009 By dena

If you’ve just had a baby and are itching to get back into shape, you might think sit-ups are a good place to begin toning your tummy. Guess again. Sit-ups are the last thing you should be doing! Instead of firming and tightening the stomach, they can actually lead to a bulging and protruding abdomen… hardly what you have in mind!

What Pregnancy does to your stomach muscles:

First a little background so you understand what’s happened to your body and what you need . During pregnancy the abdominal muscles stretch to accommodate the growing fetus, and sometimes the most superficial muscles (called rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles) can split down the middle like a pants seam. This is a good thing because it allows room for the growing baby, said Cynthia Neville, director of women’s health rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. But when the split is too wide, it creates instability in the abdomen, trunk and pelvis.

The split should spontaneously reduce to less than 2 centimeters within a few weeks. But if the core muscles, which include pelvic-floor muscles and deep abdominals, are not working as a team, then Neville warns that “women may continue to have flabby, bulging, weak abs, or they may leak urine, or both.” (Women who undergo Caesarean sections have a different challenge because of the way surgery affects the abs.)

If you want to tighten up your stomach after pregnancy, the goal is to strengthen the abdominal and core muscles, and get them to work together properly. The core muscles should be the first to kick into gear; if they’re not strong enough and you’re doing ab exercises that focus on the six-pack muscle, your stomach may bulge, Neville said.

The best way to retrain stomach muscles

It starts with learning to maintain a neutral position of the spine and pelvis – not too arched or flattened. This involves retraining the deep transverse muscles. Unfortunately, traditional stomach exercises like crunches tend to by-pass the transverse abs so no matter how many sit-ups you do, your transverse muscles will barely feel the effects.

Any fitness program that targets your core, like Pilates, will include stomach exercises that target the transverse abdominals. However, you often work these muscles without realizing it. Whenever you hold your stomach in, you are working the transverse abs. For instance, when doing lunges you must keep your back straight, which is accopmlished by tightening your abdominals, or more specifically your transverse abdominals.

“The key is to ‘remind’ the core to be the first to contract to prepare for the extremity movements until it becomes automatic,” Neville said. You can do this not just during exercise, but during everyday movement such as lifting the baby or pushing a stroller. Working these muscles will not only get you a flatter stomach, but may also lead to an improvement in your posture and fewer backaches.

Erin O’Brien Denton, a personal trainer (watch a clip from her DVD called “Postnatal Rescue“), recommends lying on your back and doing leg lifts, planks, and “bridges” (raising your pelvis off the ground) for the first three months after delivery “to teach the abs to lie sleekly against the abdominal wall.” She also suggests an exercise in which you simply lifting the head and shoulders while pulling in the abdominals.

After you have mastered those motions, Denton suggests “the old-fashioned bicycle abdominal exercise, a variety of crunches (initiating the movement from both the upper and lower abdominal wall) and various plank exercises to start toning the abs.”

Transverse Exercises

Pregnancy info.net details some exercises that target those hard to get to transverse muscles:

The No-Crunch Crunch

Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet firmly on the floor.

Lightly place your hands just below and to the sides of your belly button. Firmly press two fingers from each hand into your lower abdomen.

Gently begin to draw your lower abdomen down towards the floor (picture a string pulling your navel towards the floor) but do not move your pelvis, raise your chest or hold your breath.

Stop drawing in your stomach as soon as you feel your muscles get tight. The muscles underneath your fingers should feel taut but the movement does not require a lot of effort. If you move too far, you will in fact stop working your transverse abs and begin to work your oblique muscles (your side abdominal muscles) instead.

Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally the entire time.

Do ten repetitions.

Scissor Kicks

Start by lying on the floor. Place your hands under your buttocks and keep your back pressed against the floor.

Raise one leg about 10 inches off the ground and slowly lower it back down. As you lower the one leg, raise the other.

Do three sets of ten repetitions.

Pelvic Tilts

Lying on the floor with your back pressed against the floor, bend your knees keeping your feet on the ground.

Slowly lift your pelvis up and hold briefly before lowering slowly back down to the ground. Your upper body should remain on the floor throughout the movement.

Do three sets of 15 repetitions.

Lifted-leg Push-up

If you’re feeling very strong in your upper body, or if you just feel like multi-tasking during your workout, then give this challenging exercise a whirl.

Get into push-up position but keep your feet hip-width apart.

Raise one leg as high as you can and then do a regular push-up. Switch legs and repeat.

This is a pretty tough one, especially if you don’t have much upper-body strength, so just do as many as you can.

For an easier variation of this exercise, try this:

Get down on all fours with your hands positioned about shoulder-width apart, elbows slightly bent. Your knees should be together and positioned underneath your hips. To make the exercise more challenging, place your knees slightly behind you. Have your toes curled on the floor. Your heels should not be touching the floor.

Tighten your abs by drawing your navel in towards your spine. In a smooth, controlled motion, raise your knees off the ground. Your upper body should not move.

Hold for one breath and then slowly lower down.

Aim for three sets of ten.

These exercises will help strengthen your tummy and reduce the bulge. Pilates is also popular for this area. Even if you succeed in loosing all your pregnancy weight and firming your stomach muscles, you may notice that stomach skin is still stretched out and saggy. This is usually genetic, and not something that will improve with exercise.(Some women opt for a tummy tuck.)

Abdominal separation after pregnancy is not uncommon. If your stomach is bulging but feels frim, you may have a diastasis (space between the abdominal muscles). Talk to your doctor if you suspect this is the case.

Image from ToneZone Pilates

Staying fit and energetic, throughout pregnancy

July 15, 2008 By dena

When you are feeling nauseous or lethargic or just huge as a hippo, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But as the Pregnancy Zone reminds us, “Regular exercise is the best way to build your bones, muscles, and to boost your energy levels to keep yourself healthy.”

You can get various benefits even from mild to moderate fitness routines. Check with your doctor to make sure your planned activities are safe in your personal condition.

Helpful guidelines for exercising during pregnancy:

Staying consistent:

Regular exercising is the best way, but not occasionally. It is better to exercise three days a week. Maintain your fitness routine in the mild-moderate range.

Choose easy steps to practice:

Don’t do the activities that need jumping motions or sudden changes in the direction as they can strain your joints and injure you.

Observe your back carefully:

Avoid exercising on your back after the first trimester of your pregnancy. Avoid motionless standing for longer periods. Both these activities can diminish the amount of blood flow to the uterus.

Don’t do too much:

You must be aware that you have very less oxygen available for exercising. Stop doing the exercises if you become fatigued and don’t attempt to exercise to that extent of exhaustion.

Maintain your balance:

Don’t try to do the activities that cause a rapid loss of balance or mild shock to your abdomen.

Consume a healthy diet:

Ensure that the diet you consume causes you to gain 25-35 pounds during the nine months period. Most of you need 300 calories additionally per each day. If you exercise regularly, then probably you need to consume more. Consume the diet that is rich in carbohydrates, because a pregnant woman uses up this fuel source more quickly during exercise than a normal woman.

Drink more and more water:

Drinking plenty of water is very essential to keep yourself hydrated and to prevent from overheating.

Wear comfortable clothing:

Make sure that while exercising, you are comfortable in your clothes and the clothes should be easy to remove. Wear a supportive bra that fits properly to support the breasts.

Try to keep cool as possible as you can:

Don’t become overheated, particularly in the first trimester of your pregnancy. Overheating during the first trimester causes to develop birth defects. Take lots of fluids before and during the workout session.

Avoid risky activities:

Pregnant women should avoid the activities like climbing, snowboarding, horseback riding, waterskiing, and scuba diving. During diving activities, your oxygen intake will be compromised and puts pressure on yours and your baby’s organs.

Limitations and warning signs of exercise during pregnancy:

Though moderate exercise is safe, it is not suitable for all pregnant women. Pregnant women with any of the following conditions should avoid exercise during pregnancy. They include:

Premature rupture of membranes
Pregnancy induced hypertension
High blood pressure
Vaginal bleeding
Early contractions
Heart disease

If you suddenly notice any of the below mentioned conditions, stop immediately doing the exercises and consult your doctor:

Heavy discharge or vaginal bleeding
Rapid heartbeat – The heartbeat of a pregnant woman should not exceed 140 beats per minute
Fainting or dizziness
Beginning of pain anywhere in your body
Increased and pronounced shortness of breath

Walking is the best exercise during pregnancy. Those who are at a risk of above mentioned conditions can do walking for at least 30 minutes in a day.

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