Pregnancy is exciting and challenging at the same time. You have a growing fetus inside you that you want to take good care of and nurture for the rest of your life. Hence, you want to stay healthy and fit to prepare yourself and your baby for the delivery process.
In this article, you’ll learn how to stay fit with a baby bump to help you have a successful childbirth and a healthy baby.
Get Regular Exercise
Unless your doctor advised, pregnancy doesn’t mean you should be lying all day at home. If you stay sedentary, your weight may increase significantly during pregnancy. Pregnant women also need to exercise to prepare the muscles and the entire body for the greatest challenge of childbirth. Check out cruise control diet reviews.
If you’re unsure what type of exercise is suitable for you, there are many online resources you can check such as 28bysamwood.com and other fitness training websites. Many fitness trainers can offer help and support, not just in training but also in your diet and strengthening your fitness attitude.
The different exercises recommended during pregnancy include the following:
- Walking: Brisk walking is an excellent physical activity that won’t strain the muscles and joints.
- Swimming: The water can help support your growing baby’s weight. Moving your body against the water can also help increase your heart rate while being easy on your muscles and joints. Swimming also helps reduce low back pain associated with other exercises.
- Riding A Stationary Bike: Riding a stationary bike is safer than a regular bicycle because you’ll less likely fall off even as your bump grows.
- Yoga: Inform your yoga instructor that you’re pregnant to modify poses. Some community centers and gyms offer prenatal yoga classes for pregnant women. So, you might want to take advantage of these classes to keep you fit during pregnancy.
Monitor Your Weight
The additional weight that pregnant women gain is the result of the weight of the growing baby, the placenta, the amniotic fluid, increased blood supply, the uterus, fat stores, and the growing breast tissue. Some women gain weight very quickly during pregnancy and some were already overweight when they became pregnant. However, it doesn’t mean you should be on a diet or you need to lose weight when you’re pregnant.
According to a trusted source, an average-weight woman before pregnancy should gain only 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. On the other hand, underweight women are expected to have an extra 28 to 40 pounds after becoming pregnant. For overweight women, their healthy weight gain during pregnancy should only be 15 to 25 pounds.
Hence, monitoring your weight is important during pregnancy. In this way, you can avoid getting overweight and so as your baby. If your baby grows too big, you may run a risk of getting a cesarean section.
Control weight gain during pregnancy by avoiding sweetened drinks like sodas. Avoid junk food like chips, ice cream, and cookies. Go light on salad dressings, sour cream, butter, and other types of fats. As much as possible, avoid frying foods. Bake, broil, boil, or grill your food instead of frying them in oil.
Eat Nutritious Foods
Eating the right food during pregnancy can help you get back in shape after childbirth. It’s crucial to meet the right nutritional requirements during pregnancy. Pregnant women would need high amounts of vitamins, protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and minerals to sustain the needs of the growing and developing fetus.
Below are the recommended foods to take during pregnancy:
- Dairy Products: Consume milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products during pregnancy for a rich calcium source.
- Legumes: You need to eat beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts because they have rich fiber, iron, calcium, protein, iron, and folate content that your body must have during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.
- Others: Pregnant women also need to consume salmon, eggs, leafy greens, and lean meat to obtain the right combination of nutrients necessary during pregnancy.
Consult Your Doctor
Your obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYNE) should know everything that you’re planning to do during pregnancy. Some women have delicate pregnancies that’d entail complete bed rest throughout. If you feel something is wrong, contact your health provider as soon as possible.
Conclusion
So, how do you stay fit with a baby bump? It’s important to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy. Make sure to monitor and control your weight, exercise regularly, and eat nutritious food. Just make sure to coordinate your activities with your OB-GYNE to ensure you won’t be at risk of any complications. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you take care of your body during pregnancy.