Exercise is important during pregnancy and many of us forget that. At first, I was scared to do any exercise but after dealing with lack of energy and short breath, I decided to take some classes with a private instructor. It changed my perspective on exercise during pregnancy. After working out, I felt like I had so much more energy and I could carry the weight of a big baby around. I could walk up stairs without stopping and visit an expo without sitting. This was a big deal for me! My pregnancy turned out to be amazing and my recovery was a breeze!
Before you consider exercising, make sure you speak to your doctor to find out if its okay. I found some simple exercises that you can do during pregnancy to help you stay fit.
1. Strength Workout
You can do a basic workout with dumbbells to strengthen your upper body. Remember not push yourself too much.
An example of a workout:
Shoulder Press
You can stand or sit during this exercise. Holding a weight in each hand, slightly bend your arms at the elbows and hold your hands above your shoulders. Then, while breathing out, slowly lift your arms toward the sky until they are straight. Repeat around 30 times. Source: www.pregnancy.familyeducation.com
2. Walking
You can walk throughout your pregnancy and it’s one of the best types of cardiovascular exercises to do to prepare for your baby.
3. Kegels
Sit on an exercise ball and do some belly breathing. Inhale, letting your belly rise, and exhale to let it fall. Let the length of your inhale match the length of your exhale for five or so breaths and on your next exhale, tighten the muscles surrounding your vagina. Relax your shoulders, face, and neck, so that only your pelvic floor muscles are tight. Hold for the count of five then release. Source: www.babble.com
4. Swimming
Fitness experts say swimming is one of the safest exercise during pregnancy.
5. Yoga
During pregnancy, parts of your body start aching. Stretching can help pregnancy pains and yoga can help you relax.
It’s important to follow a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. Even if you exercise throughout your pregnancy, you are most likely to develop stretch marks.
Did you know up to 90% of pregnant women develop stretch marks during pregnancy?
Bio-Oil is the number one scar and stretch mark product in 21 countries, including South Africa, where it is the product most recommended by gynaecologists and midwives for stretch marks. It also works wonders on Caesarean scars, dehydrated, itchy skin, and pigmentation caused by hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy.
WIN! I got a gorgeous Bio-Oil baby hamper worth R1,000 to give-away.
PRIZE DETAILS
- Wicker basket
- 3 bottles of Bio-Oil (60ml, 125ml and 200ml)
- Hooded baby bath towel
- Fabric building blocks and bunny rabbit
- Muslin blanket
- Bio-Oil’s Tips for Moms from Moms booklet
- Bio-Oil’s Guide to Pregnancy Stretch Marks
Please note this competition is opened to South Africans Only.
Hi, I’m Shan. I’m a wife, mom to 3 kids and a businesswoman who works from home and gets very little sleep at night. My days are filled with dirty diapers and toddler tantrums, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I am in the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Forbes Africa 2019 and just recently launched my start-up – MomSays.
Great tips and a lovely giveaway
Im not big excersize freak,just doing normal things and eating healthy
Wish I knew all this when I was pregnant
Would love this awesome hamper
I loved to swim when I was pregnant. Not to mention it was such a hot summer!!’
Loved walking with hubby
Hi there 🙂 I have been thoroughly enjoying swimming throughout my pregnancy. Being 34 weeks now and having some seriously warm summer days, I’m enjoying it even more!
Bio-Oil is the best ever!
FANTASTIC PRIZE. WILL BE WELL USED AND APPRECIATED. EATING HEALTHY MEALS AND WALKS ON THE BEACH DURING PREGNANCY.
Would love to win this hamper for someone very dear to me who could’nt affort it <3
Lovely tips! Would love to win this amazing hamper 😀
Wow amazing tips 🙂 would love to win this awesome hamper
Would love to win this hamper!!
Awesum prize and thanks for the lovely tips would love to win this hamper
Hi thanks for the very informative tips really love it and thank you for this awesum prize would love to win liked and shared
Great tips and I like the stuff in the hamper too. 🙂
Great hamper! love bio oil. It’s scent and how my skin feels.
I am starting to get backache and finding a position to sleep is difficult. Looking forward to the stretching exercises. Thank you!
I did a lot of walking whike preggy, and it helped keep me fit. As mentioned on fb, I am eager to use bio oil not only on my stretch marks but also k recent operation scars.
Tried to exercise but I was too sick.. Was hospitalized due to having hyperemesis.
Would love to win this prize
I love swimming! This will definitively be my exercise choice!
awesome tips fingers crossed
I would really like to WIN this for a friend. And surprise her with it.. Awesome tips for preggie mommies to be.. 🙂
I will exercise all through my surrogate’s pregnancy 🙂 But seriously though, our surrogate mom will be keeping her exercise regime during our pregnancy and only alter if the dr recommends.
Will definitely be trying sone of that yoga and swimming in this heat is a must thank you for lively tips and bio oil is a must for all pregnant ladies.
At 23 weeks and I’m only going pregnancy shopping this week, would be amazing to win this hamper. It’s would do wonders for my skin. Yoga has been great, it dies wonders for my energy levels and keeping my body fit.
No i didnt do any, but i was very active at work if that counts 😉
No I didn’t excerise at all except for walking and cleaning like a crazy person
Great tips… glad I saw this
I did a lot of walking. Also loved dancing, Swimming – because it exercises both large muscle groups (arms and legs), provides cardiovascular benefits, and allows expectant women to feel weightless despite the extra pounds of pregnancy and some Low-impact aerobics.
Great read! Lovely tip!! Stunning give away
My sister is pregnant and we go for brisk walks along the promenade as she lives on the beach front 🙂
Walking
Very interesting blog post! I did exercise in my pregnancy and I did a lot of walking. I shared this giveaway on Twitter (@flutterbymegs). Fingers crossed 😉
Light walking on the treadmill and cycling for a few minutes
Great blog – I would love to win this
bio oil is amazing stuff – would love to win this
I exercised 2-3 times
Per week at gym during pregnancy and I found it helped heaps! Not just with general well being but recovery after birth as well! I did cycling, walking and light weights!
kegels and walking
I did lots of walking and stretching exercises. Would love to win this stunning hamper!! xxx