4 Easy Types Of Pregnancy Exercise

Yoga
Probably the most popular workout for pregnant women, yoga helps you to be relaxed, mentally centred, and focused³. Because of this, yoga may help improve sleep and reduce anxiety. Mums go through breathing exercises, gentle stretching and get into poses, all of which help develop strength, flexibility, and balance. These could lead to a decrease in lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, and shortness of breath. Added bonus: increasing your endurance⁴ could be useful during delivery!

Walking
Walking as a pregnancy workout helps to keep your heart healthy⁵ and the blood flowing in your body, while toning your muscles and boosting your overall mood. Just be aware of your pace and altered sense of balance: having a big belly changes your centre of gravity, so it may take some time to get used to walking long distances with that extra weight in your middle.

Strength training
There are lots of benefits to reap from strength training⁶. A strength training workout for pregnant women builds stamina, which you need for your pregnancy. The muscle you gain also burns fat to help keep your weight down. Plus, strengthening your abdominal and back muscles prevents lower back pain⁷. Aim for moderate intensity when picking out a strength-training pregnancy workout, and don’t lift weights while lying on your back⁸, as this could affect blood flow. Use a proper breathing technique (exhale when you exert effort, and inhale when going back to the starting position), and always rest 48 hours in between workouts⁹.

Water aerobics
Doing exercises in the water¹⁰ helps engage your abdominal muscles, lengthening them as you try to keep your balance. The water’s buoyancy makes it so much easier to hold your poses, and the cool environment provides for a more comfortable workout¹¹. The water also supports your pregnant body, so it’s much easier (and safer!) to do more reps. What’s more, the pressure of the water could help relieve swelling in your body.