EXERCISES
Developing an Exercise Program
Your obstetrician should approve the exercise program, during
pregnancy.
During Sustained exercises, heart rate
increases and breathing becomes deeper resulting in more oxygen entering the blood. This
strengthens the heart and lungs (cardiopulmonary system)
Conditioning exercises improves the
tone of the muscles, which are being used. They also prevent fat deposition in those areas
and keep the muscles stretched.
Conditioning exercises improves the
tone of the muscles, which are being used. They also prevent fat deposition in those areas
and keep the muscles stretched.
Doing a
combination of these exercises help you to burn Calories, tone your muscles, develop your
cardiopulmonary system (heart and lung) and increase the oxygen saturation in the blood.
Sustained Exercise:
Walking, bicycling, swimming are good forms of sustained exercise.
Brisk walking for 15 – 20 minutes a day helps develop cardiopulmonary
strength.
Bicycling on a stationery bicycle (to avoid
injury) is another excellent sustained exercise.
Swimming for 15 – 20 minutes few times a
week builds the tone of your legs, arms and back muscles.
Conditioning Exercise:
These exercises improve
the muscle tone of the specific areas being used. Do these exercises slowly and smoothly.
Initially, do each exercise 2 – 3 times per each sitting. Slowly increase the number
of repetitions. Do the exercise in the order they are given.
q Rib Cage Stretch:
 Method: Inhale slowly
while raising both your arms over your
head to the count of 5. Then exhale, slowly lowering both your arms, first straight out in
front of you, then down by your sides, and then behind your back, to the count of 5.
Advantages:
Relieves tension and strengthens the shoulders and the upper back.
Precautions:
Do not arch your back while doing this exercise.
Repetitions: 5 times per
exercise session.
q Arm Rotation:
 Method: Stretch your arms out to your
sides with your palms up. Make small circles to the count of 10, gradually increasing the
size of the circles. Then reverse the direction of the circles, starting with large
circles and gradually decreasing their size to another count of 10.
Advantages:
Relieves tension and strengthens the upper back and upper arm muscles.
Repetitions:
2-5 times per exercise session.
SShoulder Rotation:
Method: Place your fingertips on your shoulders and make
backward circles with your elbows. Then reverse the direction and make forward circles.
Advantages:
Relieves upper backache caused by change in your centre of gravity due to poor posture or
heavy breasts.
Repetitions:
10 times per exercise session.
Calf Stretch:
 Methods: Stand
facing a wall or your partner with one leg well forward and the foot flat on the floor.
Stretch the other leg behind you with the knee straight and the foot flat on the floor.
Press your hands flat against the wall or your partner’s hands. Lunge forward,
bending the front leg at the knee and stretching the other calf. Stretch gradually for 15
to 20 seconds. Repeat with the other leg forward.
Advantages:
Decreases
leg cramps and improves circulation in the legs.
Repetitions: 3 to 5
times per exercise session.
q q Swinging legs:
Method: Sit on a
chair. Draw large circles in the air with your toes. Rotate your ankles and feet to draw
the circles, but do not move your legs. You can do either both feet at once or one foot at
a time. Do some circles left to right and some from right to left.
Advantages: Relieves
tension strengthens the muscles of the feet. Helps relieve circulatory problems in your
legs. They are useful in dealing with the discomfort from swelling, varicose veins, and
cramps.
q Pelvic Rock:
 Method: Kneel on the floor on all fours,
keeping the knees apart. Do not let your spine sag. Align your head with your spine, tuck
in your bottom, pull up your abdominal muscles, and press your spine up at the lower back
just enough to erase the spinal curve, do not hump your back. Hold this position for a few
seconds, then return to the starting position.
Repeat
the exercise using a constant rhythm and a rockin0g motion.
Advantages: Relieves backache and pelvic congestion.
Increases tone of abdominal muscles.
Repetitions:
10 times per exercise session.
q Tailor Press:
Method:
Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you and the soles of your feet pressed together and pulled toward your body. Using
only the muscles of your legs, press your knees downward. You will feel your inner thigh
muscles pull slightly.
Advantages:
Stretches the ligaments and muscles on the inside of the thighs and increases their
elasticity.
Repetition:
10 times per exercise session.
q Isometric Tailor Press:
Method:
Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you and the soles of your feet pressed
together and pulled toward your body (as in tailor press). Hold your knees with your
hands. Try to pull your knees up with your hands while pushing them down with your leg
muscles. Hold for a count of 5. Now try to press your knees down with your hands while
pulling them up with your leg muscles. Hold for another count of 5. There should be no
movement in either of these positions, just stationary counterpressure.
Advantages:
Strengthens the inner thigh muscles and the pectoral muscles (muscles of the chest), which
support the breasts.
Repetitions:
5 repeats per exercise session.
q Tailor Stretch:
Method:
Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and angled apart. Lean
forward and either reach each hand to its corresponding ankle (right hand to right ankle
and left hand to left ankle) or move both hands down the same leg until you reach the
toes, then repeat with the other leg.
Advantages: Stretches the ligaments and muscles on the
insides of the thighs and increases their elasticity. Stretches the lower back and calf
muscles.
Repetitions:
10 times per exercise session.
q Kegel Exercises:
The part
of your body including your hipbones is the pelvic area. At the bottom of the pelvis, several layers of
muscle stretch between your legs. The muscles attached to the front, back, and sides of
the pelvis bone, support the bowel, the bladder and the uterus.
Two
pelvic muscles do most of the work. The biggest one stretches like a hammock. The other is
shaped like a triangle.
Methods:
Exercises can be done while sitting, standing or lying down.
Sets
of exercises:
1st
Set: Identify the muscles.
You
should tighten the two major muscles that stretch across your pelvic floor. They are the
"hammock" muscle and the "triangle" muscle. Here are three methods to
identify these muscles.
1. Try to stop the flow of
urine when you are sitting on the toilet. If you can do it, you are using the right
muscles.
2. Imagine that you are
trying to stop passing gas. Squeeze the muscles you would use. If you sense a
‘pulling feeling’, those are the right muscles for pelvic exercises.
3. Lie down and put your
finger inside your vagina. Squeeze as if you were trying to stop urine from coming out. If
you feel tightness on your finger, you are squeezing the right pelvic muscle.
2nd Set:
Pull in the pelvic muscles
and hold for a count of 3. Then relax for a count of 3. Work up to 10 to 15 repeats each
time you exercise.
Advantages:
Exercising these muscles help you achieve voluntary control of the pelvic floor.
During delivery, these muscles are stretched due to the passage of the baby. A
strong and elastic pelvic floor can reduce or prevent problems such as sagging organs or
leaking urine, which can occur due to excessive stretching.
These exercises help you to relax the muscles during delivery also decreasing the
need of episiotomy. Link to episiotomy in Delivery.
These exercises will promote healing and will restore muscle tone after your baby
is born.
Precautions:
Don't squeeze other muscles at the same time.
Be careful not to tighten your stomach, legs, or other muscles. Squeezing the
wrong muscles can put more pressure on your bladder control muscles. Just squeeze the
pelvic muscles.
Don't hold your breath.
Do these
exercises only after passing urine (empty bladder).
Squeeze your pelvic muscles tightly and hold on until after you sneeze, lift, or
jump. After you train yourself to tighten the pelvic muscles for these moments, you will
have fewer accidents.
Women who should not exercise while being pregnant include those who:
Have experienced pre-term labour previously.
Have obstetrical complications, including persistent vaginal bleeding,
incompetent cervix, ruptured membranes.
Have an indication, through an ultrasound examination, that the foetus is not
growing as quickly as it should. Link to IUGR in Complications
of pregnancy.
Have a history of medical problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
disease and thyroid disease should exercise only with their doctor’s approval. Link to Complications in pregnancy.
Repetitions:
Initially, start with 5 per exercise session.
Next week, increase to 7 – 8 each. Slowly to
as many times as you can per exercise session.
Repeat this exercise 2 – 3 times / day.
You can use three positions: lying, sitting, and standing. You can exercise while
lying on the floor, sitting at a desk, or standing in the kitchen. Using all three
positions makes the muscles strongest.
Points to Remember
Weak
pelvic muscles often cause bladder control problems.
Daily
exercises can strengthen pelvic muscles.
These
exercises often improve bladder control.
Ask your
doctor or nurse. Are you squeezing the right muscles?
Tighten
your pelvic muscles before sneezing, lifting, or jumping. This can prevent pelvic muscle
damage.
Persistent
bladder control problem may be due to urinary infection or an excessively loose pelvic
floor. Your doctor will be able to help you to deal with these.
Preparing for child birth:
There are various
relaxation and breathing techniques, which lessen the discomfort and pain during labour.
These techniques require regular practice to be perfect. Antenatal period is the best time
to practice them. Link to Prepared childbirth in Delivery.
When Can
Postpartum Exercises Begin?
Once the baby arrives, women generally are eager to regain their
pre-pregnancy figures. If a woman has exercised regularly
during pregnancy, she is closer to her goal. However, since pregnancy-related changes in
bodily systems (such as the cardiovascular system) persist for about 4 to 6 weeks, a woman
should let her body be her guide. Women who have had a caesarean may need to delay their
return to exercise.
You can start your
exercise routine after consulting your doctor.
From day 1.
Kegel
Exercise:
Advantages: Tones the pelvic floor muscles and improves the
circulation. It fastens the healing of the episiotomy wound.
Foot pedalling:
Method:
Lie on your back with legs stretched. Slowly bend your feet bringing your toes towards
your body. You can feel your calf muscle being stretched. Bring your feet to the normal
position.
Advantages: Prevents swelling of the feet by improving the
circulation.
Repetitions:
5 – 10 times per exercise session
Abdominal tightening:
Method:
You can do this exercise by sitting or standing. Tuck in your abdominal muscles. Hold them
tightly for 5 seconds. Breathe normally. Gradually increase the holding time to 10
seconds.
Advantages: Restores the tone of the abdomen muscles.
Repetitions:
5 – 10 times per exercise session
From day
2:
Pelvic tilt:
Method: Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on
the ground. Arch your back and press your buttocks against the ground. Then relax the
buttocks and press your back against the ground, contracting the abdominal muscles.
Breathe normally.
Advantages: Restores the tone of the abdomen muscles.
Repetitions: 5 – 10 times per exercise session.
From day 3
Head lifting:
Method: Lie on
your back with the knees bent and the feet flat on the ground. Cross your arms over your
abdomen. Lift your head off the ground, while exhaling, and press your abdomen with your
palms. Hold in this position for few seconds, then inhale and relax.
Advantages:
Restores the tone of the abdomen muscles.
Repetitions: 5 – 10 times
per exercise session.
From 2nd week:
Abdominal toning:
Method: Sit up
with your legs bent,feet flat on the floor and arms folded in front.Exhale,while gently
tilting your pelvis forward, and gradually leaning back till you feel your abdominal
muscles tighten. Hold for sometime, breathe normally. Sit up straight while inhaling
Advantages:
Restores the tone of the abdominal muscles
Repetitions:
5-10 times per exercises session.
Curl ups:
Method: Lie flat on the ground, with legs bent, feet flat kept apart on the ground and
palms rested on the thighs. While exhaling, lift your head and shoulders above the ground
and reach your hands to the knees. Hold for a count of 5. Relax slowly while inhaling.
Advantages:
Strengthens the vertical muscles of the abdomen.
Repetitions:
5-10 times per exercise session.
From 3rd week
Side
kicks
Method: Lie on one side on the ground keeping your
hands above the head and legs straight. Keeping your lower leg straight,raise your upper
leg and hand to the ceiling. Touch your hand to the knee.Return to your starting
position.Do 10-15 times on each side.
Advantages:
Helps in restoring the waistline.
Repetitions:
Do 5-10 times on each side per exercise session
Modified
sit-ups:
Method I: Lie on the back, with the knees bent,
feet flat on the ground and hands behind the head. Slowly raise the head and the shoulders
above the ground and try touching the elbows to the knees.
Method
– II: Lie on the back, with the knees bent, feet flat on the ground and
hands behind the head. Slowly raise the head and the shoulders above the ground and try
touching the elbows to the outer side of a knee.
Advantages: Tones the abdominal muscles.
Repetitions: 5-10 times per exercise session
Continue
these exercises for the next 2 months. You can also add walking briskly, cycling and
swimming to your schedule.
Precautions
Consult your doctor before adopting a regime.
Start slowly.
Stop exercising if you feel pain, giddiness, breathless or tired
Eat properly and enough. Diet in Pregnancy
|
Basic Rules
Directory Services