Pregnancy Workout for Each Trimester

The joy and shock you felt the moment you saw those two lines emerge on the window of your pregnancy test is something that you’ll never forget!

As a mom-to-be, you are responsible for your overall well-being as well as for nourishing, growing and keeping your baby safe and healthy. So, how can you start taking care of your body and the baby in your womb?

Well, the good news is, apart from eating healthy, staying active should also be on top of your pregnancy to-do list for the upcoming months (unless advised otherwise by your doctor).

Staying active throughout your pregnancy
So, how can you stay active? Can expecting mothers have a workout routine? As a matter of fact, they can! According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), exercising during pregnancy can reduce the risk of:

Apart from reducing your risk of pregnancy complications, staying active is also a great way to:

• Maintain overall physical.
• Reduce back pain (hello, growing tummy!).
• Improve
• postpartum
• recovery.

With that being said, here are a few simple yet safe pregnancy exercises you can do for each trimester.

First Trimester
For some, the first trimester is often an emotional roller coaster. From constant mood swings to pure joy, excitement, fear, delight and worry, it is common to feel such emotions.

In general, it’s not recommended for pregnant women to exercise during the first trimester unless advised otherwise by your doctor.

Second Trimester
This would be a trimester that many women feel their best at as they do not have morning sickness as much as they used to have during the first three months. Hence, it is an excellent time to focus on your fitness routine. Some of the workout you can consider doing in your second trimester includes:

#1 Side-lying leg lifts

1. Lie on your right side with your legs straight together.
2. Then, slowly lift your left leg all the way up and hold for a moment.
3. Slowly lower your left leg back down till there’s a few inches from your right leg.
4. Raise your legs back up and repeat.

*Do two sets of 8 repetitions on each side.

#2 Mermaid stretch
As your baby starts to grow in your second trimester, you may sense some pressure on your diaphragm and ribs which could be a little uncomfortable. Hence, the mermaid stretch is an exercise to help with discomfort. Here’s what you should do:

Discomfort on the left side:

1. Sit on the ground with both your knees folded and your feet facing to the right.
2. Raise your left arm straight above your head as you inhale.
3. Then exhale and side bend your torso towards the right.

If you’re experiencing discomfort on your right side, reverse the directions of the exercise above. So, keep your knees folded facing the left side, raise your right arm above your head and stretch your torso towards the left.

Third Trimester

As your body begins to prepare yourself for childbirth, this would be an ideal time to focus on activities to keep up your mobility and abdominal strength. You can start with simple exercises such as:

• Walking.
• Swimming.
• Prenatal yoga.
• Pilates.
• Pelvic floor exercises.

Such workouts help keep both the upper and lower body muscles strong.

A safe pregnancy journey is what you need

Staying physically, mentally and emotionally healthy benefits both mother and baby. Throughout your pregnancy journey, it’s always best to consult a doctor to ensure everything is okay and safe. If you ever feel any discomfort or pain while working out or have any concerns of how your body is responding to an exercise program, we recommend you to speak with your Obstetrician.