Planning to get pregnant? Prepare your body with these exercises | The times of India

Thinking about starting a family? Congratulations! Planning a baby requires you to take into account several factors such as financial stability to support the added experiences or the mental health of both partners to be able to welcome a child into your life. Another important factor that many women often ignore is preparing the body for the challenges of carrying a baby. If your body is not fit or strong enough, your pregnancy journey could be filled with back pain, leg pain, and other discomforts. Here’s how you can prepare your body for pregnancy.

Before conceiving, it’s crucial to take care of any long-standing musculoskeletal problems, such as sciatica, plantar fasciitis, hip problems, or back pain. Injuries or discomfort tend to intensify during pregnancy due to increased pressure on the spine and hormonal changes. Consider seeing a physical therapist to resolve these issues a few months before trying to get pregnant.

Doing aerobic exercise regularly is helpful in keeping you in shape, especially if you are planning to get pregnant. The reason: during pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s blood volume increases by 45%, her heart rate increases and she may also face the risk of gestational hypertension. Exercise helps with all this stress, according to health professionals. Choose an aerobic activity that you enjoy and can maintain consistently. Options such as walking, running, swimming, cycling and dancing are excellent options. Cardio can also be done during pregnancy, however it is important to consult your doctor for the same as safety may vary from person to person.

Pregnancy puts pressure on the pelvic floor, a network of muscles at the base of the pelvis. Weakness in this area can cause problems such as incontinence or discomfort during pregnancy. To build pelvic floor strength, consider exercises like quick Kegels, heel slides, happy baby pose, lunges, and squats.

As the pregnancy progresses, the core muscles must support the rapid growth of the uterus and abdomen. Weak core muscles can result in pain and discomfort in the lower back as they struggle to support increasing weight. Strengthen your core with activities like planks, side planks, and improve abdominal flexibility with breathing exercises. Doing exercises like yoga and Pilates can increase core strength and flexibility.

Your lower body muscles will work overtime during and after pregnancy. They will support the additional weight of pregnancy and also play a crucial role in safely lifting and lowering your baby after birth. Include exercises like squats, bridges, and deadlifts to strengthen your glutes and legs.

Read more: Here are 5 wrong reasons to have children