Pregnancy and Exercise is the fifth and final part of a five-part blog series on pregnancy health. Visit the Adoption STAR website for more in-depth information on pregnancy and exercise.
It’s important to remain active during your pregnancy and exercise will help you stay in shape and prepare you for labor and delivery. Exercise can also decrease the risk of postpartum depression. However it is important to speak with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.
A great way to exercise while pregnant is taking walks four-to-seven-times per week for a half hour per time. Two other exercise options are swimming and cycling on a stationary bike. One thing to be careful about is lifting weights.
While exercising is important during your pregnancy, you should not be attempting to lose weight. Dieting and weight loss during your pregnancy can be potentially dangerous to you and your baby. If while exercising, you begin to feel dizziness, headache, chest pain, abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, call your health care provider immediately.
If you have questions exercising during pregnancy, contact your primary healthcare provider. Adoption STAR provides information as well as counseling and support throughout your adoption journey. If you would like more information on making an adoption plan please contact our birth parent specialist at [email protected].