We present a regular regime of moderate exercise to help maintain optimum physical and mental fitness during pregnancy.
Stretches
Chest Stretch
Step 1: Sit nice and tall on the ball with your knees in line with your ankles, belly button into your spine. Hold your arms out in front of you, with your wrists flexed.
Step 2: Breathe in slowly and open out your arms, taking them as far back as you can. You should feel a nice stretch in your chest.
Step 3: Breathing out slowly, bring your arms back together, and round your spine. You should feel your upper back stretching. Return to start position and repeat three to four times.
Outer-Thigh Stretch
Step 1: Sit nice and tall on the ball with your knees in line with your ankles, belly button into spine. Support yourself with both hands on the ball and bring one ankle up, resting it on the opposite knee. Breathe in.
Step 2: Breathing out, belly button into spine, lean forward from the hips. Keep your back straight. You should feel a stretch in the outer thigh of your crossed leg. The more you lean forward, the deeper the stretch. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds. Return to start position slowly and do the other side.
TIP: For a challenge, let go of the ball and stretch your arms out on both sides when you lean forward.
Toning
Squat
Step 1: Stand with your feet hip distance apart, toes facing forward, shoulders back and down. Breathe in and start dropping down into the squat. Make sure that your knees stay in line with your ankles and don’t go over your toes. You do this by allowing your bottom to protrude.
Step 2: This is where the real work happens! Breathing out, activate your pelvic floor, belly button into spine, and use the back of your thighs to push you back into the standing position. Do three sets of 15 repetitions.
Push-Up against the Wall
Step 1: Stand with your feet hip distance apart, pelvis tucked in, belly button into spine. Place your hands on a wall or on a ball against the wall. Your hands should be at heart level, slightly wider than your shoulders. Breathing in, bring your chest towards the wall. Keep your heels on the floor and maintain the tension in your abdominals.
Step 2: Breathing out, push yourself back up, using your chest muscles.
TIP: Visualise pushing yourself up from behind your breasts. Do two sets of 15 repetitions.
Abdominals
Level 2 Bracing
Starting off on all fours, move forward while leaning on your forearms. Your neck should be in a neutral position, ie. you shouldn’t be looking up. With your belly button pulled in towards your spine, your spine will form a straight line.
TIP: Do not sink into your shoulders or let your bottom stick up in the air. Do not drop your belly.
Level 2 Side Brace
Step 1: Lie on your side, with your knees extended. Your hips should be in line with each other, so that when you look down your body, your hips, knees and ankles are in line with each other. Breathe in.
Step 2: Breathing out, activate your pelvic floor and bring your belly button into your spine. Lift your hips and belly off the ground, with your hand on your hip. As you get stronger, you can extend your arm into the air. Hold this position for three to five seconds, and return to start position. Repeat eight to 10 times. Do both sides of your body!
Note: If you feel a pain in your shoulder, you’re not bringing your belly button into your spine.
If you experience any of the following, contact your doctor immediately!
- Vaginal bleeding
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Increased shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Headache
- Muscle weakness
- Calf pain or swelling
- Uterine contractions
- Decreased foetal movement
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
Remember to Always:
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Exercise in front of a mirror; this will help you to see if you’re doing everything correctly
- Activate your pelvic floor (a sensation like holding in a wee). You should never have the sensation of bearing down!
- Have your shoulders back and down.
- When sitting on the ball, your calves should always be an outstretched hand’s width away from the ball.
- Never, ever hold your breath.
- Keep hydrated at all times (at least 500ml of fluid per half hour).
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- Let your gynae or midwife know that you’re exercising.
When can I not train?
- When you’re pregnant with triplets or more
- When you’ve got a cervical stitch in place
- If you have placenta praevia (after 26 weeks)
- If you experience persistent bleeding
- If you have pre-eclampsia
More about our Experts
These exercises have been developed by Preggi Bellies International, and are run in South Africa by Dr Etti Barsky, Tertius Kleinhans and David Shmukler. Preggi Bellies is South Africa’s premier exercise programme for pregnant women, with over 2 500 moms and moms-to-be enrolled in the last four years. It operates with the support of leading gynaecologists around the country, and follows the latest research and guidelines, as set out by the foremost gynaecological associations.
There are many proven benefits to exercising during pregnancy. The correct exercises will not only assist with maternal weight gain, but are enormously beneficial to you and your baby. The right exercises will help with your general health, your labour and your recovery. Believe it or not, but there are also direct benefits for the unborn baby!
Classes combine a range of specialised cardiovascular and strength exercises, with seamless modifications for the common pregnancy-related problems. The moms are assisted daily, throughout their pregnancy, to enable them to continue training right up until they deliver!
Compiled by Jacky Hefez. Photographer Jan Botha. Model: Colette. This article was taken from the June 2010 edition of Living and Loving.
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