Happy March! With Springtime getting nearer and the warmer weather approaching, it is time to get excited about all the fun outdoor physical activities you can do while pregnant!
It is recommended that if you are pregnant, you get 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can mean you do 20-25 minutes of exercise a day (10 in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening). It’s as simple as that!
Winter is tough because there is a lack of motivation to get up when we’re warm and cozy under the covers, but now that the weather is getting nicer, it’s time to prepare for more outdoor activities and workouts!
Recommended Physical Activities for While You’re Pregnant
The 4 most commonly recommended exercises for pregnant women are walking, swimming, stationary bicycling, and modified yoga or Pilates.
If you are an experienced runner, jogger, or racquet-sports player, you may be able to keep doing these activities during pregnancy but discuss them with your doctor first.
🚶Walking: Brisk walking gives a total body workout and is easy on the joints and muscles. Listening to music or a podcast to make the walk even more fun and enjoyable!
🏊Swimming: Working out in the water is great because you use many of the body’s muscles. The water supports your weight, so you avoid injury and muscle strain.
🚴Stationary bicycling: Because your growing belly can affect your balance and make you more prone to falls, riding a standard bicycle during pregnancy can be risky. Cycling on a stationary bike is a better choice.
🤸Modified yoga and modified Pilates: Yoga and Pilates reduce stress, improve flexibility, and encourage stretching and focused breathing. There are prenatal yoga and Pilates classes designed for pregnant women. These classes often teach modified poses that accommodate a pregnant woman’s shifting balance. You should avoid poses that require you to be still or lie on your back for long periods.
Get Creative with your Springtime Physical Activities
Although you are pretty limited with what is safe for you to do while pregnant, you can still find fun and creative ways to work out while pregnant. These ideas may make it easier for you to get your body moving.
💃Dancing: Either stay home and dance to your favorite tunes in your backyard or join a dance class to get your body moving. It is a fun way to loosen up and get some physical activity in.
🌊Water aerobics: Water workouts can be fun and challenging. It’s a great way to work all your muscles.
👣Fun ways to Walk: It’s nice to go on a walk with music or a podcast in the Springtime, but if you’re struggling to motivate yourself to get out and walk.
Here are some ideas to make walking more enjoyable:
- Go to a flea market or outdoor art fair
- Go to a farmers’ market
- Go to a botanical garden
- Go to an outlet mall
- Walk to your favorite nearby lunch spot to have a bite
- Go on a color walk (pick a color and take pictures of everything you find in that color during your walk)
- Join an expecting mothers’ group to walk and chat with
Reminders for Staying Safe and Healthy While Working Out This Spring
Being outside is way nicer than having to workout indoors, but with being outside comes more responsibilities for your safety.
Avoid excessive heat and sun. Wear sun protection and stay super hydrated. Make sure to always talk to your doctor or midwife about any new exercises you might want to try.
Always make sure to slow down or stop exercising if any of these symptoms occur:
- Bleeding from the vagina
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Shortness of breath before starting exercise
- Chest pain
- Headache
- Muscle weakness
- Calf pain or swelling
- Regular, painful contractions of the uterus
- Fluid gushing or leaking from the vagina
While working out, make sure you avoid laying on your back for long periods of time and don’t do anything where you may fall on your stomach or get hit in the stomach.
Have fun with these Springtime physical activities that you can do while pregnant!
