Resumo de Exercise During Pregnancy.

Write your abstract here.n this discussion
of exercise during pregnancy you will learn which muscle groups you
should concentrate on when you exercise. Tips for exercising during
pregnancy are also offered. You will find out what kind of exercises
you are allowed to do and when you should stop exercising. You should
not exercise to lose weight while you are pregnant.

What are the benefits of exercise during pregnancy?

Childbirth is among the most physically stressful challenges a woman ever faces. Regular exercise during pregnancy:

* strengthens muscles needed for labor and delivery

* helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling

* improves posture

* gives you energy and improves your mood

* lessens some of the discomforts of pregnancy

* helps you feel less tired and sleep better.

When should I start exercising?

Regular exercise is
a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you haven't been
exercising most days of the week and are thinking about getting
pregnant, now is a good time to start. The sooner you begin exercising,
the better you will feel during and after your pregnancy.

A big mistake many
women make is not starting an exercise program until the last 3 months
of pregnancy, when they start childbirth classes. Some exercise can be
harder to do during the last 3 months because your enlarged uterus and
breasts change your center of gravity, affecting your balance. Also,
hormonal changes make your joints looser. This makes it easier to
develop spasms and injure yourself. Also, if you have not been
exercising regularly until this point in pregnancy, even moderate
exercise may decrease the oxygen supply to your baby. Simple walking
may be the best exercise at this time of pregnancy.

Before you begin an exercise program, discuss it with your health
care provider. Make sure you follow his or her advice on an exercise
program that is right for you. If you are having problems with your
pregnancy, you should not exercise. Exercise can affect the amount of
oxygen your baby gets. Even light exercise might hurt a baby that
already has problems with getting enough oxygen.

Which muscle groups are most important to exercise?

In addition to your
heart, the 3 muscle groups you should concentrate on during pregnancy
are the muscles of your abdomen, back, and pelvis.

* Strengthening your
abdominal muscles will make it easier to support the increasing weight
of your baby. You will also be able to push with more strength and more
effectively during the last phase of delivering your baby.

* Strengthening back
muscles and doing exercises to improve your posture will reduce the
strain of pregnancy on your lower back. It will help prevent discomfort
caused by poor posture.

* Strengthening
pelvic muscles will allow your vagina to widen more easily during
childbirth. This will help prevent urinary problems (leaking urine when
you cough or sneeze) after delivery.

What kinds of exercise can I do?

Many old ideas about
strenuous exercise during pregnancy have been disproved in recent
years. The type and intensity of sports and exercise you participate in
during pregnancy depend on your health
and on how active you were before you became pregnant. This is probably
not a good time to take up a new strenuous sport. If you were active
before you became pregnant, however, there is no reason you cannot
continue, within reason.

* Walking. If you did not do any exercise before becoming pregnant, walking is a good way to begin an exercise program.

* Tennis. If you are
an active tennis player, you can probably continue to play unless you
have special problems or feel unusually tired. Just be aware of your
change in balance and how it affects rapid movement.

* Jogging. If you
jog, you probably can continue as long as you feel comfortable doing
it. Avoid becoming overheated and stop if you feel uncomfortable r
unusually tired. Remember to drink plenty of water.

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