Safe Exercise: Walking During Pregnancy

Many pregnant women become concerned that carrying a baby means they will not be able to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight. Of course, pregnancy is a time of great physical change and it is important that weight gain occurs to accommodate the growing foetus and prepare the body for labour.

This does not mean women can’t continue with a realistic and safe fitness regime throughout their pregnancy to control their weight and maintain a level of fitness. Walking during pregnancy is one of the best ways of working out without physically exerting yourself in a way that could be harmful to the baby.

Walking during pregnancy is one of the safest forms of prenatal and postnatal exercise as it doesn’t place too much stress on the body or joints. You should do the following to maintain your fitness:

• Walk regularly: there are many times throughout pregnancy where you do not want to do any sort of physical activity. These are the times when it is important to develop it as a habit, such as going at the same time every day. Soon you will be accustomed to the idea of exercising regularly and even looking forward to it. Walk for between 30 minutes to an hour to get some safe cardiovascular activity.
• Stretch first: Do stretches before you start walking and immediately after. This is important as walking during pregnancy causes your body to secrete hormones that relax your muscles. Stretches will help prepare your body for birth but be careful not to overdo them as you are more prone to injury during pregnancy.