Exercising during pregnancy

KEEPING HEALTHY WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT

Is exercising bad during pregnancy? Although you may not feel like running a marathon, most women benefit greatly from exercising throughout their pregnancies. But during that time, you'll need to discuss your exercise plans with your doctor or other health care provider early on and make a few adjustments to your normal exercise routine. The level of exercise recommended will depend, in part, on your level of pre-pregnancy fitness.

Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy

No doubt about it, exercise is a big plus for both you and your baby (if complications don't limit your ability to exercise throughout your pregnancy). It can help you:

• feel better. At a time when you wonder if this strange body can possibly be yours, exercise can increase your sense of control and boost your energy level. Not only does it make you feel better by releasing endorphins (naturally occurring chemicals in your brain), appropriate exercise can:
  • relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, butt, and thighs
  • reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine
  • prevent wear and tear on your joints (which become loosened during pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes) by activating the lubricating fluid in your joints
  • help you sleep better by relieving the stress and anxiety that might make you restless at night
• look better. Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow.
• prepare you and your body for birth. Strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labor and delivery. Gaining control over your breathing can help you manage pain. And in the event of a lengthy labor, increased endurance can be a real help.
• regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly. You'll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you continue to exercise (assuming you exercised before becoming pregnant). But don't expect or try to lose weight by exercising while you're pregnant. For most women, the goal is to maintain their fitness level throughout pregnancy.

While the jury's still out on the additional benefits of exercise during pregnancy, some studies have shown that exercise may even lower a woman's risk of complications, like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

What's Safe During Pregnancy?

It depends on when you start and whether your pregnancy is complicated. If you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant, continue your program, with modifications as you need them.

If you weren't fit before you became pregnant, don't give up! Begin slowly and build gradually as you become stronger. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes (that's 2½ hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week for healthy women who are not already highly active or doing vigorous-intensity activity.

If you're healthy, the risks of moderate-intensity activity during pregnancy are very low, and do not increase risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, or early pregnancy loss.

Before you continue your old exercise routine or begin a new one, you should talk to your doctor about exercising while you're pregnant. Discuss any concerns you may have and know that you might need to limit your exercise if you have:

• pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
• early contractions
• vaginal bleeding
• premature rupture of your membranes, also known as your water (the fluid in the amniotic sac around the fetus) breaking early

Exercises to Try

That depends on what interests you and what your doctor advises. Many women enjoy dancing, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, biking, or walking. Swimming is especially appealing, as it gives you welcome buoyancy (floatability or the feeling of weightlessness). Try for a combination of cardio (aerobic), strength, and flexibility exercises, and avoid bouncing.
Many experts recommend walking. It's easy to vary the pace, add hills, and add distance. If you're just starting, begin with a moderately brisk pace for a mile, 3 days a week. Add a couple of minutes every week, pick up the pace a bit, and eventually add hills to your route. Whether you're a pro or a novice, go slowly for the first 5 minutes to warm up and use the last 5 minutes to cool down.
If you were a runner before you were pregnant, you might be able to continue running during your pregnancy, although you may have to modify your routine.
Whatever type of exercise you and your doctor decide on, the key is to listen to your body's warnings. Many women, for example, become dizzy early in their pregnancy, and as the baby grows, their center of gravity changes. So it may be easy for you to lose your balance, especially in the last trimester.
Your energy level might vary greatly from day to day. And as your baby grows and pushes up on your lungs, you'll notice a decreased ability to breathe in more air (and the oxygen it contains) when you exercise. If your body says, "Stop!" — stop!
Your body is signaling that it's had enough if you feel:

• fatigue
• dizziness
• heart palpitations (your heart pounding in your chest)
• shortness of breath
• pain in your back or pelvis

And if you can't talk while you're exercising, you're doing it too strenuously.
It also isn't good for your baby if you become overheated because temperatures greater than 102.6° F (39° C) could cause problems with the developing fetus — especially in the first trimester — which can potentially lead to birth defects. So don't overdo exercise on hot days.
When the weather is hot, avoid exercising outside during the hottest part of the day (from about 10 AM to 3 PM) or try to exercise in an air-conditioned place. Also remember that swimming makes it more difficult for you to notice your body heating up because the water makes you feel cooler.

Exercises to Avoid

Most doctors recommend that pregnant women avoid exercises after the first trimester that require them to lie flat on their backs.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it's also wise to avoid any activities that include:

• bouncing
• jarring (anything that would cause a lot of up and down movement)
• leaping
• a sudden change of direction
• a risk of abdominal injury

Typical limitations include contact sports, downhill skiing, scuba diving, and horseback riding because of the risk of injury they pose.
Although some doctors say step aerobics workouts are acceptable if you can lower the height of your step as your pregnancy progresses, others caution that a changing center of gravity makes falls much more likely. If you do choose to do aerobics, just make sure to avoid becoming extremely winded or exercising to the point of exhaustion.
And check with your doctor if you experience any of these warning signs during any type of exercise:

• vaginal bleeding
• unusual pain
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• unusual shortness of breath
• racing heartbeat or chest pain
• fluid leaking from your vagina
• uterine contractions

Kegel Exercises

Although the effects of Kegel exercises can't be seen from the outside, some women use them to reduce incontinence (the leakage of urine) caused by the weight of the baby on their bladder. Kegels help to strengthen the "pelvic floor muscles" (the muscles that aid in controlling urination).
Kegels are easy, and you can do them any time you have a few seconds — sitting in your car, at your desk, or standing in line at the store. No one will even know you're doing them!
To find the correct muscles, pretend you're trying to stop urinating. Squeeze those muscles for a few seconds, then relax. You're using the correct muscles if you feel a pull. Or place a finger inside your vagina and feel it tighten when you squeeze. Your doctor can also help you identify the correct muscles.
A few things to keep in mind when you're doing Kegel exercises:

• Don't tighten other muscles (stomach or legs, for example) at the same time. You want to focus on the muscles you're exercising.
• Don't hold your breath while you do them because it's important that your body and muscles continue to receive oxygen while you do any type of exercise.
• Don't regularly do Kegels by stopping and starting your flow of urine while you're actually going to the bathroom, as this can lead to incomplete emptying of your bladder, which increases the risk of urinary tract infections.

Getting Started

Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Once you're ready to get going:

• Start gradually. Even 5 minutes a day is a good start if you've been inactive. Add 5 minutes each week until you reach 30 minutes.
• Dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothes and wear a supportive bra to protect your breasts.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid overheating and dehydration.
• Skip your exercises if you're sick.
• Opt for a walk in an air-conditioned mall on hot, humid days.
• Above all, listen to your body.

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C-section

What is a cesarean section?

A cesarean section, or c-section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. In certain circumstances, a c-section is scheduled in advance. In others, it's done in response to an unforeseen complication.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 30 percent of American women who gave birth in 2005 had a cesarean delivery, up from 6 percent in 1970, 17 percent in 1980, and 23 percent in 1990.

 C-section is major abdominal surgery, so it is riskier than a vaginal delivery. Moms who have c-sections are more likely to have an infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots, more postpartum pain, a longer hospital stay, and a significantly longer recovery. Injuries to the bladder or bowel, although very rare, are also more common.

C-section

In addition, if you plan to have more children, each c-section you have increases your future risk of these complications as well as placenta previa and placenta accreta. That said, not all c-sections can, or should be prevented. In some situations, a c-section is necessary for the well-being of the mother, the baby, or both.

Why would I have a planned c-section?

Sometimes it's clear that a woman will need a cesarean even before she goes into labor. Conditions that may require a planned c-section include:

You've had a previous cesarean with a "classical" vertical uterine incision or more than one previous c-section. (If you've had only one previous c-section with a horizontal incision, you may be a good candidate for a vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC.If you're not trying for a VBAC, your practitioner will schedule your c-section for no earlier than 39 weeks to minimize the risk that the baby's lungs are still immature.)

You've had some other kind of invasive uterine surgery, such as a myomectomy (the surgical removal of fibroids).

You're carrying more than one baby. (Some twins can be delivered vaginally, but all higher-order multiples require a c-section.)

Your baby is expected to be very large (a condition known as macrosomia). This is particularly true if you're diabetic or you had a previous baby of the same size or smaller who suffered serious trauma during a vaginal birth.

Your baby is in a breech (bottom first) or transverse (sideways) position. (In some cases, such as a twin pregnancy in which the first baby is head down but the second baby is breech, the breech baby may be delivered vaginally.)

You have placenta previa (when the placenta is so low in the uterus that it covers the cervix).

The baby has a known illness or abnormality that would make a vaginal birth risky.

You're HIV-positive, and blood tests done near the end of pregnancy show that you have a high viral load.

Why would I have an unplanned cesarean delivery?

You may need to have a c-section if problems arise that make continuing or inducing labor risky. These include the following:
Your cervix stops dilating or your baby stops moving down the birth canal, and attempts to stimulate contractions to get things moving again haven't worked.


Your baby's heart rate gives your practitioner cause for concern, and she decides that your baby can't withstand continued labor or induction.

The umbilical cord slips through your cervix (a prolapsed cord). If that happens, your baby needs to be delivered immediately because a prolapsed cord can cut off his oxygen supply.

Your placenta starts to separate from your uterine wall (placental abruption), which means your baby won't get enough oxygen unless he's delivered right away.

You have a genital herpes outbreak when you go into labor or when your water breaks (whichever happens first). Delivering your baby by c-section will help him avoid infection.

What happens right before a c-section?

First, your practitioner will explain why she believes a c-section is necessary, and you'll be asked to sign a consent form. If your prenatal practitioner is a midwife, you'll be assigned an obstetrician for the surgery who will make the final decision and get your consent.

Typically, your husband or partner can be with you during most of the preparation and for the birth. In the rare instance that a c-section is such an emergency that there's no time for your partner to change clothes — or you need general anesthesia, which would knock you out completely — your partner might not be allowed to stay in the operating room with you.

An anesthesiologist will then come by to review various pain-management options. It's rare these days to be given general anesthesia, except in the most extreme emergency situations or if you can't have regional pain relief for some reason.


More likely, you'll be given an epidural or spinal block, which will numb the lower half of your body but leave you awake and alert for the birth of your baby.

If you've already had an epidural for pain relief during labor, it'll be used for your c-section as well. Before the surgery, you'll get extra medication to ensure that you're completely numb. (You may still feel some pressure or a tugging sensation at some point during the surgery.)

A catheter is then inserted into your urethra to drain urine during the procedure, and an IV is started if you don't have one already. The top section of your pubic hair is shaved, and you're moved into an operating room.

Anesthesia will be administered, and a screen will be raised above your waist so you won't have to see the incision being made. (If you'd like to witness the moment of birth, ask a nurse to lower the screen slightly so you can see the baby but not much else.) Your partner or husband, freshly attired in operating room garb, may take a seat by your head.

How is a c-section done?

Once the anesthesia has taken effect, your belly will be swabbed with an antiseptic, and the doctor will most likely make a small, horizontal incision in the skin above your pubic bone (sometimes called a "bikini cut").

The doctor will cut through the underlying tissue, slowly working her way down to your uterus. When she reaches your abdominal muscles, she'll separate them (usually manually rather than cutting through them) and spread them to expose what's underneath.

When the doctor reaches your uterus, she'll probably make a horizontal cut in the lower section of it. This is called a low transverse incision.

In rare circumstances, the doctor will opt for a vertical or "classical" uterine incision. This might be the case if your baby is very premature and the lower part of your uterus is not yet thinned out enough to cut. (If you have a classical incision, it's much less likely that you'll be allowed to attempt a vaginal delivery with your next pregnancy.)

Then the doctor will reach in and pull out your baby. You'll have a chance to see the baby briefly before he's handed off to a pediatrician or nurse. While the staff is examining your newborn, the doctor will deliver your placenta and then begin the process of closing you up.

After your baby has been examined, the pediatrician or nurse may hand him to your partner, who can hold him right next to you so you can admire, nuzzle, and kiss him while you're being stitched up, layer by layer. The final layer — the skin — may be closed with stitches or staples, which are usually removed three days to a week later. Closing your uterus and belly will take a lot longer than opening you up, usually about 30 minutes.

After the surgery is complete, you'll be wheeled into a recovery room, where you'll be closely monitored for a few hours. If your baby is fine, he'll be with you in the recovery room and you can finally hold him.

If you plan to breastfeed, give it a try now. You may find nursing more comfortable if you and your newborn lie on your sides facing each other.

You can expect to stay in the hospital for three or four days before going home.

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How To Cope With Back Pain During Pregnancy

Tips On How To Cope With Back Pain While In Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and experiencing back pain in the course of pregnancy, you might desire to know tips on how to take care of that. Have to you have agony relief pills or just let it go like that? Can you do anything at all to alleviate the discomfort? This article is going to discuss tips on how to deal with such discomfort.

Acquiring back pain throughout pregnancy is usually very typical. It can be estimated that eighty per cent of women who are pregnant suffer back pain. Fortunately, the discomfort is commonly short term. We hardly discover lengthy term back pain from being pregnant. The causes with the anguish are not truly laid out. 1 achievable cause may be the improve of mother's and child's pounds. This can be specifically true inside last trimester of the patient's pregnancy.

When we look into the age aspect, we discovered that younger mothers tend to suffer more discomfort that the older ones. Usually, the mother can continue everyday activities as usual. Only ten per cent in the patients describe the pain as very disabling. In that case, the mother has to have a excellent rest until the anguish goes away.



Pregnancy



In pregnant women, using medication must be carried out under close supervision of the doctor. If possible, the physician tends to ask the patient not to utilize any medication. Consequently, using pain killer could not be as suitable. The most recommended methods to take care of the anguish include avoiding excessive weight gain, exercising to strengthen your back muscles, maintain correct postures throughout the day and wearing sensible shoes with no high heels. These typical measurements have helped a lot of individuals lower the possibility of obtaining back pain. You can also use them to decrease the chance of getting one.

Taking care of back pain through being pregnant might be completed without having much trouble if you know what it is possible to do. You don't want any medication and you will be happier expecting your baby to come out.

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