Fewer pregnancy ailments, better posture, and fit for childbirth: these are just a few benefits of staying active while expecting. The importance of exercising during your pregnancy? We explain it to you and share 5 exercises to help you get started.

The importance of exercising during your pregnancy explained

The importance of exercising during your pregnancy

A pregnancy is an exciting and transformative time for a woman. Your body changes, and new life is growing in your belly. It is essential to take good care of yourself. You may think primarily about getting enough rest and taking on fewer tasks, but staying active is just as important. In this article, we share the importance of exercising during your pregnancy for both you and your baby.

A solid foundation for mother and baby

In addition to the changes in your life, your body also undergoes many changes due to pregnancy. Your body is the foundation for your baby's development. Your growing belly requires more strength from your muscles. Your joints are also more stressed due to the increasing weight. This clearly illustrates the importance of exercising during your pregnancy. With strength training, you ensure a strong body that can handle the changes in load, allowing you to optimally support your baby's growth.

Additionally, strength training also supports you on a mental and emotional level. When you are expecting, your hormone levels change, and you may feel more emotional. By exercising, you support the production of hormones that keep your brain happy and healthy. Thus, strength training during your pregnancy is also a boost for your balance and resilience.

5 strength exercises during your pregnancy

Strength training is therefore essential for a strong body during pregnancy. Want to get started? These 5 strength exercises are specifically suitable for pregnant women and can be performed at home or in the gym.

Squats

Strong leg and glute muscles are essential during pregnancy. Your legs need to support an increasingly growing belly, and with strong glutes and legs, you support your core and maintain good posture. Performing squats is a good strength exercise because it trains your glutes as well as your thighs and hamstrings. In this video, you can see how to perform a squat correctly:

Lunges

Another good exercise to train your glutes and legs during pregnancy is performing lunges. With lunges, you train your legs independently of each other. This requires more coordination, which means you are also training balance and stability along with strength. You can do this exercise at home without weights or in the gym with more resistance. An ideal exercise to increase your strength and balance during pregnancy.

Planks 

There is often confusion about doing abdominal exercises during pregnancy. Strong abdominal muscles are important for carrying your baby, but as your belly grows, the abdominal muscles also shift. This can lead to diastasis, where the rectus abdominal muscles are pulled apart. Therefore, it is important not to do exercises that exacerbate this process. However, you can still do abdominal exercises that do not 'pull apart' your abdominal muscles, such as planks. This way, you still train your core while considering the changes in your body.

Bridge

Carrying a child requires strength from your legs, glutes, abdominal muscles, and back muscles. With the Bridge exercise, you train all these muscles simultaneously and work on a strong core. You can perform this exercise with or without weights, depending on how fit and strong you already are and how far along you are in your pregnancy.  

Bench press

In addition to focusing on your legs, glutes, and core, you should not forget to train the rest of your body. Although your shoulders, arms, and chest are not directly involved in carrying your child during pregnancy, you do need a strong upper body in your daily life. For example, for carrying groceries, and after giving birth for carrying your child. The Bench Press is a great exercise to strengthen your upper body.

Safety first

With strength training during your pregnancy, you ensure a strong body to carry your child during and after pregnancy. If you do strength training during your pregnancy, it is essential that you perform the exercises correctly. There are a number of muscle groups that require extra attention when you are expecting. For instance, you need to be careful when training your abdominal muscles, and proper breathing is important for the pressure on your pelvic floor. In this article, you can read more about training during your pregnancy and the do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.

Responsible training during your pregnancy 

Do you want to train during your pregnancy but don't know where to start? Do you need quality guidance? At Daadkracht, we offer strength training for pregnant women for an optimal pregnancy and childbirth with a strong body. Book a free trial lesson to assess your personal situation and create a training plan.