BODY
The benefits of exercising throughout pregnancy are numerous. Research has suggested that gentle exercise helps your body to prepare for and recover from childbirth as well as helping to reduce uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, insomnia, heartburn and aches.
Pregnancy workouts
There are a variety of at-home exercises you can do to prepare for labor. Focusing on the following exercises for 10-15 minutes a day can strengthen the muscles you need to give birth.
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Kegel Exercises with a squat: Flex your pelvic floor muscles, squat, release muscles when you rise-and repeat. For beginners, work with an assisted squat with a partner or TRX ropes.
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Pelvic Tilts: Laying on the floor with your knees up, lift your pelvis till you have an even tilt, and lower down slowly.
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Tailor Sitting: Sit on the floor with your feet touching each other, feeling a nice stretch in your legs. This will strengthen and increase flexibility in your legs.
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Cat/Cow: On the floor on hands and knees, tilt your body towards the ceiling exaggerating like a cat, then bring your belly towards the floor, stretching and moving with your breath.
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Swimming: This may be one of the best forms of exercise during pregnancy. Just a light swim can provide you with a great cardio vascular workout boosting your circulation. It aids the transportation of oxygen and nutrients around your body. This helps you to feel energized and also reduces water retention and swelling by creating equilibrium of water throughout the body. That same equilibrium creates more balanced amniotic fluid levels and lower blood pressure.
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Yoga: Gently facilitates the development of muscle tone. This will help you to adapt to your changing shape and also make it easier to regain your pre-pregnancy figure after you’ve given birth. It also begins to build endurance and endorphin responses that will make you better equipped to tolerate pain during labor. Yoga is a relaxing, low impact exercise that is generally safe to do throughout pregnancy. This is especially beneficial during pregnancy as your joints, muscles and ligaments become particularly susceptible to injury as increased levels of the hormone progesterone cause them to soften and become overly flexible. Practicing yoga with a skilled instructor poses almost no risk or joint or ligament injury and can actually help to reduce aches and pains. Blue Sky Yoga in Las Vegas offers Prenatal & Mommy and Me yoga classes, weekly on Wednesdays.
In addition to the at-home, daily excercises – try taking part in one of these low-impact activities.
chiropractic care
– Dr Koury, Chiropractic for Life
A healthy pregnancy and effortless birth are essential for a joyful journey into motherhood, and allows for a happier, smarter baby.”
Reiki
Reiki is a wonderful modality from the early stages of pregnancy right through the birth process helping to restore balance and health to baby and mother.” – Amy, The Reiki Gal