The question: How can I stay active during my pregnancy?

If you are pregnant, looking to become pregnant, or know someone who is and you are looking to stay active but do not know how to do this properly, this blog will teach you 5 ways you can exercise during your pregnancy.

I chose this topic because over the past few months, this has been a common topic of discussion with my patients. Many of them are unsure what types of activity levels are proper before, during and after pregnancy.

To be honest, it will be different for every individual so that question can get complicated. There are a few exercises that are gentile and beneficial for most people, and that is the information we will cover here.

Before going any further, please understand that this blog is meant for general information and is not to be used as an exercise program. Please visit your healthcare practitioners to be screened and cleared for activity during your pregnancy. If you’d like to see or speak to a physical therapist about exercising while pregnant, get in touch with us today at (212) 475-8104.

I’m experiencing pain, should I still Exercise?

Many of the exercises I start women off with are simple, and postural based with roots in pilates and yoga. I do not teach these specifically during our sessions, but I do pick from these ideologies and tailor the movements for my patients when they come see me. Some common conditions my patients come in to see me for (but are not limited to the following) include neck pain, back pain, pelvic floor pain, pelvic girdle pain, and decreased balance.

When it comes to pelvic floor pain, the treatment is all performed externally and within the ACOG guidelines.

5 Postural Exercises You Can Do During Pregnancy

Let’s jump into the exercises from easiest to hardest:

1. Lateral and Deep Breathing: During the course of pregnancy, your organs will be pressed up into your lungs (to make room for baby of course!) and breathing can become shallower. To keep our breathing healthy, we practice breastbone and lateral breathing exercises. Start with your hands on your sternum (breastbone) and focus on pushing your breath into your hand. Next, move your hands to the outside of your ribs and focus on pushing your breath deep into the sides and back of your lungs. Practice 4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds hold, and 4 seconds exhale – repeat 4-8 times and stop if you feel dizzy.
2. Turkey Tucks: To be honest, most of us can benefit from this great postural exercise! Try to make a double chin and retract your head on your neck. Hold for 10 seconds and focus on using the muscles in the front of your neck to make this movement, repeat 10 times.
3. Kegels: Focus on a few different cues for your pelvic floor contraction. One of my favorites is ”try to lift a blueberry” – this helps us not only contract the pelvic floor but to also focus on a lift. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 10 times.
4. Transverse Contraction: This is our low core. In order to find this muscle, put your hands on your hips, find the points of your hips and move in and down about 1”. Next, think about squeezing into a tight pair of jeans and hold for 10 seconds, repeat 10 times.
5. Single Leg Stance: As your center of gravity changes during pregnancy, balance becomes more difficult. Practice standing on one leg for 30 seconds, repeat 3 times on each side.

How can I get a Personal Exercise Program?

Each of these exercises is important for posture and can be progressed and regressed depending on the person and their individual situation. If you are pregnant and are experiencing any of the conditions listed above, come visit our office in the Flatiron District of Manhattan for a screening and guided exercise program from our physical therapists!

No matter if you have a pelvic floor, orthopedic, or postural concern we are here to help. If you are unable to make it into the city during this time, we also offer virtual assessments and physical therapy. Please give our office a call if you have any questions about how you should exercise during your pregnancy!