Would you like to learn how to avoid some of the most common discomforts of pregnancy? As your body goes through the natural progressive changes that come with the stages of pregnancy, it will undoubtedly experience stresses and strains that can cause great discomfort. Normal, everyday activities will become more and more difficult and strenuous. So Fitness and Pregnancy must go hand in hand if you want to avoid most of the unpleasant physical experiences and enjoy the best possible pregnancy. It’s important, however, to start as early in (or even prior to) your pregnancy as possible.

One of the most common complaints made by pregnant women is back pain. In fact, a recent study showed that 76% of women who participated reported that they experienced some form of back pain. This is really no surprise since a pregnant body undergoes rapid weight gain. With most of this new weight primarily distributed in the front, it causes stress on specific back muscles as the body tries to rebalance.

But don’t worry, there are several things that you can do to combat back pain and other discomforts.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H

It’s very important to stretch your tight muscles before and after any physical activity. You certainly don’t need deal with muscle strain at this point, so be sure to stretch them out. Only stretch to the point of gentle tension, hold each stretch for 20 – 30 seconds, and be sure to breathe.

Walking

Walking is a great exercise while you’re pregnant. It’s easy on your joints, relatively safe and is good for cardiovascular conditioning.

Stationary Bike Riding

This is another great choice. Once again, there’s no stress on your joints, and you’ll be safe and comfortable inside your home or gym. This exercise is even more beneficial than walking because of the increased intensity. Just be sure not to push yourself too hard.

Strength Training

Some people are surprised by this, but strength training exercises are also important, and can be done safely. Exercises such as squats, leg extensions, shoulder combos and seated curls (just to name a few) can all be done safely and effectively.

I’ll write in more detail about these exercises in future articles. For now, it’s just important to get started. Even if you’re not yet pregnant, start now. The better your condition, the more enjoyable (by that, I mean pain free) your pregnancy will be.

One final thought. This article touches on the importance of fitness and pregnancy. But fitness will also play a very large part in your recuperation after pregnancy. As you probably know, giving birth is a very traumatic experience for your body. If your body is fit prior to giving birth, it will certainly recover much faster and you’ll have a much easier time bouncing back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

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