5 Safe and Easy Pregnancy Workouts First Trimester

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The lack of general awareness about the do's and don'ts of pregnancy may cause pregnant women to adopt an unhealthy lifestyle. Women get extra cautious and careful in their early pregnancy and are forced to adopt a nearly sedentary lifestyle, but this may not be a good idea at all.

A healthy diet with little workout in the first trimester is beneficial not only for the mother but for the baby as well. Therefore, Redshed elaborate the exercise during pregnancy first trimester to help you remain healthy and fit.

Here are the 5 safe and easy pregnancy workouts first trimester:

1. Yoga

Yoga is the master of all exercises as it helps to regain mental stability and brings peace into your life. Yoga can be your best partner during the beginning of your pregnancy. You don’t need to worry about the harmful effects of yoga on your pregnancy as there aren’t any. It is the easiest exercise to keep you fit and relaxed without any special arrangements. You can continue your previous yoga routine during the first trimester except for backbends, headstands as well as hot yoga or any pose that twists your abdomen.

If you are new to yoga, then it is recommended that you start with a few breathing exercises. A complete 3-part breath can be pretty useful, as it works perfectly for the entire upper body. Follow the steps below to perform a full 3-part breath yoga exercise:

• Sit down in a comfortable cross-legged position and exhale your breath completely.
• Take a deep breath stressing the belly first and then move it towards your bust and then shoulders.
• Exhale the breath in the same reverse order.

You should aim to repeat this for at least 30 times in a set of 10 repetitions.

 

2. Walking

Do you fancy walking in the lovely weather outside? If yes, then you can certainly go for it for your exercise in early pregnancy. Walking is entirely safe and healthy for pregnant women, and it is helpful in the development of the baby as well. Our metabolism has an inbuilt requirement for a minimum daily walk and fulfilling the needs of metabolism can be an excellent source of relief during your first trimester.

Going for a walk on a daily basis can help you set up your new routine. It is a complete set of exercise in which both your lower and upper body parts are involved. It strengthens your heart by increased pumping and also creates resilience in your body.

A few tips to keep in mind while walking include:

• Don’t try jogging or running, stick to simple walking only especially if you are trying it for the first time
• Ensure that your footwear is proper and you feel comfortable in it
• Move your upper body parts too by matching the rhythm with your feet
• If you are not a regular walker, then you should start with only 10 minutes of daily walk.

3. Swimming

Water exercise is a dear friend of pregnant women, as there is no risk of falling in pools. Swimming can be an excellent pregnancy workouts first trimester if you are doing it the right way. Many women enjoy doing water aerobics in their early pregnancy, but if you have never done that before, we suggest you start with swimming first.

Water is a great source of stress release and swimming in a pool is equivalent to a complete full body workout in the gym. The frequency of swimming should not be more than twice in a week as it burns body fats quickly. Moreover, the following tips can help you swim suitably with your pregnancy.

• Never swim in too hot or too cold water, as it might affect your central nervous system and cause harm to the baby.
• Make sure that you are not overstressing your body for the sake of swimming.
• Stick to the basic front and backstrokes. Do not try any method that might affect your abdomen.
• Try more to relax in the water and swim for fun.

4. Weight Lifting and Simple Workout

It is merely a taboo that weight lifting or simple workouts can be harmful to pregnant women. In fact, the opposite is true i.e. they are beneficial for women in their first trimester. If you are not a regular weightlifter, then you should not jump into heavy weight lifting with your pregnancy. Think of it as an opportunity to stay healthy and fit.

Starting with low weight dumbbells, you can engage yourself in biceps workout. Apart from that, bodyweight squats can also serve the purpose and are completely harmless.

Here is a simple guide for bodyweight squats:
• Get yourself in a squat position and make sure you are in a comfortable outfit.
• Fold your hands in a cross by placing your left palm on the right shoulder joint and the right palm on the left.
• Place your feet in a firm position and try to push through the outer edges of your feet.
• Now go deep down while looking at the ground and in the same way come back up.
• While repeating this process, keep your pelvis in check and don’t arch your back.

5. Stationary Bicycling

Another full body workout that can help you grow strong with positive impacts on your baby is stationary bicycling. Regular bicycling has the risks of slipping or bumping into someone; therefore, it is advised by physicians to go with stationary bicycling during pregnancy. A stationary bicycle would allow you to engage in a risk-free full body workout.

You can try the following on your stationary bicycle:
• Keep the gears on low in the very beginning to help your lower body get acquainted with your new routine.
• Try developing your muscles slowly by bicycling in short intervals in the first few weeks.
• Keep in mind that it is a joy ride and needs to be stopped immediately if it is getting stressful.
• Never ride the stationary bicycle with bare feet as you might end up hurting yourself.
• Make sure that you ride your stationary bicycle in an indoor setting.

Provided above is a general set of guidelines for safe and comfortable exercise during the first trimester.

The exercises do not exhaust the entire possibility set, and therefore you can consult with professional trainers as well as your doctor to recommend to you the best workout plan in accordance with your needs and routine. If you have more questions about pregnancy & postpartum fitness do browse over to an interview with an expert here.

Contributor Bio:
Melissa Weir is a North Carolina-based freelance writer and work-from-home mother of two. In her 10 years as a professional writer, she’s worked in proposal management, grant writing, and content creation. Personally, she’s passionate about teaching her family how to stay safe, secure and action-ready in the event of a disaster or emergency.