Pregnancy not only plunges you into a whole new role of being a mother but also brings
about significant changes in their physical and mental makeup. The body undergoes added
strain, both physically and mentally, thereby preparing you for a new you.
When so many changes are taking place inside you, the need of the hour is some activity that
keeps you going. This is where it becomes vital to throw light on prenatal and postnatal
exercising.
Exercising, in general, maintains life and boosts wellbeing in all stages of life. But it becomes
particularly essential for expecting and new mothers owing to the following benefits:
1. Improves emotional health
Exercising releases enough “happy hormones” in your body and lifts yourmood. This helps to reduce any anxiety and stress that is common in both during and after pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Exercising is also the best way to maintain a pleasant journey through your pregnancy and keep postpartum depression at bay.
2. Improves physical health
Prenatal and postnatal exercising improves muscle strength and endurance, keeping you fit and strong. This also translates to a more natural adaptation to the lower-intensity of early labor, shorter first and second stages of labor, and improve ability to cope with labor.
The right choice of exercise routines will also help to alleviate backaches, promotes circulation which helps to prevent constipation, bloating and swelling of the ankles.
By maintaining fitness level during pregnancy, it is less likely to gain more than the recommended increase in weight. Any excess gain may lead to certain health complexity such as gestational diabetes. Furthermore, exercising helps to maintain muscle tone and strength which promotes speedy postnatal recovery.
Exercising using these various methods can be beneficial for prenatal and postnatal.
1. Pilates
Pilates is one of the best prenatal and postnatal exercises because they help you build your
core strength. It strengthens and tones your back, abdominals, and pelvic floor muscles,
which will make for a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery.
Pilates is also one of the most essential routine for helping new mothers get back into shape
after pregnancy, especially for diastasis recovery, pelvic floor and abdominals health. Most of
these Pilates exercises can be customized to your body and abilities—something that keeps
your intent of the practice and adjust the form to work best for your body.
Read more about Pilates.
2. GYROTONIC® Method
Gyrotonic helps you handle the physical and emotional changes arising due to your
pregnancy, especially great for reducing stress, manage mood changes due to hormonal
effects and maintaining healthy and suppleness of spine and all joints. It also helps to
strengthen the body more quickly in postnatal, and offer the much-needed, gentle movement
throughout.
The method helps you find the right balance between expanding your body and pulling in
toward the core of the body. Gyrotonic is also essential for creating and maintaining enough
space in the joints of your body. It facilitates the natural movements of the foetus inside the
womb and ensures its best positioning for childbirth.
Read more about Gyrotonic Method.
3. Strength building and core conditioning
Strength and core conditioning before and after pregnancy helps control excessive weight gain, reduce prenatal and postpartum discomfort, increases strength. These exercises prevent or reduce muscular imbalances and promote efficient body movement.
Some activities to incorporate in your prenatal and postnatal regimen for strength building and core conditioning include lunges and squats, free weights, specific Pilates reformer and mat sequences, resistance bands.
4. Qigong
Last but not the least, you can fold in Qigong, which is an ancient Chinese practice that
incorporates slow, purposeful movements, and breathing exercises. It is essentially an
exercise that can improve your circulation, balance, alignment, concentration and emotional health. It targets your arms, legs, core, glutes, and back, and boosts your muscle flexibility and improves your body balance. Since it is a low-impact exercise, you are not going to put your joints at risk by performing them.
Read more about White Tiger Qigong.
Get in touch here to begin your prenatal and postnatal exercise routine with us.