Good morning and welcome to a great chat on pregnancy and exercise. She will be answering your questions about nutrition and fitness during pregnancy. We would like to introduce and welcome Amy Hendel to the chat. Amy, before we begin, please tell us a little bit about your background. We know, in medicine, the earlier in pregnancy a woman gets regular exercise, the more likely she will be comfortable in her pregnancy.
Exercise can make for shorter labor and can possibly decrease the chance for developing diabetes.
You want a weight training program, a cardiovascular workout, and some stress-reducing techniques. You shouldn't exercise if you have signs of bleeding, if you have an incompetent cervix, if you see the baby is not growing to predicted size, if you have lower levels of amniotic fluid, if you have been told you have placenta previa, if you have developed hypertension, or if you are carrying three or more babies. Walking and swimming are great exercises, and swimming can help you keep up your strength. Bicycling is another nonweight-bearing exercise that might be beneficial. You want to try not to overheat, especially during the first six weeks of pregnancy.