How Much Should I Exercise During Pregnancy?

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important at any stage in a person’s life – and this is especially true during pregnancy.  Exercising provides moms-to-be with many benefits, including less weight gain, faster labour and a reduced likeliness of premature birth.  But, how do you know you’re working hard enough?

The goal is to keep your heart rate up without overexerting yourself, and maintaining that balance can prove difficult for many expecting mothers.  However, there are ways to determine whether you’re exercising too little or too much while pregnant.

Trainers suggest the ‘talk test’ for expecting mothers.  This simple test allows you to tell whether you’re working too hard while exercising.  If you can talk while you’re exercising, then you are maintaining a healthy level of activity.  If you find that you can sing while exercising, then you’re not working hard enough.  Use this test to find the right balance and you’ll be sure to maintain a healthy pregnancy exercise routine.

When it comes to frequency, it is recommended that you work out for at least 30 minutes every day.  It’s true, pregnancy is tiring; however, it is important that you are active on a daily basis because this increases the likelihood of a healthy birth, and a healthy child.

While you may need to adjust how you complete these exercises, you can still do yoga, go swimming and take part in a wide range of other activities.  Simply ask your doctor about which exercises are right for you.