3 Workouts You Can Do at Home During Pregnancy

Are you an expecting mother and thinking if you should exercise during your pregnancy? We all know that exercise during pregnancy is not a bad thing, and could in fact be beneficial for a mother to be.

Here are three workouts you can do at home while pregnant.

*Always listen to your body and check with your healthcare practitioner before performing any exercise.

Core activation using a stability ball

Training your core properly can help you have a more comfortable pregnancy and even improve your chances of having a smooth postpartum recovery.

1. Pelvic rocking
2. Knee plank
3. Rotations
4. Seated march (additional challenge: alternate arm movements)

Squats are key during pregnancy

Squats are helpful for the expecting mother, and here are some of the reasons why they are important and beneficial for the mum-to-be, as long as you don't have any pre-existing conditions or have been advised by a healthcare practitioner not to.

• Increased pelvic floor muscle strength. Squats will help prepare your pelvic floor muscles for birth.
• Prevents low back and pelvic pain. Strong glutes will stabilize your pelvis, which will prevent pain caused by ligaments loosening up due to the pregnancy hormones relaxing and progesterone.
• Prepare you for labor. Squats mirror positions you can hold to help you cope with contractions in early and late labor. They can also help the baby descend deeper down into your pelvis.
• Stronger legs. A must when it comes to labor and the final push to bring your baby into the world.  
  
  

You can progress from bodyweight squats by adding dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands. If this is too challenging, use a stability ball for more support.

Third-trimester Chair Workout at Home

You don't have to completely stop working out in your third trimester, although you should listen to your body and how you feel, and take the advice of your healthcare practitioner. However, to continue staying active, you can do this workout at home without any equipment. All you need is a chair! 

1. Squat (for increased difficulty, chair hold)
2. Knee push-up
3. Seated march
4. Dips (for increased difficulty, single leg)
5. Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Being a new mama to be sure is tough! If you want to know which exercises are safe to do during your pregnancy and which are not, our Personal Trainers specializing in pre/postnatal pregnancy are here to help!