7 main reasons you should exercise while pregnant

Are you expectant? Well,you should hit the roads and the gym frequently.

Unfortunately, most pregnant women are scared to exercise because they think they will harm their unborn child.

Exercising when pregnant is highly advisable. However, one should pay attention to the kind of exercise they are going to engage in.

Exercise can reduce high blood pressure, lower your risk of gestational diabetes, control hormones and help you to prepare for labor, according to Womanitely’s Diana White.

You should however talk to your doctor about exercising during pregnancy before starting your fitness program.

He might give you the necessary advice and recommendations.

Below are seven reasons to exercise when you are pregnant.

1. Strengthen your body and mind

When you exercise, you strengthen your mind and you prepare your body for labor.

A few studies have shown that exercise during pregnancy can reduce duration of labor and delivery. You may have speedy delivery and even speedy recovery if your maintain fitness during pregnancy.

2. Boost your baby’s brain activity

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal in 2013 showed that 20 minutes of moderate exercise, 3 times a week, enhances your baby’s brain power.

Prior to the findings of this study, most women believed exercise could only increase their brain activity, and not their baby’s.

3. Relieve back pain

One complaint that pregnant women always raise is lower back pain.

Diana White says that there are several things you can do to treat this pain, and exercise is one of them.

White advises: “To strengthen your core, you can only do the plank. Don’t lie on your back when you exercise, as this lowers blood flow to your baby.”

4. Better sleep

Yet another reason why you should subscribe to an exercise program while pregnant is to grant you a comfortable night sleep.

Sleeping during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, can prove to be difficult. Exercise may help you catch your 40 winnks.

White tells: “Don’t worry most pregnant women have sleep problems at some point, not only you. If you find yourself tossing and turning through the night, talk to your doctor and consider exercising every day.”

5. Reduce your risk of gestational diabetes

Exercising during pregnancy can also reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, says White. Gestational diabetes occurs when you have a lot of sugar in your blood.

To avoid this, make sure you eat healthy and work out on a regular basis.

However, there are no definite guarantees since gestational diabetes may be a genetic factor.

Nevertheless, you can still lower your risk by keeping your weight under control, exercising, and eating only healthy foods.

6. Balance your hormones

Since your hormones change during your pregnancy, don’t wonder if you notice that your emotions are down one moment and up the next.

To reduce your mood swings, try exercising regularly.

7. Help to get back to your pre-pregnancy body faster

Getting your groove back after pregnancy is difficult, and it get worse if you have been inactive for nine months.

If you are a work-out enthusiast during pregnancy, getting back your pre-pregnancy body won’t be difficult.

White says if you work out often you can watch the number of pounds you gain so that it’s in a healthy range, typically 9kgs to 18kgs.