Everyone talks about things you should do when you are pregnant. From eating well to being careful and doing things that make your pregnancy a smooth ride. But what are the things that you should not do? Well, here is a list of 10 physical activities that you should avoid during pregnancy.

10 Physical Activities To Be Avoided During Pregnancy

Ideally, as your pregnancy progresses, any activity that increases your risk of falling or causing injury/trauma to your abdomen. The below activities may do just that, and hence should definitely be avoided during pregnancy.

1. 1. Heavy weight training: You would have seen pictures in the social media of nine month pregnant lady lifting heavy weight in the gym. But unless you have been weight training (that too with heavy weights) for years, do not attempt to start it when you are pregnant
   2. Lying on the tummy: Any exercise or workout that requires you to lie on your tummy should be avoided. For starters, when you have a bulging tummy, this is a very uncomfortable position. Secondly, even a small injury to your abdomen can have significant consequences to your pregnancy
   3. Sauna: Although sauna is not really a physical activity, we thought we should include it here because it normally is linked to your gym. There is a high chance of infections being spread to you, along with chances of your child having birth defects
   4. Certain rides in amusement park: We think this goes without saying. Most rides in the amusement park have a sudden start or sudden stop, both of which cause the entire body to jerk. And yes, definitely no-no to roller coaster rides!
   5. Certain kinds of yoga: Prenatal yoga is wonderful and we recommend it unless your doctor has asked you not to do it. But certain other kinds of yoga asanas, especially the ones where your body is against gravity or the ones that requires extreme stretching, should be avoided. It is best to go to a seasoned practitioner if you are interested to do yoga during your pregnancy
   6. Running: Unless you are a running pro, avoid running and jogging during your pregnancy. There is a very high risk of losing balance and falling down. If you are a runner, please check with your doctor about the amount of strain you are allowed to take

1. High impact exercises: Much like weightlifting, many women who have been engaged in high impact aerobics exercises swear by it, even during pregnancy. If you are new to this, do not do it. If you have been engaged in it for a long time, then be very careful especially when you do jump, hop so that you do not lose balance
2. Cycling: If you have been cycling regularly, you can continue to do so until your 4th or 5th month of pregnancy. Post this, your tummy starts becoming huge, and this shifts your body’s center of gravity. This can lead to loss of balance and potential falls. If you are new to cycling, then by all means avoid it during your complete pregnancy
3. Contact sports: If you are a sportsperson playing contact sports like football, hockey or basketball, it might be best to give it a rest during your pregnancy. While the playing as such might not affect you, the fact that there is a high risk of falling down, crashing into another player or getting hit by the ball or the hockey stick, makes these activitiesrisky during pregnancy
4. Gymnastics: When you are pregnant, the spread of your body weight changes. So even if you are trained in gymnastics, there is a high risk of falling. Some of the moves might also involve somersaulting, which can also increase the pressure on the abdomen region

Other than these activities, horse riding, scuba diving, waterskiing, surfing, and downhill skiing are also best avoided as they can increase your risk of falling and chances of trauma to your abdomen. All this does not mean that you have to sit or sleep throughout the day and not move around, as if you are a sick person. Unless your doctor has specifically asked you to take bedrest during pregnancy, you do not have to confine yourself to bed. In fact it is highly recommended you do not. You can go for walks, do low impact exercises and so on. (Read Exercises During Pregnancy For A Normal And Natural Delivery and Top 5 Exercises During Pregnancy)
However, keep the above list in mind.The idea is simple – you do not engage yourself in any activity that increases the chances of strain in your tummy region or puts you in a risk of falling and hurting yourself and the baby. Be careful!
Here is wishing you a happy and safe pregnancy.