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Squats During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time to stay healthy and fit. Exercising is the best way to keep fit and pregnancy is no exception. Since the expectant mother is carrying, the only thing she should remember is to go slow, not do cardio or exert too much. It is also said that when the mother exercises, the baby feels better too. However, a lot of people are not clear what type of exercises should be done at this time. Some are scared while others not sure, but as recommended by medical experts, the ideal workout at this time is; squats. Doing squats during pregnancy provides strength to the lower part of the body and helps to keep it toned along with pumping the heart rate. It is a good choice to make squats a part of the weekly schedule as it has its own set of advantages for the mother as well as the baby. Apart from that it even makes the process of labor and birthing smoother.
Let us now study and find out how safe is it to squats during pregnancy, its advantages, the types of squats that can be performed during pregnancy, how does squats get affected by the physical changes that take place in the body, important points that should be followed, the time when one should not do squats, if it helps to induce labor etc. Going through these points will give us a better insight into the same.
Squats is believed to be the safest and the ideal exercises that keeps one healthy, the only thing one must remember is to do it in moderation. Overdoing or getting into too heavy workouts can drain the energy of the expectant mother, which is not a good sign as that can lead to tiredness, irritation, etc. Being active is very important as the body keeps getting the required fuel.
Before starting squats or before planning any fitness regime, it is highly recommended to consult the doctor, so that he can assess your condition and give a go-ahead. Squats ensure to strengthen the lower body and even enable proper movement of the core and pelvic muscles, the hips, etc. Not only that, the squats are excellent as it helps to open the pelvis muscles that is a great help during the process of normal delivery.
Squats are the ideal choice to be done during the pregnancy phase if given a go-ahead by the doctor. These are good not only for the mother but also for the child. Let us see how it benefits the mother-child duo in brief. Some pointers for its benefits are:
After knowing the benefits of squats, one also needs to know the different kinds of squatting exercises that are safe to be done during the pregnancy phase. Given below are the types of squatting postures, but it is a good choice to consult with the doctor before starting them.
As indicative of the name, this is done simply without any equipment. They prevent or help in reducing all types of pain and uneasiness in the lower back portion of the body.
Process:
This helps to strengthen the thigh muscles and even opening the hips.
Process:
This type is good for strengthening of glutes and keeping the bottom in shape.
Process:
This type helps to strengthen the core muscles and enhance flexibility as well.
Process:
This type of squat helps in strengthening the lower back, and quads.
Process:
Doing this type of squat helps to support the bladder, uterus as well as the other organs. Muscles tend to become weak with passing time in pregnancy so to keep them active, squatting is a good choice as it enables the process of smooth delivery.
Process:
The core muscles gain strength during this type of squat.
Process:
It is also referred to as half-chair squats and advisable for the women who do not feel comfortable with the regular squats position.
Process:
Besides the ones mentioned before, some squats can even be done with the help of equipment during pregnancy. The only thing to remember is that consultation with a doctor is a must as he can assess the condition of the expectant mother and then take a call and recommend the ones that are suitable for her.
Physical Changes During Pregnancy Affect Squats
Squatting can be started as early in pregnancy as possible but with doctors’ consent. It is, however, seen through that as the pregnancy progresses, the size of the tummy changes and so does the body so exercise in the right way is a must. So, it is advisable to make the necessary changes to the exercising schedule as per the changes in the body.
The hormones produced in the pregnancy can lead the join ligaments to stretch resulting in more injuries. The body weight also increases shifting the center of gravity and if using any equipment’s, there is an additional weight that is exerted on muscles and joints of the pelvic area as well as the lower back resulting in imbalance. It is thus important to follow a few basic pointers while doing squats during pregnancy.
To have a proper balance and be safe during the phase of pregnancy, few tips that should be borne in mind while performing squats in pregnancy are as below:
Should You Not Squat
Squatting no doubt is a great and healthy option to be fit but pregnancy is a time when overexertion and doing wrong things could lead to problems. So, given below are certain conditions under which squatting should be avoided and these are:
Squats are known to induce labor as they help in opening the pelvic floor muscles and even strengthen the same. This pelvic opening offers much room to the baby and it can easily descend towards the uterus, that can lead to cervix dilation resulting in inducing labor.
Few more instances are listed as below:
Thus, starting from the initial stages of pregnancy till delivery, squats are helpful at all stages excepting the special medical conditions that have been mentioned above. This eases the labor and the birthing process. One should always go slow, starting with light exercises and then heading to the difficult ones gradually increasing the intensity. The most important, however, is to be comfortable so look out and perform to only the level where the body feels comfortable.
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