Once you have confirmed the good news of your pregnancy you will be showered with lots of suggestions, advices and tips from your elders, experienced peers as well as your doctor. While you will know gradually which suggestions to really follow and which ones to ignore, the one thing you should definitely do is to keep yourself active during the whole term of pregnancy. Keeping yourself in the loop of physical activity will prove beneficial for you at the time of delivery as well as post-delivery.

Why Is It Important To Stay Active During Pregnancy?

If the first thing that comes to your mind is the discomfort associated with pregnancy at the mention of staying active, then you need to know that a little bit of activity from your end would reap great benefits not only now, but even later. You will feel energized and sleep better, and will also like yourself more. Exercising will help you strengthen your heart and lungs, which will enable you to handle your daily activities without a lot of effort. Your stamina will improve and you will not get tired easily.

Top 10 Benefits Of Staying Active During Pregnancy

Here are a few reasons why you should constantly be doing physical activities and what terrific results it can give you:

1. 1. Stay active, keep winning: Staying active during pregnancy is like a win-win situation for both your health as well as your baby’s. Keeping yourself physically active will give your body more flexibility which will further help you while you are in labor. You muscles will stretch without difficulty and cause you less pain. Physical activities will also make your cardiovascular stronger which will help you a lot during the pushing stage
   2. Helps to keep your weight gain in check:
      It is inevitable that you are going to put on quite a few pounds. Working out will keep your weight under control and you will also feel more energetic. Keep yourself working as much as you can through household chores, light aerobics, 10-15 minutes of a brisk walk every day. You can even try swimming; it will strengthen your tummy muscles. Walking will help in better blood circulation and light exercises will help you stretch. Pregnancy workouts will also enable you to tackle pains and aches later owing to the strengthened muscles. Read more about weight gain in pregnancy here
   3. It lowers your gestational diabetes risk by 27 %: Though not hundred percent full-proof but it definitely reduces the risk of your acquiring gestational diabetes after delivery. It also reduces the chance of giving birth to an overweight baby. A physically active pregnant woman has lesser chances of running into birthing complications

1. Helps you sleep better: It is a common complain of pregnant women that they are not able to sleep during the night or rather not able to find the right position to sleep. If you involve yourself in a lot of physical activities you are bound to feel sleepy and tired by the end of day which will not only give you a sound sleep but also give your body the much deserved rest
2. Lesser chances of getting constipated: Your growing uterus is bound to cause a hindrance in your bowel movements and also increase in the level of progesterone in your body will lead to constipation. Physical activity will help keep your bowel movements in tandem. Also, a high-fibre diet is going to be extremely beneficial
3. Helps you maintain your center of gravity during the last few months: Your body undergoes a lot of changes and especially during the eighth and ninth months your tummy becomes so huge that the fluid inside the sac causes a dis-balance in your equilibrium and your weight mainly in the front portion. Also, your shifting hips and increasing weight will cause a lot of discomfort. It can be kept under control only through physical exercises. The more your body is accustomed to work outs, the more flexible your muscles will become during all these changes
4. Emotional benefits: A body under activity produces a hormone called Adrenaline which affects your mood. You will feel more energetic and also it will keep all the anxiety at bay. During pregnancy many women find it difficult to cope with the way their body shape changes. It is quite normal to feel out of shape and hate your body at times. Exercise will give you a mental satisfaction that you have not just given up on your fattening body and that you are doing your best to keep it in shape though the effects of hormone is just out of your control
5. Birthing and labor readiness: Being physically active ensures that you stay in the best of your health and you have gained some good strength. This in turn prepares your body for the times of labor and birthing, and with enhanced stamina and determination, coping becomes more controlled and effective
6. Greater chances of avoiding C-section: The more your body is flexible the more it increases the chance of a normal delivery and nothing is better than a normal delivery
7. Less swelling in your veins: As the uterus grows it exerts a lot of pressure on the walls of the surrounding veins, resulting in restricted flow of blood which ultimately leads to swelling. Keeping yourself active will help maintain a better blood supply and thus less swelling. Read more about edema during pregnancy here

So, for all the moms-to-be out there, keep yourself busy in things that require physical activity and experience its magical list of benefits. However, there are certain conditions and times in pregnancy when exercising is not recommended. Read about them here