If you’ve just found out that you’re expecting a new baby girl or boy, or you’re a few months already through your pregnancy, it’s still going to be highly important that you take the time to learn how to exercise safely and effectively during this time.

Those who rush right into their workout sessions without dong some background research on what’s safe and what’s not may not only put themselves at risk for injury or health problems, but their growing baby as well.

Let’s have a look at what you need to know.

Avoid Intense Activity That Increases Body Temperature

The very first thing that you need to be doing is moving away from extremely intense types of activities. If you’re doing an intense interval training workout for example or anything else that gets your heart rate up very high, the chances of a dramatic increase to your body temperature will be much greater and this can really put your baby at risk for problems.

…the chances of a dramatic increase to your body temperature will be much greater and this can really put your baby at risk for problems…

While you would have to get your temperature up very high to do serious damage, even small increases that are higher than normal can cause issues.

Avoid Prone Exercises

The second must-know tip to remember when exercising while pregnancy is that you should avoid any prone exercises at this time.

…‘Prone exercises’ refers to any form of exercise that is going to have you stomach downwards…

‘Prone exercises’ refers to any form of exercise that is going to have you stomach downwards. This doesn’t just include movements where you’re actually lying on your stomach either, but also includes movements where your stomach is facing the ground.

Leave these out for now as that can place too much stress of the stomach region or if you’re not on the ground, the lower back as it tries to support that extra weight.

Do all exercises standing or seated instead.

Go For Shorter Bursts Rather Than Long Sessions

Third, aim to keep your workouts shorter and more frequent rather than doing extremely long sessions. So instead of going out for an hour long walk, try three 20 minute walks instead.

As your pregnancy progresses along you’re going to find it harder and harder to sustain the length of the workouts you’re doing anyway, so this will naturally lend better to doing the shorter workout sessions.

You’ll find you’ll enjoy them more and they’ll be easier to fit into your busy schedule as well.

Don’t Neglect Strength Training

Finally, last but not least, make sure that you do keep up some strength training exercise while you move throughout the pregnancy period. Strength training is going to be essential to sustaining your lean muscle mass, which you need to keep your metabolism up higher and your overall strength levels up.

…Drop strength training and you will find you become weaker with time…

Drop strength training and you will find you become weaker with time, which will only make getting back to exercise after you give birth that much more difficult.

So keep these quick tips in mind as you go about the pregnancy period. When done right, you can definitely exercise while pregnant and maintain a good level of fitness.