A part of the weight you have gained during pregnancy will disappear at birth, when you deliver the baby and the placenta. Once you have given birth, you will look more or less like you did when you were four to six months pregnant, until everything slowly falls back into place.

Going back to your normal weight

Recovering your pre-pregnancy figure is a process that can take some time. In the days following the delivery, you will slowly eliminate the extra fluids you accumulated due to changes in the circulatory system. It is common after delivery for your feet to look swollen, but this excess fluid will slowly disappear.

Your body weight is not yet within “normal” limits, because although you may not be breastfeeding, your milk still has to come in and your uterus must return to a normal size. Breastfeeding your baby releases a hormone that helps your uterus go back to normal. Even though it is a somewhat slower process than you would like, be patient, because everything will fall back into place eventually. Keep in mind that it took you nine months to gain the weight you are at now, and it may take you at least the same amount of time to go back to normal.

Avoid extreme measures

After having undergone so many bodily changes in the last months, it’s normal that you want to get your figure back as soon as possible. However, do not take extreme measures because this could be harmful.  Don’t be impatient and don’t force the process to lose weight, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby.

Taking herbs, home remedies or weight-loss tablets is not a good idea, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby, because many of those substances could enter your milk supply and affect your baby.  

The best formula to recover your pre-pregnancy weight in a healthy and natural manner is the same as before having your baby: a balanced diet, exercise and healthy habits. Include in your menu many fruits and fresh veggies, cereal, grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. Maintaining those habits is also a good way to prevent or reduce the likelihood of suffering from postpartum depression.

Concerning exercise, take a small break before going back to your usual exercise routine.  The quarantine is a period of rest of six weeks that is observed in our culture that will help you to adapt to your baby and its rhythms and to rest after the tremendous effort of delivery. This period could be even longer if you have undergone a C-section, as it is full-blown surgery that requires recovery.  

Important check-ups

Do not forget that if you had gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, you should periodically check the status of your health.  Women who suffered from pre-pregnancy diabetes or gestational diabetes have a higher possibility of developing it after delivery. The type of diabetes that affects Latinos is Type II that is usually linked to being overweight. You should also control your blood pressure, although all your symptoms may have disappeared once you have given birth.

Think realistically of the weight you want to attain once you have given birth. Sometimes, a healthy weight and that which you want to attain are not the same.  

One of the universal complaints of pregnant women is backache in the last months of pregnancy. Although the factors that cause it are inevitable, you can perform certain exercises that will help you strengthen the area, alleviate your discomfort and prevent your backache from getting worse.  

Pain in your lower back

This part of your back suffers the most due to the tension these muscles are subjected to in order to counteract the weight of your belly. Pregnancy hormones cause muscle tissues to relax. For this reason, the area of your lower back does not have the usual muscular tone. This is compounded by the fact that your belly is growing and “pulling” forward.  

In order to compensate for this extra weight and due to the change in your center of gravity, you tend to lean backwards. This change of posture, along with the relaxation of the muscles, causes the aches and pains typical of this area.  

On the other hand, the pressure your baby exerts on the nerves of this area can sometimes cause pain in the sciatic nerve. It is a characteristic pain that starts in one of the buttocks and then goes down the leg. It can be very intense.

Strengthening exercises for the back

You can practice the following exercises at home, in the morning, at night or at any other moment when you have the opportunity of doing them. They are easy exercises that do not require you to overheat or stress yourself, but that focus specifically on those muscles that now hurt.

• Leg flexion and extension. Get down on all fours. Elevate one knee and bring it forward, towards your chest. Then push and extend your leg back all the way, slowly. Count to six as you do the exercise and repeat the exercise 6-12 times with each leg. 

• Back presses. This exercise will bring much relief when you are especially tired and your back is bothering you. Stand around 10 inches away from a wall. With your back straight, flex your legs and put your back against the wall, pressing the small of your back against the wall. Press against the wall using the force of your knees and count to ten. If your legs get tired, go back to standing position to rest.

• Pelvic balance. The balancing effect of this exercise will also help you to counteract backache in the last months of pregnancy. Get down on all fours and start out with a straight back. Slowly arch it upwards, like cats do. While you arch your back, contract your buttocks. Perform this exercise slowly, around 8 times.

These exercises may be combined with any other recommended physical activity during pregnancy. These exercises and many others are also performed in exercise classes that target pregnant women. Another option you may want to explore to prepare for delivery is yoga during pregnancy.

Giving birth implies stretching and moving a series of muscles that, due to our sedentary life-style, we do not use frequently. Having these muscles in shape will help you during the delivery. There are some exercises you can do, especially in the last trimester of your pregnancy that will help you to be in the best possible shape for the big day.

The pelvic area

The muscles in the pelvic area undergo extreme stretching during delivery. So much so, that the lack of muscle tone in the area could give way to incontinence problems after childbirth.

On the other hand, the round ligaments, that are holding the uterus, have to stretch considerable during pregnancy. Sometimes this stretching can be painful, causing intermittent discomfort.

Besides, the lower back also undergoes tension during these months, due to the action of the hormones, which cause your spine not to have as much support as usual, and also due to the passing of the baby through the birth canal.  

Because of all this, it will be very beneficial to you to develop the best muscle tone possible in this area, both during the delivery and during your subsequent recovery.  

Exercises to get ready for delivery

You can do these simple exercises at home, at any time of day. They are simple to do and if practiced daily, you will see how they help you with the discomfort associated with the last few months of pregnancy.  

• Pelvic strengthening. This is a posture that will strengthen your inner thighs and your lower back. Sit on the floor, with your back straight, open your legs out to the sides and then put the soles of your feet together out in front of you, flexing your knees. This position should mimic a butterfly’s wings. In this position, raise your knees towards the ceiling and then lower them to the floor with rhythmic and rapid movements. Hold your ankles while doing the exercise and keep your back straight.  

• Pelvic movements. One of the most common discomforts of pregnancy is the pain due to the stretching of the round ligaments that support the uterus. This pelvic movement alleviates the pain and strengthens the area. Standing up, with legs together, lift one leg up vertically, one or two inches off the floor, thus elevating the hip around 30 degrees. Return to the original position after counting to 6. Do this movement ten times a day, throughout the day when you feel discomfort.

• Squatting. During delivery, this position can help you dilate, as the baby is pushing against your cervix. The aim is to strengthen your thigh muscles that will support you in this position. Standing up with your legs apart, squat slowly and then stand up again. If you have balance problems, due to your center of gravity having changed, do these exercises holding on to the back of a chair.     

• Kegel exercises. These exercises will help you to maintain the muscular tone of your pelvic floor muscles and the vagina. The movement of Kegels is similar to when you try to stop the flow of urine.

Along with these exercises, you should practice deep and relaxed breathing, which will also be of great help for you after delivery.  

Kegels are the best exercises you can do to prepare for delivery and they are also good for recovery. These exercises, named after their inventor Arnold Kegel, will help you to strengthen the muscles of what is known as the pelvic floor.  

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is formed by a series of muscles that hold the lower abdomen, where the bladder, the uterus and lower part of the intestines are. These muscles are located between the buttocks, the thighs and the pelvis.  

Pelvic muscles tend to weaken and the main reasons for this are pregnancy and delivery, although it could also be due to age. As the years go by, this area weakens and it is common for problems such as urinary incontinence to arise.  There are also cases of weakening of the pelvic floor muscles in athletes who practice sports that put a lot of pressure in that area.

During pregnancy, the considerable weight gain of the belly causes these muscles to stretch. This stretching of the pelvic floor muscles is compounded when the baby goes through the birth canal.   

How you can benefit from Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, providing a greater resistance to this muscle group. These muscles are not usually exercised naturally and therefore Kegels must be learned and practiced consistently.

The benefits of these exercises will help you during the delivery, as your vaginal muscles will be stronger than if you didn’t do Kegels.  

Kegel exercises are especially beneficial in the recovery from delivery, to avoid urinary incontinence. It is rather common in women who have had babies to have small leaks of urine when they laugh, cough or sneeze.  This urinary incontinence can range from mild to being a constant problem, depending on the circumstances of the delivery. Strengthening the muscles in this area will enable you to have a greater control over these bothersome leaks.   

Another advantage of these exercises would be the improvement of your sexual life, as the vaginal area will be better toned and have increased sensitivity.  

How to practice Kegel exercises

The movement that Kegels involve is not natural; therefore you will have to learn to practice them. One of the easiest ways to understand the type of muscular movement required is to attempt to stop the flow of urine when urinating. This contraction will give you a feel for the muscles you have to use to do these exercises.  

In order to do your Kegels, you have to tighten the vaginal muscles and then “pull up” but without tightening your abdomen, legs or buttocks. When you master this movement, keep these muscles contracted for at least 10 seconds and then relax them. Repeat this contraction between 10 and 15 times and then rest.  

The best way to remember to practice your Kegels is to do them as a part of another daily routine, such as for example, brushing your teeth, taking a shower or even driving to work. Once you have mastered them, you can carry out several series of Kegels three times a day. Once you’ve acquired practice, you can do Kegels three times a day. The beneficial effects of these exercises are apparent in just a few weeks.  

Do you feel stressed physically and emotionally because of your pregnancy? One of the oldest relaxation techniques in the world could help you feel a lot better during these months and to prepare yourself for delivery.  

What is yoga?

The general concept of yoga is to practice a series of postures that stretch the muscles. Yoga does involve stretching but the ultimate aim is to attain a balance of the body, mind and spirit. Body postures are really just one part of yoga. However, even if you don’t live the whole yoga philosophy, the physical exercises will be very beneficial for you.

Yoga postures can be practiced quickly, as a form of exercise, or in a slower fashion, in order to find the perfect alignment of each pose. Something interesting about yoga is that it is never mastered because the postures and the way they are carried out change constantly.  

Benefits of yoga during pregnancy

Yoga is recommended during pregnancy due to its effects on different parts of the body, and also due to the relaxation and breathing techniques it promotes.  

According to yoga experts, this practice during pregnancy will provide you with:

• Pranayama or breathing techniques, which provide a great amount of oxygen both for you and your baby.  

• Mudras or physical and psychic stimulation with postures that benefit the woman’s reproductive organs.

• Exercises that work the pelvis and the reproductive organs to help during delivery.  

• Meditation and relaxation that would help you to overcome the fears you may have concerning pregnancy and delivery and a deep connection with your baby.  

The effects of yoga during pregnancy

The practice of yoga has very specific effects on the discomforts of pregnancy and on the delivery process and the subsequent recovery. These effects include:  

• Helps to prevent swelling of the limbs.

• Prevents constipation, as it stimulates intestinal movement.  

• Helps to minimize nausea and mood swings in combination with breathing techniques.  

• Helps to alleviate tension in the cervix and birth canal.

The physical well-being it provides also has positive effects on a faster recovery after the delivery.  

Some precautions

In general, yoga postures are safe during pregnancy but you must be careful with those that require that you lie on your back for a long time, especially during the third trimester. The pressure of your belly on the main arteries, as you are lying on your back, can impede the flow of oxygen to your uterus.  

In the postures that require balance, hold on to the wall or on to the back of a chair, because as the months go on, your center of gravity shifts and you could lose your balance.  

In general, avoid any posture in which you are uncomfortable, especially if you get dizzy. Always have a bottle of water handy in order to keep yourself hydrated and listen to your body.  

The best way to become initiated in yoga during pregnancy is with a qualified teacher who is experienced in teaching yoga to pregnant women. He or she will be able to answer your questions and ensure that the postures you are engaging in are safe for you and your baby.  

Can you imagine all of a sudden eliminating the extra weight your poor joints are carrying? Helping the swelling in your legs to subside and feel like you’re floating? Swimming can do all this and more for you: it is one of the best exercises you can practice during pregnancy.  

The benefits of swimming

Swimming is one of the best-rounded exercises around. Amongst its many benefits are:  

• Improving your cardiovascular performance  

• Developing muscular strength

• Creating resistance

• Improving posture

• Improving flexibility

One of the biggest advantages of swimming is that it improves the use of oxygen in your body, without putting extra stress on your heart. Now that you are pregnant, your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes. Swimming helps to make your blood-flow to your lungs and heart be much more efficient.  

Another advantage of swimming is that to practice it, you have to use the largest muscles in your body, especially if you practice breaststroke, crawl or backstroke. However, despite this well-rounded use of your muscles, your joints aren’t suffering like they do with high-impact sports in which you have to struggle against gravity in order to perform the exercise (aerobics, jogging, etc.).

To get started on swimming

In order to reap the benefits of swimming it isn’t necessary that you swim endless laps. If you’ve never practiced swimming as a sport, but you would like to start during pregnancy, you should do it in moderation.  

The most comfortable style you could practice during pregnancy is breaststroke. Start swimming for 10 or 20 minutes, and slowly increase the time. Try to duck your head under water and exhale air under water because this will give your neck more mobility. Besides, intense and steady breathing will help you be better oxygenated and relaxed. Little by little, you can incorporate other strokes, such as the backstroke or simply hold on to a kick-board and kick your feet.   

You can combine swimming with other exercises in the water that will be equally beneficial. Try to run in the water. The resistance of water on your muscles will help you exercise without stressing your joints. Aquaerobics is also a great exercise during pregnancy. These are low impact sports that provide the benefits of exercise.

You may also want to just play in the water, especially if it is summer. Throwing a ball across the pool and running under water to catch it can be a lot of fun and also good exercise.  

Some precautions

In general, swimming in the pool, especially if there is a life-guard, should not be a problem. However, if you are going to swim in the sea, in the river or in another natural environment where there is no supervision, you should take some precautions.

During pregnancy, it is quite normal to have leg cramps. If this happens when you are in the water, you may have difficulty swimming. That’s why you shouldn’t swim far offshore and if you do, then make sure someone else is with you.  

You should also avoid diving head or feet first, especially in the last trimester. Your belly could hit the water hard and you could hurt yourself.

Remember to take things in stride. If you are dizzy or weak, stop swimming and rest until you feel better.

Although you are probably already aware of the benefits of exercising regularly, perhaps due to your work or family obligations you may not be able to practice a sport or exercise as much as you’d like. Now that you are pregnant, it is a good moment to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle.  

Simple but effective

Exercise is beneficial to have an optimum level of health, but during pregnancy it can provide you with additional benefits: on the one hand it will help you prevent the typical discomforts of pregnancy and on the other hand it will increase your resistance and physical stamina for the day of the delivery and beyond.

However, pregnancy is not the best moment to start demanding sports, or to take up a new sport that may put you at a risk for falling. 

Introducing a little exercise in your life could be as simple as being more aware of how to take advantage of opportunities to exercise. Examples of simple activities in which you may add some extra exercise are:

• Don’t take the closest parking spot when you go grocery shopping. Park at the farthest end, so you have to walk some more.  

• Go up two or three flights of stairs whenever possible instead of going in the elevator.  

• At work, get up and talk to your co-workers in person instead of using the phone or e-mail. That will help your blood-circulation.  

• When you are cleaning at home, play music you like and dance while you clean.

New exercise routines

Exercising on your own could be a drag, especially if you aren’t used to it. The best way to start off an exercise routine is to share it with other members of your family or with your friends.  

Commit yourself to walking daily, when you come from work, before or after dinner, with your partner, a family member or a friend or neighbor. This will help you keep in shape during pregnancy and avoid swelling in the legs. You don’t have to jog; walking briskly for 15 or 20 minutes is good enough. You must do it briskly, but not so much that you cannot have a conversation while you walk.   

A form of exercise that is recommended during pregnancy is swimming. Besides eliminating stress on your joints, it enables you to improve your circulation and exercise at the same time. If you commit yourself to swimming with a partner, the other person will also benefit from it.  

Working out at the gym

If nobody else can be with you during those activities and you need motivation in order to start to exercise during pregnancy, you could find a gym close to your work or your home, where they can help you to get started.  Most fitness centers will be able to give you an exercise routine or provide you with a trainer that helps you with them. Make sure she has the required experience to work with pregnant women and that she won’t suggest any type of exercise that would be counterproductive.

Some machines, such as the stationary bicycle or stair-climbing machines, you can use during pregnancy, because they help distribute your body-weight. In gyms you can also attend swimming classes, water-aerobic classes or low-impact aerobics classes that are safe to practice during pregnancy.  

And although, due to the initial discomfort of pregnancy it may feel like a drag to go to the gym, thinking about how much better you will feel afterwards will make the effort worthwhile.  

Despite the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, some activities are not recommended during these months due to the risk they may pose for you and your baby. Always check with your doctor before initiating an exercise routine, to know if it is appropriate in your case or not.  

Situations to avoid during exercise

Some exercises require a greater physical effort on your part than others, especially if you aren’t used to doing them. But, in general, there are a series of situations that you should avoid when exercising, because they could harm your pregnancy.  

• Lying on your back for long periods of time. This could impede adequate blood-flow, because the weight of your belly could put pressure on some of the main arteries and veins, making the blood-flow difficult both for you and for your baby.

• Exercises that put excessive pressure on your joints. These are already holding up extra weight and besides, pregnancy hormones have relaxed their usual tension, reason for which you may be more prone to injuries.

• High-impact exercises. Not only can they harm your joints, but also the status of your pregnancy, due to the falls or blows you could receive when practicing them.  

• Overheating. Exercises that may cause you to overheat could lead do dehydration. It is important that you always have water at hand in order to counteract the effects of overheating during exercise.

These are some ideas, but the best way to determine whether you should continue with a particular exercise or not is if you feel bad or dizzy while doing it.

High-impact sports

Some athletes, due to their high level of training and consistency do not have any problem whatsoever when it comes to continuing with their sport of choice during pregnancy. This could be bicycling, skiing, or long-distance running. Their bodies are used to this high performance and falls are not likely due to their skill-level.

However, pregnancy is not the best time to start with a high-impact sport because of the risks it could entail for you. Some of the activities that are not recommended at this time are:  

• High-impact aerobics. Jumping, that can affect your joints, is not a good idea now. Both the extra weight you are carrying and the lack of tension increase the possibilities of falling or having an injury. In the same way, in the last months of pregnancy, when your sense of balance is no longer the same, you should be careful with step aerobics or any other activity that could put you at risk for a fall.  

• Bicycling.  Riding a bicycle does not put weight on your joints, as your own weight is held up by the bicycle. However, if you use ride a real bicycle, you could put yourself at a risk for falls. The best thing is to try with stationary bicycles that will also enable you to start exercising slowly and increase resistance little by little and avoid problems due to losing your balance.  

• Skiing. Both if it is on snow or on water, skiing is not a good idea in this period, due to the likelihood of falling at high speeds, especially if you are not proficient. These are to be avoided especially in the second and third trimester.  

• Running/jogging. Although it may seem like a harmless exercise, if you are not used to practicing it, it’s better to choose other more appropriate exercises, such as walking and swimming. Running places a high impact on your joints and it also puts you at a risk for falls due to the shift in your center of gravity in the last trimester. Walking briskly can also increase your heart-rate without putting you at risk.

In general, stop exercising if you feel dizzy, short of breath or if you are spotting or bleeding.  

Exercising during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do both to alleviate the discomforts of pregnancy and to prepare yourself for delivery. However, choosing the right activity is just as important as deciding to exercise.  

Exercise before pregnancy

A factor that will help you decide what type of exercise will be the most appropriate and beneficial during these months, is to determine the amount and kind of exercise that you were doing before getting pregnant.

If you used to go to the gym regularly in order to practice aerobics, you used to swim a few times a weak or jogged regularly, it will be very beneficial for you to continue these activities during your pregnancy (as long as your doctor hasn’t told you that you can’t exercise or do certain types of exercise during your pregnancy).  

In the event that you didn’t follow any exercise program before becoming pregnant, it will be very beneficial to start one now, although moderately. That is to say, pregnancy is not the best moment to start a martial arts or aerobics program, not even to start jogging, but it is an excellent time to practice yoga, swimming or walking briskly.

The best exercises

In general, during pregnancy you can practice two types of exercise: moderate aerobic exercise, such as swimming, stationary bicycle (if you are not used to riding a “real” bicycle, you could be at risk of falling), or walking (or even jogging if you are used to it) in the street or on a treadmill.  

Besides these exercises that will provide you with well-being and general fitness, there are specific exercises that will help you to manage specific back problems, tension in your shoulders or other problems.

Also keep in mind that a moderate but constant routine of aerobic exercise and muscular relaxation routines will provide many more benefits than exercising intensely once a week.  

Precautions for exercise routines during pregnancy  

There are some signs you should monitor while exercising, in order to avoid getting dizzy or dehydrating. Amongst them are:  

• Always carry a water bottle with you and drink frequently in order to keep yourself hydrated. During exercise, you sweat more and you will therefore be losing more liquids that you need to replenish.  

• Wear comfortable cotton clothing that doesn’t make you perspire excessively and that isn’t too tight.  

• Avoid overheating, even though you may be drinking water. Wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun if you are exercising outside.  

• Don’t exercise while lying on your back for long periods of time. This could make blood flow more difficult.  

• Control your center of gravity, as it shifts as the months go by, and you could lose your balance when you least expect it. Find points of support when you are exercising.

• If you are going to practice rather intense aerobic exercise, speak with your doctor in order to find what your appropriate heart-rate range is.

• Stop immediately if your heart-beat is too fast (over 140 beats per minutes), if you feel dizzy, if you have any type of pain or if you see a lot of spotting in your underwear.

You should take precautions especially if you have diabetes during pregnancy, as exercise will help you consume sugar or glucose in your blood. Both if you are controlling diabetes by means of your diet and if you require insulin to keep your blood-sugar levels stable, you should check with your doctor to see which the right exercise is for you, the best time of day to carry it out and how long you can practice it for.

Exercise is very beneficial for our health, especially because of the sedentary lifestyle common to most of us and that causes problems such as obesity and backaches due to poor posture when sitting at the office, amongst other things. During pregnancy, all these normal discomforts of everyday life could be worsened by the changes that pregnancy causes in your body. Exercise can be very beneficial when it comes to alleviating all these discomforts, but certain precautions must be taken.

Appropriate exercise during pregnancy

Gone are the days when it was thought that an expectant woman should avoid any strenuous activity, eat for two and rest as much as possible. Unless your doctor has specifically told you to rest during your pregnancy due to a specific problem, exercise can provide a lot of benefits during this time.  

However, you should take certain precautions, as not all exercises are recommended during pregnancy. Contact sports or those that put the mother at a risk for falls are not suggested, unless you are a professional athlete, and even then you should be very careful.  

Moderate but regular exercise, especially if you already practiced it before you conceived, will provide you with many benefits.

To counteract the discomforts of pregnancy: exercise

Exercising moderately during pregnancy will help you to alleviate the discomforts that are a part of pregnancy and which you can do very little about, because they are a part of the process your body must undergo in order to adapt to the baby’s growth inside of you.  

One of the effects of pregnancy hormones is that they relax the tissues.  This means you could have backaches due to your current posture and weak muscles. Another effect of pregnancy is the changes in your circulatory system, as the blood volume increases considerably during this period.  Swelling of legs and feet is something practically inevitable. There are also changes in your breathing, due to the pressure your baby exerts on your lungs as it grows. And of course, the feeling of tiredness or fatigue that can be a part of the whole pregnancy.

Some of these discomforts could make you feel rather bad, and possibly, if your legs are swollen or you feel exhausted, the last thing you may feel like doing is to walk. But even if you must force yourself to get yourself out of the house to take a walk or go for a swim you’ll see how much better you feel after exercising, especially if you do it regularly.  

When you exercise, the heart pumps more blood and that makes your circulatory system work more efficiently, despite the bigger blood-volume and the fact that your veins are more relaxed. On the other hand, exercise helps move your intestines, thus improving constipation, which is very common in the last months of pregnancy.

The best way to prepare for delivery: exercise

Delivery is an event that will require all of your strength. On the one hand, part of the effort during delivery involves a series of muscular contractions in your uterus and the capacity to undergo stress and to relax makes it easier. On the other hand, during the expulsion phase, you will need to push hard for your baby to be born.

Even if you are going to have a C-section you will need to be in good shape, because the rate at which you recover after delivery is directly related with your physical shape you’re in. Mothers who exercised in one of their pregnancies but not in another report that they felt a big difference and well-being in the pregnancy in which they exercised.

Some physical exercises will specifically help you to prepare for delivery. Kegel exercises are especially recommended to strengthen the pelvic floor.

In short, exercise (following your doctor’s recommendations and taking some precautions) is one of the best tools available, both to help alleviate the inevitable discomfort during pregnancy, and to make recovery a lot easer for you when you deliver the baby.