Pregnancy Workouts - A Round Up!

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Many mothers can find it difficult to sneak in a work out routine, pregnant or not.  The fatigue and other physical discomforts of pregnancy can make this even harder.   When working out, I advise women to start nothing new, except possibly prenatal yoga with a teacher, and no contact sports. I have had clients who rode their horses and skied until weeks before delivery. I have to admit, this always makes me a tad nervous, but I trusted their trust in their bodies and intuition.  Remember to drink some water every fifteen minutes, and go with what your body is signaling to you, whether that's to push yourself harder, or to slow down, follow it's lead.  Exercise in pregnancy has a plethora of benefits.  Studies have found that yoga during pregnancy decreases discomforts, sleep issues and even preterm labor. Aerobic exercise has also been shown to improve depressive symptoms.  It has also been shown to improve fetal outcomes as well, including improved stress tolerance, which is basically another way of saying, it preps baby for labor!   Here are some ideas to get you started, most of which can be done from the comfort of your living room, and some are free of charge.  Enjoy!!

• I love yoga. It's a gentle, yet effective form of exercise. Breathing through challenging physical postures is a wonderful way to prepare body and mind for the contortions of labor!  I really love YogaGlo. They have a prenatal/postpartum section that will keep you busy your entire pregnancy. The classes range from 15 min to 60 min.  Modifications are given for beginners, but classes are challenging for the seasoned pregnant yogi as well. After a fifteen day free trial, it's $18/month, the price of one yoga class!  The unlimited access and ease of use makes it perfect for busy moms.  You can continue your membership and stay fit throughout raising children!! There are hundreds of classes to choose from.
• Dancing is another form of movement that feels great in pregnancy. I highly recommend Dance of the Womb by Maha al-Musa. It's intuitive and soulful.  You can read my interview with her here.  If you are in the Bay Area there is a class called Healing Pregnancy Movement and Labor Dance  taught by doula and midwifery student Gingi Allen,  that looks phenomenal.
• YouTube is a great resource for pregnant mothers, especially those work outside the home mamas, and those work inside the home mamas.  Here are a couple of my favorites.
 

 

So these should keep you busy for awhile!  Get out there and move that wonderful belly brimming with life.  Your hips, back, shoulders, and baby will thank you.