I asked myself today, as I waddled around the block, whether it is possible for a pregnant woman to actually melt. I'm going to be 8 months pregnant by the end of summer, and in Tennessee where I live, the heat is a real issue. I've managed to keep up a decent level of exercise so far, but I wonder whether it is possible to manage a pregnancy, a southern summer and an exercise routine, all at the same time.

I checked in with a couple of experts. Bonnie Berk is a registered nurse, master personal fitness trainer and owner of Motherwell Fitness, a company that offers maternal health and fitness programs in health centers nationwide. Dr. James Clapp is the author of Exercising Through Your Pregnancy (Addicus, 2002) and a medical research expert in prenatal exercise. Here are their top tips for safe and happy summer exercise during pregnancy.

Find something you really like to do and keep it up. The benefits of exercising make it worth the effort to manage the summer heat.

It's always best to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise, especially during pregnancy. Generally, however, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists make it clear that up to 30 minutes of exercise most days is great for most pregnant women. There is nothing in the guidelines that lets us off the hook because it's summer!

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