Although any type of exercise program started during pregnancy should be approved by a primary care physician, The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) now recommends healthy expectant women engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. The health benefits of a well-rounded exercise program for expectant women are both physical and mental. Good muscle tone and strength in the leg and thigh area can assist in relieving some of the most common discomforts of pregnancy, including leg cramps, swelling and sciatica. Regular exercise in these areas may also provide expectant women with the strength and stamina they will need when it comes time to deliver their little ones.

Leg and thigh toning through multiple forms of exercise during pregnancy will, "assist in making more blood flow through the legs; this will help to alleviate swelling," says Sheila Watkins, founder and national program director of Healthy Moms, a fitness program that provides group exercise classes and personal training for new and expectant moms and prenatal exercise training for fitness professionals.

Swimming can provide an excellent form of low-impact, strong cardiovascular exercise during pregnancy. This activity uses many different muscles, specifically in the leg and thigh area, while the water supports your weight. The stretching swimming provides also increases flexibility and prevents muscles from tightening and stiffening up. "Swimming provides a delicious feeling of buoyancy and helps to relax the back and hip areas," says Peggy Levine, a prenatal and postnatal fitness instructor at Peggy Levine Fitness, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, N.Y.

Even if you were not an active exercise participant prior to your pregnancy, brisk walking for about 30 minutes a day can provide you with another great way to keep your legs nicely toned. Always remember to elevate your legs after a walking workout. "Get the legs up afterwards or at the end of the day, since this too will help to relieve swelling," says Levine.

Several leg- and thigh-toning exercises can be done from the comfort of your own home or during a break at the office. Try sitting on a chair and drawing large circles in the air with your toes. Move both your ankles and feet together to draw circles but do not move your legs. Move both feet at once and one foot at a time. Another commonly used leg stretch can be tried while you lie on your left side with your head resting on a pillow or cushion. Bend your left leg at your knee and keep your right leg straight. Stretch your right leg as you lift it up towards the ceiling, and then gently lower it to the ground. Repeat as much as your body can stand, then shift to the other side and repeat again.

Levine also recommends that moms-to-be who regularly exercised prior to their pregnancy include working on the adductor (inner thigh) and abductor (outer thigh) toning either through floor work, like Pilates, or on machines but with exhalation on the exertion and abdominal tightening (contracting).

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