When I became pregnant with my first child, I knew exactly what to do to stay in shape – or so I thought. As a physical educator, group fitness instructor, swimming teacher and water aerobics instructor, I was prepared to stay in shape.

Being pregnant threw my petite frame a curveball! In the first trimester, I continued to run, teach step aerobics, practice water aerobics and enjoy the little life that was growing inside me. But toward the end of the first trimester I had to cut my runs down to walks around the neighborhood. My shins were rebelling, and I developed shin splints because of my weight gain. I was still working full time, and by the end of my day I would sit down on the sofa to give myself a break, and in 30 minutes, I would wake up from an unexpected nap. In fact, I napped at least every day during that third month of being pregnant.

The first thing to remember when you're pregnant is to listen to your body. If you have been exercising all your life, you will know the signs immediately. Your body will tell you when to slow down and when to cut back on your workouts. You will not recover as quickly after a workout, and you may find yourself becoming tired, so do cut back as needed. Remember, you are making a whole human being inside that body of yours, so take good care of it.

Expectant moms that want to start an exercise program and have never set foot outside their door to do so should discuss this with their doctors first, as they know your history and can give you guidelines. You need to educate yourself, and a good way to get started is to have that conversation with your doctor.

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