Being healthy during pregnancy means incorporating aerobics, muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises into your fitness routine. Keep in mind, however, that there are many changes occurring in your body, so each of these exercises should be modified for the safety of you and your baby.

When doing aerobics, you want to make sure you do not get overheated. Your baby has no mechanism for cooling down if you become overheated. Drink lots of water and do exercises that won’t put you at risk for falling. If you do fall, protect your abdominal area as best you can and immediately call your obstetrician or midwife.

During pregnancy, you cannot work opposing muscles equally because the postural changes in your body affect balance. It is a good idea to do more shoulder and upper back exercises and to maintain your chest muscles. You also need to strengthen your abdominal muscles to prevent back problems and for more effective pushing in labor. Abdominal exercises must be modified because these muscles can separate during pregnancy. This muscle separation is called a diastasis and abdominal exercises done thereafter should incorporate a splint used to hold the muscles together. Inner and outer thigh exercises and Kegel exercises for your pelvic floor muscles are also very important.

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