Petite village

 

    by Jennifer Eng *

 

 Whether you are pregnant or just had a baby, exercise can do wonders for your mind and body. As an expectant mom, your baby will love the movement, and if you are a new mom, your baby will follow your healthy lead. For both you soon-to-be-moms and newly-minted moms, here are some guidelines to follow as you get settled into your new fitness routine:

 

1.       Keep a cool head - With the summer months quickly approaching and outdoor exercise becoming a popular option, be mindful of your exposure to heat. Stay cooler under a wide brimmed hat and choose shady walking and jogging trails on hot days. If you are exercising indoors, closely monitor your intensity level and avoid exercises (or poorly ventilated rooms) that cause you to overheat.  Also, your doctor may recommend that you AVOID sitting in saunas or hot tubs.
 
2.       Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - Whether you exercise indoors or outside, make sure that you drink an adequate amount of water. Don’t let that frequent urge to use the bathroom deter you from staying hydrated. Your doctor should be able to provide you with recommended guidelines for water consumption during and after your pregnancy.
 
3.       Got Kegels? - Whether you are pregnant or a new mom, incontinence is embarrassing and a nuisance. Practice your Kegel exercises every day to minimize incontinence towards the end of your pregnancy and after you deliver your baby. A Kegel exercise is the tightening of the pelvic floor. The sensation is often described as the feeling that one experiences when stopping the flow of urine midstream. Practice this exercise as often as you can throughout the day. Try to do over 100 reps per day.  For the more experienced, try holding the Kegel exercise for at least 10 seconds per repetition.  
 
4.       Heart Smart – The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to describe the level of exercise intensity. The RPE scale is numbered 0 through 10 with 1 being considered very light exertion and 10 being considered extremely heavy exertion. Traditionally, doctors have recommended that pregnant women keep their heart rate below 140 beats per minute while doing exercise. However, today’s approach is to use the RPE scale and to keep the level of exercise intensity for pregnant women between 5 and 8.
 
5.       Challenge Yourself…Safely - The best way to overcome the feeling of “blah” is to exercise. Once you get yourself to the gym or outside for a walk, you will begin to feel much better than when you originally contemplated getting some exercise. If you are pregnant, continue doing what you love to do; however, avoid participation in contact sports and sports that pose a high risk of falling. If you jogged before you became pregnant, you can continue to jog unless your doctor has advised otherwise. Once jogging becomes uncomfortable due to body changes caused by your pregnancy, you can modify your routine or taper down. Don’t forget to stay hydrated and to eat many small meals or snacks throughout the day to keep your energy level consistent.
 

* Jennifer Eng is a nationally certified personal fitness trainer and the creator of the Hot Mama program at Equinox Fitness, San Mateo, CA.  For personal training sessions and the Hot Mama program, please contact (415) 465-0085 or jennengfitness@yahoo.com