Before you begin...
Talk to your doctor about getting active during your pregnancy. As long as you don’t have any pregnancy-related problems, your doctor will encourage you to be physically active.
Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activities.
- If you weren’t exercising before, start slowly. Spread your activity out over the week.
- Choose activities that make your heart beat faster, like walking fast, dancing, or raking leaves. You should still be able to talk during these activities.
- Be sure to drink extra water before, during, and after your exercise.
- Take a break if you get short of breath or feel uncomfortable.
Follow these tips when you do strengthening exercises.
- Do more repetitions (lifts) with light weights. You can also use cans of food as weights. Don’t strain to lift heavy weights.
- Make sure you aren’t holding your breath while you exercise. Breathe out as you lift something, and breathe in as you relax.
- Avoid exercises that could strain your lower back.
Avoid high-risk activities.
- Avoid exercising while lying on your back after the first trimester (12 weeks).
- Stay away from activities that increase your risk of falling, like downhill skiing or horseback riding.
- Avoid playing sports where you could get hit in the stomach, like basketball or soccer.
For more information about being active during pregnancy, visit:
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