Читать книгу Blooming Birth: How to get the pregnancy and birth you want - Lucy Atkins - Страница 40

1 Do not start anything new (except antenatal classes). If you begin a sudden dramatic increase in your exercise routine on discovering you’re pregnant, or start a new sport hoping to stave off the weight gain, it’s possible you might harm your baby or yourself.

2 Talk to your doctor about any specific sports you do. If your temperature gets too high this can – theoretically – pose risks to the baby as its heart rate will speed up. The best way to gauge how hot is too hot, is to talk to your doctor about how high you should allow your heart rate to go when exercising. Get a heart-rate monitor and use it whenever you are exercising, to keep your heart rate at a level you have agreed with your doctor.

3 Avoid exercises on your back (e.g. sit ups) after 12 weeks. When you are on your back, the weight of the baby sits on the main blood supply from your legs to your heart. This can restrict the oxygen supply to the baby, whose heart rate could then become depressed.

4 Modify your current fitness plan as your girth increases. As your pregnancy progresses, you’ll reach your maximum heart rate faster and your centre of gravity will change. Don’t abandon your workout entirely (a recumbent bike or treadmill might replace an aerobics class for instance). And try not to be results oriented – remember you are not trying to achieve anything (except basic well-being) during pregnancy.

5 Drink water. Most pregnant women don’t drink enough anyway and exercise makes this worse. Dehydration can lead to blood clots, and can also restrict the oxygen supply to your baby.

6 Use common sense. Some contact sports carry certain relatively minor risks. A severe blow to the abdomen, while unlikely, could damage the baby or cause you to miscarry. Ask your doctor if you are uncertain about the advisability of your chosen sport.

7 Listen to your body. If you have aches and pains, modify what you’re doing quickly or stop and try something else.