Come to think of it, these days may be the worst-case scenario for anyone who’s pregnant. This is especially true if you’re older and have pre-existing medical issues such as hypertension. WHO specifically cited that women who are well beyond their childbearing years but are pregnant and those who are overweight and have been battling with life-threatening diseases are at a greater risk of the virus.
To make matters worse, hospitals for the longest time have been overrun by COVID-19 patients. Going to a medical institution sounds counterintuitive as it’s the one place infected patients flock. While a soon-to-be mother would like to have the company of her better half, some hospitals even take that luxury away limiting the delivery room to the health care providers.
But there’s one thing these times have afforded pandemic mothers: time. And if you handle things right, you should find time to keep yourself active. First up, know that exercise not only helps raise your immunity levels to give you a greater fighting chance against the virus. Second of all, doing so can help calm your nerves.
The good news is you really need not make exercise a tall order. With expert advice, you should be able to break a sweat without putting your baby in harm’s way.
Keeping Mom and Baby Healthy
If you keep track of the news, you’ll easily feel overwhelmed by all the negative reports going around. One thing’s certain, though, this may not be the time for you to go to the gym. To boot, you don’t need the facility to meet your target exercise. Secondly, you’d be putting yourself in harm’s way if you do, with all the people rushing to get their exercise space in an equipment-occupied space.
The good news is there are exercise regimens available to you that you can do from the comfort of your home and outdoors. But it’s important you strike a balance. Your ultimate goal is to keep both you and the baby safe. So right from the get-go, this is not the time for you to lift heavy weights or engage in strenuous endurance exercises.
So basically, you should get moderate exercise amounting to about 30 minutes of your day. Well, it’s a lot easier than you think. In-home exercise and some stretching should get you done in a jiffy.
Take note that exercise affords you a host of health benefits while nourishing a baby bun. Not only does it give you a way to manage stress but also it allows you to take care of your baby better.
That’s because you’d be able to maintain a healthy weight, manage your sleep and strengthen your heart with regular exercise, not to mention boost your mood and promote your mental well-being. All this brings a lot of goodies for your baby.
It’s important you do it right though. So a visit to your obstetrician should bid you well before you even start executing your planned daily regimen. Additionally, make sure you take regular input from top experts in the field. A trusted harmony and wellness website, for one, can go a long way in providing you with the right amount of health supplements to nourish you while at the same time taking care of your body and skin.
Making It Happen
First and foremost, you should not forget to factor in COVID-19 protocols when you exercise. While there may not be much of a danger when you’re doing your thing inside the house, going out is another story. You should at all times take extra precautions such as wearing a mask and bringing hand sanitizers. Avoid contact with strangers and as much as possible don’t engage in small talk with people. A good way to make this happen is to tag along with a friend to exercise with you when you go out.
At this point, your fitness routine should be a light combination of strength conditioning and aerobics. In this regard, make sure you drink ample amounts of water and not forget to do warm-up and cool down before and after workout respectively.
If you plan to exercise outside you can employ walking, cycling, or light jogging. These should not be a problem for you so long as you don’t engage too much in the activity. Remember to set your pace, start slow, and speed up only when necessary.
As you could be adversely affected by the weather, be wary. As summer is knocking, never go out when the sun is already all out and the weather is too hot.
Should you encounter joint pains and back pains, you can resort to water exercises. A pool should be helpful in this regard. However, if you do hit the pool, never do it on your own. Have someone with you to assist you and watch over you. For one, slips should be avoided at all costs as they can cause a miscarriage.
Additionally, you may want to stay closer to home. Just put on some YouTube videos and you should be good to go. What’s important is you don’t exert too much. A good way to gauge you’re doing fine. So long as you can still maintain a conversation, you’re doing fine.
Stop Exercising
Never lie flat on your back for long periods of time. Know that many of the videos online are designed for people who are not carrying a baby. Either you adjust your search or you adjust your routine.
If you feel unwell, dizzy, or having bouts of shortness of breaths, or worse vaginal bleeding, stop the routine altogether. And yes, contact sports are out of the question as people could hit your belly.
Exercise is good for you when expecting. Do it right and you and your baby should be on your way in time.