The halfway point of pregnancy has arrived and one of your doubts is related to physical exercise in the second trimester. At this time the volume of your belly and the weight gain are increasingly noticeable. You notice how both your posture and your center of gravity progressively change. However, it is also the time when you may feel most full and energetic. Sometimes I may even ask you how it is possible to have so much desire to do a thousand and one things. That is why this, right now, is also the ideal time to exercise and get active with the aim of improving your resistance, flexibility and muscle tone for the end of pregnancy and childbirth. As? We will discover it for you along the following lines.
Is it safe to exercise in the second trimester?
In previous articles we have talked about the greatbenefitsWhat practicing physical exercise has not only for you but also for your baby. Some of the benefits are related to:
- Increased muscular resistance.
- Prevention of possible complications.
- It helps to prepare not only physically but also psychologically, gaining security and managing the fear in pregnancy.
- It serves to alleviate back pain while improving posture.
- Reduces the risk of cesarean delivery.
Practice some physical activity and stay active is sureand above alladvisable as long as the pregnancy is developing as expected and there is no type of medical and/or obstetric contraindication. Of course, the ideal is for it to be supervised at all times by a team of professionals specialized in preparation for childbirth. Here you can read a study in which they talk about it.
What exercises do we recommend?
We want everything to be under control. That is why we recommend that you:
- Avoid activities that involverisk of falling: cycling, horse riding,…
- Do not do sports that involvephysical contact: team sports such as basketball, hockey,…
- Try not to dosudden movementssuch as jumping or excessive flexion-extension of the joints.
- Do not practice activities such as diving or mountaineering in which there isrisk of lack of oxygen.
- Avoid doing sports in situations ofextreme heator in very humid environments.
- Remember that it is vital to keephydrated at all times and do not forget to take care of the nutrition in pregnancy It is essential.
- Usecomfortable clothes: bra that protects the chest, appropriate footwear,…
Recommended exercises in the second trimester of pregnancy
He physical exercise in the first trimesterIt opens the door to being able to perform exercises that are somewhat “more intense” or that require an extra contribution of resistance or intensity. How do we know if we are carrying out the correct exercise intensity? Through the“chat test”: While exercising you should be able to carry on a conversation without feeling out of breath.
“And what is the physical exercise that best suits me or is most recommended?”– you will think.It will depend on you, your condition and physical state and above all on your preferences.. At the end of the day, it is also about having a pleasant time and that putting it into practice does not involve torture. That said, some exercises we recommend at SingularMom include walk and stroll(especially outdoors), pedaling an elliptical bike, low-intensity aerobic exercises, Pilates, yoga, swimming and water exercises, etc.
Aerobic training and strength exercises
Walk quickly for half an hour orsightseeingfor an hour or a little while on the stationary bike while watching television are just some of the exercises you can do every day to stay active without costing you a lot of effort or increasing your heart rate too much. We also recommend work the abdominal wall through isometric exercises seeking to keep the hip and spine stable by exercising the deep muscles. Some exercises that we recommend are leg raises, squats, Kegel exercises,… These seek the muscle toning and back and hip alignment and stabilization.
Swimming
The exercises that are practiced in the water such as swimming, apart from the countless benefits that they entail, represent an extra point due to thelow risk of impactsthat they imply. They are ideal!
Water makes you not feel so heavy and allows you to move more comfortably, strengthens the cardiorespiratory system, prevents edema and swelling, reduces back pain, helps correct your posture, improves your muscle tone, invites relaxation, prevents the appearance of cellulite and varicose veins,… And let’s not forget the increasingly helpful water birth!
Pilates
With the development of the fetus in the second trimester of pregnancy There is a considerable increase in weight (more or less 6kg). The time has come to correct and improve posture – thus reducing back pain – since little by little the center of gravity changes. What is a good exercise to do? Hepilates adapted for pregnant women(working on quadruped exercises). The objective is to align the shoulder girdle and the abdominal muscles including the pelvic floor.In this way, the pains in childbirth.
Despite being a non-aerobic and low-intensity exercise, it should be performed withcaution especially from 25-26 weeks. Because? Simple. The exercises derived from this practice require great stretching which, if not carried out carefully, could cause pain in the joints or lower back. Hence the vital importance of carrying it out under the supervision of professionals.
Yoga
Super beneficial activity that, through its specific exercises and breathing, can help you relax your body and mind and prepare you for birth.
Training during the second trimester of pregnancy
Training can be carried out up to 5 times a week.At SingularMom we have prepared different tables to adapt to you taking into account the physical exercise you did before getting pregnant. That is why we give you the choice between 2 weekly routines:
Physical exercise 3 days/week
Physical exercise 5 days/week
In it the online childbirth preparation classes SingularMom you will find one exercise guide in the form of videos composed of several phases so that the degree of utilization is the highest. To do this, we divide the physical exercise sessions into:
- Heating: You need around 5-10 minutes to prepare and warm up your body for the exercise. Only in this way will you be able to progressively increase your heart rate, body temperature and blood flow.
- Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise(depending on the video you make). The estimated duration will be between 15 and 30 minutes.
- Relaxation and stretching: The most advisable thing is that you gradually reduce the intensity of physical exercise until you reach calm and rest. Without forgetting to stretch gently in a controlled manner and without forcing.
We want to help you in a simple, comfortable and practical way in this great and unforgettable moment that will change your life. Welcome to the family!
