Pregnancy Workout for First Trimester- Types of Exercises to Keep you Fit

Exercise is one of the great ways to make pregnant women and her baby healthy.  Maintaining fitness at the time of pregnancy is quite essential to avoid any discomforts and uneasiness during pregnancy. Exercising helps in ensuring mental and physical well-being- during and after pregnancy. 

During your first trimester, you start noticing many bodily changes like backaches, body fatigue, mood swings, abdominal cramps and exercise helps in giving relief to all these symptoms while revitalizing your energy levels. If you do not exercise during pregnancy there is a fair risk of developing preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) which further results in early delivery or miscarriage. Exercise not only strengthens your body but also helps in dealing with many other complications such as back pain, constipation and stress. Follow these safe and simple workouts that can make you feel hale and hearty while ensuring a healthy delivery. 

1. Yoga: Yoga is one of the best ways to build up your strength and balance while keeping yourself calm and relaxed. In your first trimester try out these effective yoga asanas that can do wonders on your body functions and burst out all your stress. It also helps in keeping your mind and body active while improving your mood. For your safety, it is advisable to practice these asanas under the consultation of a yoga specialist.

• Poorna titali Asana (Full Butterfly asana): To try out this exercise- place a yoga mat, sit with your outstretched legs- now bend out your knees and bring out the soles of your feet together. Relax up your inner thighs and hold your feet with both of your hands. Then, gently bounce your knees up and down using the elbows as levers to press the legs down. Do not use any force and repeat up to twenty to thirty times. Lastly, straighten your legs and relax! This butterfly pose if done regularly will help you in increasing the blood circulation. It also relieves fatigue and strong out your muscles of inner thigh and legs.
• Relax with Sarvasana: Lie down in a comfortable position, keep your body and arms relaxed and while breathing takes yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) and relax. Practice this for 20-30 minutes regularly. Doing this regularly can improve fetal growth and development. This will helps in physical and mental relaxation and further prepare you for childbirth.
• Walking: Various experts agree that when you are expecting a child then it is very important to keep moving. Walking helps in relaxing your body, joints and muscles while strengthening the upper body. It also keeps your heart rate at normal levels while circulating the blood in the body. So, practice walking at least ten to fifteen minutes regularly for effective results. 
• Breathing exercise: Breathing helps in an ample supply of oxygen for both mother and child and purifies and calms the nervous system. Effective breathing exercises can be done under the supervision of the instructor. You can do deep breathing exercise in the morning. Breathing exercise helps in losing out all your fatigue and stress and also relax up your tensed muscles. Relax up your body and sit on a mat and cross your feet. Do deep breathing through your nose. Feel the air filling inside and leaving your abdomen. Then, relax! Do this at least 10 minutes regularly to enhance the results.  

Over to you

Try to avoid any intense exercises during pregnancy as it can be extremely harmful to the health of the mother and the child. If you feel any difficulty in doing exercises it is advisable to consult a doctor. If you are suffering from some medical complications like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease then seek the advice of a specialist before adding any exercises to your lifestyle.