Antenatal(Before Birth) / Post-natal(After Birth) – Doโs & donโt Chart
ย ย ย ย โข Health in pregnancy, including a healthy diet
ย ย ย ย โข Exercises to keep you fit and active during pregnancy
ย ย ย ย โข what happens during labour and birth ?
ย ย ย ย โข Information about different types of pain relief
ย ย ย ย โข How to help yourself during labour and birth
ย ย ย ย โข Relaxation techniques
ย ย ย ย โข Health after the birth
ย ย ย ย โข Refresher sessions for those who’ve already had a baby
Why should you do exercise during pregnancy?ย Find the reasons Below!!
Exercise tips for pregnancy: As a general rule,ย
If you start an aerobic exercise programme (such as running, swimming, cycling, walking or aerobics classes), begin with
no more than 15 minutes of continuous exercise, three times a week. Increase this gradually to at least four 30-minute
sessions a week. Remember that exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to be beneficial.
Exercise tips when you’re pregnant:
ย ย ย ย โข always warm up before exercising, and cool down afterwards
ย ย ย ย โข try to keep active on a daily basis: half an hour of walking each day can be enough, but if you can’t manage that,
any amount is better than nothing
ย ย ย ย โข drink plenty of water and other fluids
ย ย ย ย โข Try swimming because the water will support your increased weight.ย ย
Exercises for a fitter pregnancy
If you are pregnant, try to fit the exercises listed below into your daily routine. This will strengthen your muscles so that
you can carry the extra weight of pregnancy. They’ll also make your joints stronger, improve circulation, ease backache,
and generally help you feel well.
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Abdomen-strengthening exercises pre / postnatal:
As baby gets bigger, you may find that the hollow (lordosis โ Medical term) in your lower back increases and this can
give you backache. These exercises strengthen stomach (abdominal) muscles and may ease backache,
which can be a problem in pregnancy:
Start in a box position (on all fours) with knees under hips, hands under shoulders, with fingers facing forward and
abdominals lifted to keep your back straight
ย ย ย ย โข pull in your stomach muscles and raise your back up towards the ceiling, then slowly return to the box position
take care not to hollow your back: it should always return to a straight/neutral position.
ย ย ย ย โข Extend your arms and legs separately with few secs of holding and relax. Do cross hand and legs once you
master this after 3 weeks.ย
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General Flexibility training and yoga postures:
Pelvic tilt exercises:๏ฟผ๏ฟผ
ย ย ย ย 1. Lie with your back on the floor in a neutral position with your legs bent and toes facing forward.
ย ย ย ย 2. Pull your belly button in toward your spine, pushing your pelvis up toward the ceiling.
ย ย ย ย 3. Tighten your gluteus and hip muscles as you tilt your pelvis forward. Hold for 5 seconds.
ย ย ย ย 4. Do 5 sets of 10 repetitions.
Pelvic floor exercises help to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. If your pelvic floor muscles are weak,
you may find that you leak urine when you cough, sneeze or strain. This is quite common and you needn’t feel
embarrassed. It’s known as stress incontinence and it can continue after pregnancy.
You can strengthen the muscles by doing pelvic floor exercises. This helps to reduce or avoid stress incontinence
after pregnancy. All pregnant women should do pelvic floor exercises, even if you’re young and not suffering
from stress incontinence now.
How to do pelvic floor exercises:
ย ย ย ย โข hold up your anal muscles as if you’re trying to prevent a bowel movement
ย ย ย ย โข at the same time, draw in your vagina/your urethra as if to stop the flow of urine, at first, do this exercise quickly,
tightening and releasing the muscles immediately
ย ย ย ย โข then do it slowly, holding the contractions for as long as you can before you relax: try to count to 10, try to do
three sets of eight squeezes every day: to help you remember, you could do a set at each meal
As well as these exercises, practise tightening up the pelvic floor muscles before and during coughing and sneezing.
Strength training & Swizz ball exercises:
The strength training and Swizz ball needs specific guidance which can be given by your Physiotherapist and Fitness trainer.
