Walking is one of the easiest exercises to do, especially for pregnant mothers who always need gentle exercise to control their body weight. However, there are many opinions that pregnant women should not walk. Is this true?
Walking is a great and safe activity for expectant mothers. This is an ideal way to help ensure you get the movements you need during pregnancy.
Walking briskly helps the heart and lungs work more effectively without discomfort in your knees and ankles. This is a free activity that you can easily incorporate into your daily life and can maintain for the long term.
For more motivation, go for a walk with friends and family. This will help the time pass faster and encourage you to extend your walking time.
If you walk regularly before getting pregnant, try to stick to this routine. Conversely, if you're just starting out with walking, start with short 15-minute walks, three times a week.
Once you have a habit of walking regularly, you can increase your pace faster, up to 30 minutes, four times or more in a week. If you are physically fit, try going for longer walks, but slow down or stop if you feel too tired, unwell or feel any pain. Your body will tell you when to stop.
If you don't have a lot of time, combine walking with everyday tasks like walking instead of driving for short distances, taking the bus for a short ride or going outside and stretching your legs at lunch break. .
Remember to wear sunscreen and a hat if you walk in the sun and bring a bottle of water to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can increase your body temperature, which is bad for both you and your baby.
With each stage of pregnancy, you need to adjust walking to suit your body and fitness to get the best results while still protecting both mother and fetus.
During this starting phase, you don't need to change your normal walking routine too much. Note to wear low, foot-fitting shoes to be most comfortable. When walking, put your heels down first and then toes instead of placing your entire foot on the street.
Besides, during hot and hot summer days with high humidity, pregnant mothers should not go for a walk. Try other indoor activities like swimming.
At this time, you will be more energetic than the first 3 months so you can increase your walking distance. However, you may feel bloated when your belly is starting to show.
When walking, keep your chin straight, look forward, keep your body straight so that your body weight is evenly divided, not back, causing pain. You should also rotate your arms to aid balance and increase your exercise if you want.
You may notice that your walking style is changing and is a bit wobbly. This is because your body is adjusting to all the changes that are happening during pregnancy. Hips and ankles will have to work a lot, so you can experience pain if you overdo it. Listen to your body and don't walk to the point of exhaustion.
If you have to try to chat while walking, slow down a bit or walk for a shorter period.
Maintain regular walking exercises until the end of pregnancy if you can. During this period, you should avoid walking on long roads or any place with uneven terrain as it can cause you to lose your balance, easily fall or feel overwhelmed. If you experience pelvic or back pain while walking, talk to your doctor right away so you can be referred to a physical therapist.
Time is one of the best things I can do for your baby, so always try to schedule a daily walk with your baby in your belly. It will be a golden time for pregnant mothers to exercise their health and talk to their children, helping the baby always feel the mother's love even before birth.
Mother may be interested in the topic:
7 tips for maintaining an exercise schedule for pregnant mothers .
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