Pregnancy Exercises for pregnant and newly delivered woman are being discussed in this article.Every pregnant women must understand about pregnancy workout routine.
Purpose
- To practice relaxation and controlled breathing.
- To prevent or relieve backache.
- To strengthen weak muscles.
- To prevent retroversion of uterus.
- To have easy and less painful delivery by cutting short of 1st stage of labour.
- To prevent ugly-looking bulky abdomen after delivery.
Exercise depends on
- Parity
- The physical condition of body.
- The type and nature of her daily routine activities.
Prenatal Exercises
During pregnancy specially during the third trimester, a woman should do certain exercises for relaxation of abdominal muscles and controlled breathing exercises. This will help to lesser pain during 1st stage of labour. During second stage this will help to regain muscular power for bearing down efforts and at the end of second stage will prevent perineal tears.
A primigravida should be encouraged to do certain exercise for few minutes daily on floor or any hard bed towards later stage of pregnancy, two small pillow one under head and one under knee should be kept for comfortable poisoning.
Relaxation
- Lie on back with knees flexed and slightly separated and arms by the side with elbow half bent and hand half closed.
- Relax the muscles of the different parts of the body as follows:
- Shoulders—as though they are opening out wards.
- Arms —as though they do not belong to you.
- Back —as though it is sinking into floor.
- Head —as it is sinking into pillow.
- Eye lids —Half closing by their own weight.
- Face – if there rs no expression.
- Jaws —Hanging loose.
Breathing Exercises
Abdominal breathing—(First stage of labour during uterine contraction).
- Keep mouth closed and breathe through nose using abdominal muscles.
- Put either hands on abdomen and concentrate on watching its rise and fall with each breath. Breaths out with a sighing ‘pooh* sound from the lips.
- Chest Breathing—(At end of 1st stage when contraction becomes very strong and frequent).
- Breath through nose with mouth closed.
- Expand and relax chest muscles without using abdominal muscles. Place both hands on either sides of ribs and practice making the chest move them in and out.
Rhythmic Breathing
- (During crowning and up to end of 2nd stage)
- Keep mouth open, relax throat and keep open. Concentrate on breathing in rather than breathing out.
- Breathes rhythmically to counteract any expulsive pushing efforts.
Great Prenatal Exercises And Pregnancy Exercises For Every Women
Squatting
- Do it for 4 to 5 times, only
- Stand straight with feet apart hands hanging by the sides
- Breath in deeply and at the same time raise arms upwards and sideward until they are at level with the shoulders and stand on toes
- Breath out and at the same time bring down arms, bend knees full and squat on haunches.
- Return to second position.
- Return to 1st position.
Stretching the Pelvis
- Lie on back with knee flexed.
- Bring heels as close to buttock as possible with feet resting on floor.
- Allow knees to fall widely apart, then bring them together again. See that the muscles of the inner sides of the thighs are relaxed so that there is no resistance to the falling apart of the legs.
- The procedure should be repeated 4 to 5 times only. Hie squatting and stretching exercises should be done before the relaxation and breathing exercises. These should be done morning and evening daily. These exercises should not be done within one hour of taking meal.
Post-natal Exercise
The aim of post-natal exercises are mainly to prevent retroversion of uterus and proper involution (return to normal size of uterus after delivery). The patient should lie on her back and actively contract the muscles of the buttocks. This will help the walls of vagina to regain their normal tone, of course the virgin or pre-delivery tone of the vaginal wall wilt never return even after one delivery. The exercises should be commenced from fifth to seventh day and should be carried out once or twice daily until the end of the 6th to 8th week.
Toe Touching
- This is done for 4 to 5 times only.
- Stand erect, feel aims over head.
- Being forward to touch floor between feet, try to keep knees straight.
- Return to starting position.
Partial Sit ups
- This is also done 4 to 5 times only.
- Lie On back, legs straight arid together, arms at sides.
- Raise head and shoulders from floor until you can see your heals.
Rocking—Sit Ups
- This is done 4 to 5 times.
- Lie on back, knees flexed, feet together on floor, arms arc extended overhead.
- Bend forward trying to loach toes with fingers.
- Return to starting position.
Leg Lifting
- This is done 3 to 5 times.
- Lie on back, legs straight and together, arms at sides, palms down.
- Keeping left leg on floor, raise right leg off the floor, until it is perpendicular to floor.
- Lower right leg to floor.
- Repeat exercise keeping right leg on floor and raising left leg.
Knee-chest Exercise
- Lower head to floor.
- This time once daily.
- Lie face down, legs straight and together, elbow flexed and hands directly under the shoulders.
- Push body off the floor in any way possible, keeping hands and knees in contact with floor.
- Sit back on heels and lower body to floor so that chest touches knees. Stay in this position for at least five minutes.
- Return to starting position.
