Exercise

Exercise is healthy. You should begin early to prepare your body physically for the added work of your pregnancy, labor and delivery. Prenatal exercises are basic and can be incorporated into your daily activities. They will help strengthen body structures that provide physical comfort, support and good posture.

A daily brisk walk is a good way of getting fresh air and helps to keep muscles in tone. Remember to wear sensible shoes and use common sense in relation to distance and weather conditions. Sports and activities which you feel comfortable doing may be continued.

Many mothers are interested in an exercise program that is a little more strenuous than a brisk walk. Activities such as running, bike riding, and tennis may be continued during pregnancy if they are guided by good judgment.

If you are not accustomed to using your heart rate as your exercise guide, you will need to begin to do so. To check your heart rate, count your pulse for 10 seconds after you stop exercising and multiply this number by six to obtain the number of beats per minute. Use this technique to monitor your body's response to exercise. Make sure you stay within 60-65% of your maximum heart rate. Use Figure 4 to determine your exercise target heart rate.

Prenatal Instructions: Lansing OB/GYN Associates Office Procedures Physical Changes During Pregnancy "Anytime Sickness" Constipation When to Call the Office Emotional Changes Dos and Don'ts Sexual Intercourse Dental Hygiene Travel Toxoplasmosis Childbirth Education Herpes Virus Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Birth Exercise Preterm Labor Choice of Infant Feeding Relax Prenatal Instructions Brochure (PDF printable brochure)

Exercise Guidelines:

• Exercise at 60-65 percent of your maximum heart rate.
• Increase fluid intake during and after exercise.
• Avoid oxygen deficiency - do not exercise to the point of being totally out of breath. (You should be able to carry on a conversation or sing while exercising.)
• Exercise should not be continued to the point of exhaustion. Avoid extreme fatigue. Stretching and bending may be limited from the 26th week of pregnancy until delivery.
• Excessive heat is unhealthy for you and the baby. Remember: when doing strenuous exercise, your core body temperature can rise. This is especially true in hot weather so take extra care when exercising in hot weather.
• You may need to choose an exercise that is non-weight bearing late in pregnancy because of increased pressure and discomfort. Swimming is an excellent exercise and helps you feel graceful even late in pregnancy.

The Lansing community offers a variety of fitness programs specifically designed for pregnant women. Both one-on-one and group sessions are available. Many women prefer group activities because they offer an atmosphere of support and a feeling of camaraderie with other pregnant women. Often these workouts are designed to help alleviate the stresses of pregnancy.

Exercise videos designed especially for pregnant women also are available. These videos may be used in the privacy of your home and at a time that is convenient for you. Please feel free to ask for recommended titles.

Figure 4 Target Heart Rate for Pregnancy
Age (years)	Target Heart Rate (beats per minute)	Avg. Maximum Heart Rate (beats per minute)
20	120-130	200
25	117-127	195
30	114-123	190
35	111-120	185
40	108-117	180

To find your target heart rate, look for the age category closest to your age and read the line across. For example, if you are 23, the closest age on the chart is 25; the target heart rate is 117-127 beats per minute. Your target heart rate is 60-65 percent of the maximum. The above figures are averages to be used as general guidelines.

(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Public Service; National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Exercise and Your Heart, NIH Publication No. 81-1677. Washington D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981.)

Note: This information applies only to Lansing OB/GYN Associates.