What do you do for exercise while pregnant? And how often? I need to get into a routine, and I was just wondering what all you gals do. Also do you do anything specificly to get ready for labor?

I'm still doing a light jog for 1/2 hour a day or walk up and down our big hill driveway.... it's long enough it takes 12 times for me to walk 1/2 hour (like a mini hike). I feel WAY better than I did last year when pregnant with Elisabeth. I had gained over 50lbs. Now I'm up only 15lbs and feeling so much different, so much better. I've read that labor can be much shorter too if you exercise.

I TRY to remember to do my kegals and at about 32 weeks start drinking red raspberry leaf tea to strengthen my uterus to prepare for labor. If you haven't heard about it there's a lot of info on it on the internet.

I walked a lot with Dd's pregnancy. I didn't walk as much with Ds because I wasn't working anymore and that's where I walked so much! I would say that walking now a lot would help so much. I also sat on my exercise ball when at the computer...like I am now. Yes to kegals too.....they are so very important!

Amber

walking...and then I would do the geriatric water aerobic/walking classes! It was certainly low impact due to the age group and still good exercise and no stress on the joints with the extra weight!

I workout on our Supertrainer (like a glider) and weight lift. I work out 6 days a week for about 30-45 min. ~Kerri

With my first, I did pilates throughout the pregnancy. I was a bit smaller then and in better shape as I had been doing pilates for several months prior.

With this one, my routine has been so crazy, I haven't been exercising near as much as I need to. My office is in a 2 level shopping center, so during my lunch break, I often climb up and down the stairs a few times for a little extra. Other than that, I've been doing the kegals regularly, doing stabalization exercises on my exercise ball and try to walk at least 3 times a week for a half hour to hour.

Low impact is good, especially now that we are getting a bit bigger. I do wish I had started back diligently with Pilates before I got pregnant though. I know that helped me tremendously during labor/pushing as my ab muscles were super strong then.

You can do anything you are already used to doing. It isn't wise to start up anything too strenuous if you aren't used to it. And even joggers need to be careful of the jarring it causes in the last trimester. Low impact is best the more pregnant you get! Walking is great! :D

I walk for 30 mins. I have a pregnancy low imbact aerobics tape. I attempt Kegals when I think of it.

Doing some type of water aerobics is good too. You don't have to worry about falling. :lol:

They basically had me do baby crunches, where you don't really lift up more then your head and neck, also the bicycle, again baby bicycle. lay down and place both feet flat on the ground so your knees are bent. then bring one leg up keeping knee bent bring it back down and then lift your next leg. Also walking is good. I have the bowflex treadclimbing it is awesome for me, but eliptical machines are really great also, there is no shock because your feet never leave the platform thing. There were a couple more but I forget now. Also my OB told me that it didn't matter that I hadn't exercised in a while I could go ahead and start then. Remember the golden rule if it hurts don't do it. Also if you start to cramp at all that is a sign that the baby isn't getting enough oxygen and so you should stop what your doing. Everyone is different though ask your doctor what he feels is ok for you to be doing.

right now my exercise routine is not very good. I walk constantly at work...I might sit down for a total of 1 hour (including breaks) in my 8 hour shift, so when I come home the last thing that I want to do is exercise or go for a walk. I do my kegals when I think about them. I go to a pregnancy water class 1-2 times a week. I feel like I should be doing more, like squats , or sitting on an exercise ball constantly, other things.