Things To Consider Before Exercising

• It is important to be mindful of your breathing when exercising. You should never perform exercises that leave you breathless, as this deprives you and your baby of necessary oxygen.
• For one baby, the average mother gains 15 to 25 pounds during her pregnancy. This additional weight will put additional strain on muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.
• It is common for women to experience increased heart rate during their pregnancy as their heart must circulate more blood throughout their body and to their baby. You should be mindful of this increased heart rate during exercise so as not to tax your body.
• Pregnant women who have high blood pressure, are carrying more than one baby, have any history or risk of premature labor, have heart disease or any health problems should avoid exercise until they can consult with a health care professional.
• Do not exercise if you are ill or sick.
• Listen to your body, if your body does not feel like exercising, do not push it.
• Blood pressure also fluctuates during one's pregnancy -- be sure attention to this when exercising. Low blood pressure will make a person feel faint or dizzy. Should you feel any of those symptoms, discontinue exercise immediately and consult with your doctor.
• As the belly enlarges, pregnant women must adjust to change in their center of gravity, which can also affect a woman's sense of balance.
• Hormones changes in your body actually soften the ligaments in pregnant women. This softening of ligaments does increase one's risk for injury to joints and increases risk of spraining your ligaments.

Also read:

Should I Exercise My Pelvic Muscles?
Exercises That Are Safe
Exercises You Should Avoid
Exercise Guidelines