Best Workouts for Pregnant Women - Prioritize Your Health Needs for You and Your Child

Reduce Potential Health Risks + Improve Your Overall Well-Being for the Best Outcome

It is important for expectant mothers to understand the importance of exercising at home, as doing so can help maintain their mental and physical health throughout their pregnancy. It can also improve their circulation and reduce their risk of developing gestational diabetes.

Pregnant women can stay physically active at home by exercising in a safe and comfortable environment. Engaging in regular exercise during pregnancy can help strengthen the core muscles and address various pregnancy discomforts, such as swelling and back pain. Exercises can also improve posture and balance and help ease the transition between pregnancy and childbirth.

Before starting an exercise program, it’s important that expectant mothers consult with their doctor to determine their individual health status. They should also avoid pushing themselves too far and listen to their bodies’ signals.

For optimal results, opt for low-impact workouts that minimize impact on the joints and ligaments. Pregnant women should drink plenty of fluids to ensure they have the proper nutrition and hydration, and avoid exercising in extremely hot weather or other severe conditions. In addition, pregnant women should always refrain from engaging in activities that can lead to falls or abdominal trauma specifically.

Maintaining a healthy fitness level throughout pregnancy is possible with the help of safe exercises and listening to the body's needs. Doing so can minimize risks to both mother and child.

From fun activities to workouts that target more specific muscle groups, pregnant women can have fun while working out and feeling accomplished at the same time! Take a look at some of the top pregnancy workouts that women should take advantage of.

1. Squats with a Fitness Ball

Even for a brief period of time, squats can help open the pelvis and allow a baby to move through the delivery canal. Pregnant women can improve their ability to squat by practicing with a fitness ball.

Straighten your feet and position yourself against a wall with the ball behind your back. Then, slide down until your knees reach an angle of 90 degrees. Keep your heels flat and continue with the exercise. If you feel dizzy or have a balance loss, have someone beside you to help you while you do the exercise. Gradually increase the count of your squats as you become more proficient!

During pregnancy, one's lower back may feel painful. Doing squats and other exercises that strengthen the glutes and core can help alleviate this issue, and a fitness ball can also provide support to the lower back, which reduces the strain on joints.

2. Step-ups

Pregnant women can benefit from step-ups as they help strengthen their balance and prepare their bodies for the demands of childbirth and recovery. They specifically target the buttocks and legs, which are vital for supporting the expanding body during pregnancy.

Step-ups can be performed with a small step stool or on a staircase. If you have a handrail or wall nearby, use it as an additional support or balance aid. For this exercise, start by lifting yourself off the step using the first foot. Then bring your other foot back to the starting position. As you continue to step up, change the first step once more.

Make sure to always straighten your back while performing step-ups. Hold the position for as long as you can while alternating between your feet, and do as many reps as you can until you reach a stopping point. Image courtesy of Fit & Well.

3. Prenatal Yoga

As a gentle exercise that's designed for expectant mothers, prenatal yoga involves movements that promote flexibility, relaxation, and strength. It can relieve stress and soreness associated with pregnancy, as well as prepare the body for childbirth.

In prenatal yoga, mothers-to-be can practice meditation and breathing exercises, which can help them manage their labor pains and cultivate a calm mindset. The practice emphasizes safe and supportive movements, which helps expectant mothers maintain their fitness throughout their pregnancy.

The cat cow is one of the best prenatal pregnancy exercises for pregnant women, which is particularly beneficial for those who are looking to enhance flexibility, relieve back tension, and warm the spine. It requires a gentle flow between the two poses, and it promotes spinal mobility and core engagement. Image courtesy of ASMY.

4. Seated Rowing with Resistance Tubing

Resistance tubing and a ball can be used for certain pregnancy workouts. For expectant mothers, seated rowing is a safe and effective exercise that involves strengthening one's postural muscles and improving circulation. It can also help alleviate back pain and boost one's energy levels.

Rowing while seated is a low-impact exercise that can help reduce the stress on joints such as the hips, knees, and ankles. You can do this by sitting on a sturdy chair or a fitness ball, and by lying flat on the floor with your feet hip-width apart. Do this exercise as if you were carrying a ball, then have someone beside you to help you if you get wobbly.

Stand with the resistance tubing under your feet. Hold the tubing with your hands, keeping the handles facing in. Then, bend your elbows to pull the tubing back with both arms, feeling the shoulder blades coming together. Do 15 sets of alternating rows.

Straighten the resistance tubing's handles and place it under the foot, and hold the tubing in place with your palm facing in. Pull the object back with both arms as if you were going to row, then return to the starting position, repeat the set, and do 15 more sets.

5. Walking

Getting active is easier to maintain than doing some exercise because walking can be done while you're running errands or taking breaks from work. It helps strengthen the back muscles and position the baby in the right position.

Getting active helps boost one's mood and energy levels, and walking can also help improve mental health. It can help you feel better by taking in the sights and sounds of the world around you. In addition, walking can help keep gestational diabetes under control.

The CDC suggests walking for about 30 minutes daily, which is comparable to a moderate-to-vigorous exercise such as yoga without the risk of injury. You should consult with your provider if you plan on doing any exercise, as each pregnancy has its own unique medical conditions that can prevent certain activities.

6. Wall Pushups

For pregnant women, wall push-ups can be a safe and effective exercise that strengthens the core and upper body without causing too much strain on the abdomen. They can also help improve posture and circulation, especially during the later stages of pregnancy.

Low-impact wall push-ups are gentle on the joints and can be particularly helpful for pregnant women when ligaments become more flexible. Compared to standard push-ups, wall push-ups pose a safer alternative for expectant mothers, particularly those who are carrying out their pregnancy at the later stages. They reduce the tension on the pelvic floor and abdomen.

Straighten your knees and position yourself facing a wall. Hold a wall with your hands at the top of your shoulders and bend your elbows until your chin reaches the surface. Keep your back straight and repeat the exercise for about 15 more times.

7. Swimming

Even though it's a low-impact exercise, the water from swimming can provide pregnant women with natural resistance that helps strengthen the muscles. This benefit is similar to using weights without the strain.

Getting in the water can also help ease the stress on your body during pregnancy, as it can support the weight of the fetus and help reduce the pressure on your bladder. In addition, it can help the heart pump blood and ease pregnancy-related swelling.

8. Side Plank

A modified side plank can help you improve balance and tone the muscles on the side of your body while also reducing back pain. Pregnant women can benefit from this exercise as it can strengthen their core, obliques, posture, and lower back. Maintaining proper breathing and form is important throughout your pregnancy to avoid strain.

Lie with your left arm in a position that's parallel to the ground. Hold for a couple of seconds, keep your shoulders and hips in a line, and keep your knees and elbows in a tight position. Lower yourself to the floor, repeat the exercise on the other side, and then gradually increase the number of reps. Image courtesy of the Mayo Clinic.

Flexibility, weightlessness, and two convenient front hand pockets and a zippered pocket in the back. Image courtesy of Goal Five. 

With comfortable fitting apparel such as the Valia Women’s Black Jogger Pants, pregnant women can rock their best self and feel confident in their workouts!