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In my last trimester, I would often get breathless, tired, and fatigued. Obviously, all this was bound to happen because the bun in the oven was getting bigger week by week. My belly size was increasing and it was really getting difficult to work out but all that didn’t give me a reason to rule out any physical activity from my schedule. Exercises for pregnant women was not very common then. Nonetheless, I didn’t want to give up.
Today, I have achieved the weight I maintained during my college years, marking a significant milestone. Yes, it’s true! This transformation is entirely feasible. At the time of my due date, I weighed 68 kilograms, and just two months later, I reached a healthy 53 kilograms :). Being of a petite build, shedding the excess weight seemed like an insurmountable challenge, but I proved myself wrong! I’m thrilled to report that all my post-delivery medical tests have returned positive results. The key to my success was resuming my regular workout routine shortly after the birth of my child, under the guidance and approval of my obstetrician.
Exercises for pregnant women:
Ladies, make an exercise plan that is easy to follow to help you remain active and in shape before and post your delivery. TCT recommends that you speak to your obstetrician about the plan and include exercises accordingly.
Check out the top 4 exercises for pregnant women that will help an expecting mom to stay active and in shape post delivery.
Prior to commencing your workout, engage in a five-minute warm-up session. This step is crucial as it allows your heart rate to gradually increase. You have the flexibility to perform the warm-up indoors barefoot on a yoga mat or outdoors wearing shoes. For your warm-up routine, incorporate the following exercises, each lasting one minute: Marching on the Spot, Wall Slide, Thoracic Rotation, Air Squats, and Cat Camel. Once you’ve completed your warm-up, proceed with the subsequent five quick exercises.
1. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch – 2 Sets
- Kneel by placing your left knee on the floor. Bend your right knee at 90 degrees by resting the right foot on the floor.
- Bring your torso in an upright position and stretch your right hand upwards. Bend your torso towards your right and move your right hand as backward as possible. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Keep your breathing steady.
- Repeat this movement with your other leg and shift arms.
2. Standing Calf Stretch – 2 Sets
- Stand in front of a wall. As you are facing the wall, place your right foot at a distance of 2 feet and your left foot close to your wall.
- Place hands on the wall with shoulder-wide width and height. Now, lean against it and simultaneously bend your left knee.
- Shift your weight to your back foot to feel a stretch in your right calf. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Keep your breathing steady.
- Switch legs and repeat this movement.
3. Glute Stretch – 2 Sets
- Lie down on your back and bend your knees at 90 degrees.
- Bring your left leg’s ankle towards the right side and cross your right leg. The ankle should be placed over your right thigh.
- Using both your hands, pull the left knee towards the middle of your chest. Bring it as close as possible, till you feel a comfortable stretch in your glute muscles. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Keep your breathing steady.
- Switch legs and repeat this movement.
4. Modified Side Plank – 3 Sets
- Lie down on the floor with your left side and bend both knees at 90 degrees.
- Using your left elbow, push your body up.
- Support your torso by contracting the abs and raise hips so that your body forms a straight line. Remember to keep your breathing steady. Hold this position till you can.
- Return to normal position and rest for 60 seconds.
- Now lie down on the right side and repeat this exercise on the other side.
