4 Effective Exercises for the Last Month of Pregnancy

Exercise in the last month of third pregnancy trimester is safe if the mom-to-be does not have any risk of delivering a preterm baby. In the last month, doctors advice pregnant women to exercise only when they have been working out since the initial stages of pregnancy.

A woman who has been irregular with exercising during pregnancy should, however, only do moderate exercises, such as walking. Discuss with your doctor or midwife to learn whether you should continue your exercise routine or not.

Low Impact Exercises

To prepare for the delivery, a pregnant woman’s body starts releasing a hormone called “relaxin” in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. This hormone loosens the ligaments and joints to facilitate childbirth. The softer the ligaments are the higher is the risk of injury while exercising. In the ninth month of pregnancy, you should opt for gentle workouts, such as walking and swimming as these do not add additional stress on your pressurised joints.

Kegel Exerices

A fully grown foetus puts a lot of stress on the pelvic floor making it weaker and leading to the onset of a number of issues, such as urine leaks, pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic organ prolaspe. Kegel exercises during pregnancy are easy to perform and aid in keeping the pelvic muscles strong.  To perform a kegel exercise, you have to tighten the pelvic muscles such that you’re holding back the flow of urine. Hold the position for five seconds and release. Repeat the exercise for 10 times at a stretch three times a day.

Wall Piles

To perform wall pile, stand straight facing a fall and put your hands on the wall and feet shoulder-width apart. Tailbone should be pointed towards the floor. Now lower your body towards the floor by bending your knees. Hold this position for five seconds and conclude by straightening your legs. You may perform two sets of wall piles with each consisting 10 repetitions.

Yoga

Prenatal yoga is a popular choice among the moms-to-be. There are various yoga centres and community studios where prenatal yoga is taught. Irrespective of the stage of pregnancy, a mom-to-be can practice yoga while keeping some safety considerations in mind. While doing standing poses, always ask for support be it a chair, a partner or wall. Yoga breathing techniques relieve stress and tension making the expecting woman feel relaxed. Prenatal yoga also makes the process of delivery a little easier.

To avoid complications in delivery, stop exercising when your body tells you to do so. While exercising during the ninth month of pregnancy, if you experience severe headaches, swelling, abdominal pain, increased vaginal discharge or bleeding and decreased movements of baby, immediately stop exercising and contact a doctor or midwife at the earliest.

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