During pregnancy, relaxation and exercise are of utmost importance because your back is aching, you are sleepless, your ankles are swelling and you are constipated and bloated.
Exercise does wonders during pregnancy: it boosts your mood, improves sleep, and relieves aches and pains. It also prepares you for childbirth by strengthening muscles and building endurance. In addition, staying active now makes it that much easier to get back in shape after your baby is born.
Ashish Gupta from Gold’s gym says, “Expecting mothers should get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, five days a week. Most exercises are off-limits during pregnancy. Agree, it is time for you to binge, but a bit of workout with it, will help you get back in shape post-delivery faster.” He says that cardiovascular exercises increase blood circulation, muscle tone and endurance (which you will be thankful for coming delivery day).
“Prenatal yoga is another ideal workout for the mother to be; it encourages relaxation, flexibility, focus and deep breathing. Indoor cycling is a wonderful way to break a sweat without putting pressure on your ankles and knee joints, indoor cycling lets you pedal at your own pace without the risk of falling. Try transitioning your cardio workouts to a stationary bike,” says Gupta. He says that there are many more ways to remain fit during pregnancy as well as a few exercises you definitely should not do. Always confirm with a practitioner what is okay and what is not for you.
Along with a strong body, mothers need a strong mind. “Meditation can help you become more peaceful, more focused, less worried about discomfort and more appreciative towards everything in life. Most importantly it will help you understand your own mind,” says Anamika Yaduvanshi, life skills trainer. Yaduvanshi gives tips to meditate at home, “It’s easy to say, I’ll meditate every day, but then you forget to do it. Instead, set a reminder for every morning when you get up and put a note that says ‘mediate’ somewhere where you’ll see it,” she says.
She adds that meditation cannot be mastered in a day. It requires practice every day to achieve a certain level, but one can start feeling the difference right from day one.
“Day one, choose a corner in your house, light a candle there, use a fragrance, and when you sit to meditate, quiet your mind, just forget all the stress. Don’t pay attention to whatever thoughts come to your mind. Simply think nothing, “explains Yaduvanshi.
Meditation is add on for those women who are prone to get stressed easily, though it is for everyone, but during pregnancy one needs the calm.