Pull up a chair
Lack of flexibility in your muscles and ligaments will add an unnecessary burden to the adaptations your pregnant body has to make to accommodate a growing baby. Keeping supple and strong does much to help your body and your mind cope with pregnancy.
FLEXIBILITY of a joint is related to the ability of the surrounding muscles to stretch and then to relax. Muscles tend to shorten when they are not used or when they are compensating for postural imbalance, such as during pregnancy, when your centre of gravity changes. Flexibility increases with stretching exercises, lengthening your muscles and making them more pliable. Stretching is nature’s prescription for relaxing the body, and relieves stress as well. STRENGTH is defined in a variety of ways and is affected by the kind of muscular contraction involved as well as the speed of those contractions. Strength can be increased during pregnancy if the level and the length of the exercise/ workout are extended very gradually. Toning and weight-bearing exercise increases strength.
Building strength goes hand in hand with building flexibility, but building stamina, which involves endurance exercises, should also be included. Please keep in mind, a well-balanced exercise routine involves an aerobic (cardiovascular) element, which is not included in this article.
PHYSICAL = MENTAL
When you stretch, take it only as far as is comfortable. Never overstretch or push into or past pain. Your tissues and joints are softer during pregnancy due to the action of relaxin and progesterone, and you don’t want to tear or injure anything. The benefits of improved muscle tone and strength are numerous. A strong body will help to carry the added weight that pregnancy brings. It will improve your balance, your stability, increase your energy levels and improve your sense of wellbeing and self esteem. Physical strength gives you better endurance and tolerance. Both will help you deal with birth and early motherhood.
As with everything you do in pregnancy, moderation is the key. Do not overwork or strain your muscles.