How to Stay Active During a Difficult Pregnancy

Whether it is your first or your fifth pregnancy, it's very important that you learn to remain active as much as possible. Daily exercise is important for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy body after pregnancy as well. The problem for many women is that difficult pregnancies make it hard t9o stay active.

If you have a lot of pregnancy symptoms, severe morning sickness, aching limbs, swelling , migraines or other severe pregnancy symptoms, it can feel hard enough at times just to crawl out of bed , much less to get a daily dose of physical activity each day.

Here are some ways that you can get some regular physical activity in even if you are having a difficult pregnancy:

• Go for walks- walking is low impact, you can control the pace and you can do it anywhere. Whether you are walking around your own home, around the neighborhood, at a track or in the mall, this is an excellent way to stay active.
• Yoga- this is another great activity for pregnancy and there are even special classes or videos that you can find for pregnancy-specific yoga.
• Household chores-we all have chores and doing what you can each day is one way to get some extra activity in your day. Standing and doing dishes or laundry gives you some needed exercise. Don't stress if you have a bad day where you can't get much done but on days where you are feeling good, go ahead and get some extra chores in.
• Take the stairs- as long as there are no medical reasons to stop you, taking the stairs can be a great way to get a little extra activity into your day. If you have stairs at your home, you can use them several times throughout the day to get that extra activity in.

As a rule of thumb, if something hurts, stop doing it. Always talk to your OB about what is safe exercise and activity for you as every woman and every pregnancy is different. It is also advised that you avoid starting new sports and activities in pregnancy but a healthy pregnant woman can continue activities she did before for most of the pregnancy.

You may not be able to do all of the things you once did if you are having a difficult pregnancy but it's important to try to stay as healthy and active as you can. It will help your delivery go more smoothly, will help you have a healthier baby and it will help you get back to your old self faster after the delivery.