Pregnancy is a phase where the mother goes through a lot of changes, both physically and mentally. Exercising is a good way to make sure your body is ready for the due date. Exercise and pregnancy undoubtedly have a positive association.
Now why is squatting an exercise that needs to be looked at? This is because, apart from exercising to stay fit and for recreational purposes, it is always a good idea to do a specific exercise that will be more beneficial for the current state of your body. As pregnancy and delivery need a good toned abdominal, back and upper thigh muscle tone, squatting yields maximum benefits. However, it is important that squatting is done in the right manner.
Yes. It is safe to exercise when pregnant, but with the terms and conditions applied – a right type of exercise done in a right amount at the right time. In fact, squats in pregnancy are recommended to build strength in your lower body which takes a lot of pressure during delivery.
Exercise in general and squatting specifically has a lot of potential benefits during pregnancy and eventually during labour. Squatting is a traditional form of exercise advised to pregnant women by midwives. Here are some common benefits:
Weight gain in pregnancy can be unhealthy if it is above a certain level. Too much fat accumulation causing weight gain is not a good idea. Comparative studies have proven that those who were active earlier and continued exercising during pregnancy had healthier weight gain than those who stopped after becoming pregnant.
Cardiovascular fitness, endurance and muscular strength can be maintained and improved through exercise and squatting during pregnancy. There is a lot of maternal adaptation happening in all the systems of the body during pregnancy, particularly the cardiovascular system. The blood volume increases, heart rate increases and cardiac output increases. Being sedentary during this time is not a very good idea.
You will have some extra weight all over your body during pregnancy. All the weight will be borne by your legs and the back muscles are at work for extra hours to bear it. Squats in pregnancy help you maintain the right posture and it prevents undue stress on the knee ligaments without affecting you and your baby negatively.
Lower back pain can really hurt during pregnancy and squatting is the solution. Improving the posture and body mechanics decreases the frequency and severity of the pain which is otherwise quite common during pregnancy. The most common types of back pain during pregnancy – the lumbar pain and the back of the pelvis pain, both are taken care of when you squat.
In those women who are pre-disposed to gestational diabetes, exercise has shown to prevent or control it by improving glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and also reduces the episodes of hypoglycemia by improving the glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. But the women who already have gestational diabetes may need advice and exercise under guidance.
Pregnancy-induced-hypertension is another complication of pregnancy that can be perilous. Few studies have reported protective effect of leisure time exercise during pregnancy against hypertensive disorders induced by pregnancy.
There is always a risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy. There is also a risk of foetal malformations in early days after pregnancy. This is why these precautions about exercising in the first trimester are necessary.
Squatting helps reduce minor discomforts which are very common during pregnancy like constipation, poor bladder control, varicose veins, insomnia, heartburn, and leg cramps. Some women also reported that 3-5 minutes of exercise alleviates symptoms of morning sickness.
There is evidence that says that the women who were active throughout their pregnancy and performed squatting exercise during the 9th month of pregnancy had an earlier onset of labour at term, shorter duration of labour, reduced complications during labour and delivered babies with high APGAR scores. (APGAR scoring is done by the paediatrician on the new-born to estimate the health. Higher the score, the healthier the baby).
Also recently there has been a lot of importance being given to squats to bring on labour and also delivering in the same position. In fact various hospitals are now designing the labour room table such as to allow delivery in a squatting position and encourage squats while pregnant to induce labour.
An active mother during pregnancy recovers faster, and gets back to the pre-pregnant state in terms of energy, pain, muscle strength, weight loss, toned abdomen and endurance sooner.
There is no denying that pregnancy, delivery and the post-partum period however beautiful, is known to psychologically impact the mother. Exercising during pregnancy has positive effects on the maternal mental well-being leading to decreased depression and an improvement in self-esteem and body confidence.
Here is a brief overview of how to do squats during pregnancy. Read about the various squatting positions during pregnancy and how you can practice them:
There are certain contraindications to squatting during pregnancy that you must know about. Consulting your doctor is the best idea before you begin squatting on your own.
The first major no-no for squatting is to attempt it without researching whether it is safe for you. If you’re wondering how to do squats during pregnancy, it is better to ask whether it is safe first.
There is enough information on the internet to help you but unless your doctor gives you a green signal and explains to you the advantages, the risks and the red flag signs may not be evident. In particular, the posture during a squat exercise, which involves repeated bending and straightening of the upper body, can become a major risk factor for a lumbar disorder associated with lower back pain, result in miscarriage or even a premature labour.
The four most significant contraindications to beginning an exercise program or resuming one are:
Any sort of exercise is not advised if you face any of the following:
It can exercise but require careful evaluation, monitoring, and prescription based on the individual situation)
You can exercise but require additional care and guidance based on the your situation during pregnancy if you face or have face any of the following::
Various professional organizations and noted researchers in the field have published guidelines for exercising during the childbearing year. Here are some tips to perform squats safely in pregnancy as published by Hammer et al in the journal of perinatal education
Know the warning signs to discontinue exercise and consult with prenatal health advisor.
There are a few instances during your pregnancy where it is not advisable to squat. For example, if the baby is not in the optimal position, i.e. the baby’s bottom presents itself first when the baby is in the breech position, which pushes it deeper down into the pelvis. You can turn your baby to the optimal position before continuing squatting.
Other instances include experiencing pain during squatting. If you are having some sort of discomfort while squatting, then it is best that you get your technique analysed or choose another technique.
Thus, squatting in pregnancy is recommended for those who want to ensure a smoother, easier delivery. However, precautions need to be taken in order to confirm whether your body and you are ready for this.