Pregnancy is one of the most challenging periods in the life of a woman. As soon as you find out that another delicate life depends on you, doubts start to swirl around in your head. Expecting parents start questioning everything around them, even the smallest, simplest things, and in many cases, their fears turn out to be true.
Stretching during pregnancy is one of those unimportant activities which suddenly move to the fore as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Many people might come to you with different advice- some people recommend stretching during pregnancy, while the consensus of other people is that it is generally bad for the baby. In this article, we shall address the question as to whether stretching is useful or harmful for an expecting mother.
The body of a pregnant woman undergoes many changes, in a short amount of time. It might seem overwhelming, and many mothers find themselves becoming weak and inactive. Stretching is the perfect exercise for mothers to do, and it does not hurt the baby in any way. It is one of the best things you can do when pregnant since it not only helps you become healthier physically but also relieves tension and stress. However, remember to check with your doctor before you get started on your stretching regime.
Safe stretches during pregnancy come with a host of amazing benefits, both for the mother and the baby. Pregnancy is fraught with pain in many parts of the body, and stretching can help mothers cope with these changes in the body.
The posture of the woman changes as the size of her belly increases. Combine that with the weight of the foetus, and the result is that the woman is always under some pain. Back pain is extremely common in pregnant women, mainly because of the growth of the foetus accompanied by the hormonal changes taking place in her body. These are the areas that stretching works well for the benefit of the mother.
Stretching the back during pregnancy can help in resolving the stiff feeling in the back, and even improve the range of motion of the mother. The heartbeat of the mother increases when she exercises which is why the foetus in the womb gets more blood. This results in a healthy baby in the womb. Also, stretching exercises can help mothers keep their weight in check, and not gain too much weight during their pregnancy. Pregnancy stretches in the third trimester are also useful since they loosen up the joints and make the mother slightly more comfortable during childbirth.
As in every activity during pregnancy, stretches also have the potential to hurt the baby if they not done correctly. You should not strain yourself too much as this can impair the development of the foetus. Also, remember to stay well hydrated so that there are no issues while you exercise. When doing stomach stretches during pregnancy, you should not lie on your back, especially after the first trimester. The blood vessel carrying nutrients to the uterus can get squeezed, resulting in the baby not getting enough blood to grow.
There are some tips that women can follow while exercising so that they do not bring any harm to the baby growing in their belly. Some of these are:
Here are some stretching exercises which are great for pregnant women:
Stretches, particularly pregnancy hip stretches are instrumental in helping a woman maintain her health during this tumultuous time. Exercise can be good for both, the mother and the child if done correctly. So remember to check with the doctor before starting a stretching regime.