Being pregnant is one of the most wonderful things in the world, but at the same time, it can also be very tiring to many women. Now, even though there are some differences between surrogates and traditional pregnancy, generally speaking, some things do remain the same.
It refers to your lifestyle during this period of time. What does it mean? It means that you should focus on having lots of rest, decrease stress as much as you can, and consume lots of fruit, veggies, healthy fats, whole grains, etc.
What about exercising? Is it allowed during pregnancy? Yes, in most cases is, however, before you start doing any physical activity, you should first consult your doctor. If you want to know more about your exercising options, then below we will talk about it in more detail.
Useful Exercises For Pregnant Surrogates
Walking
Walking is generally extremely beneficial for everybody, especially for pregnant ladies. What’s so great about it is that you can do it anytime, set your own pace and just enjoy. Furthermore, you can go for a walk anywhere, starting from your neighborhood, city center, in the woods, and many other places.
Since you’re done one who will set the pace, maybe for starters, it would be recommendable if you choose shorter walks a couple of times per day, instead of one that’s too long and potentially challenging if you’re not feeling good.
On the other hand, if you’re feeling great like you can run a marathon, then you can always opt for a brisk walk. This can be perceived as a workout for sure that can positively affect your lungs and heart, but without jeopardizing your joints.
As soon as you start feeling tired, just sit down and have some rest, or simply slow the speed until you regain your strength. If by any chance you’re part of a surrogacy support group, or if you happen to know someone who has a lot of free time on their hands, then invite these people to join you and spend some quality time together.
Keep Doing What You’re Already Doing
Unless you’re having some health issues, in most cases, your healthcare practitioner will advise you to keep doing what you are already doing when it comes to exercising. Surrogacy pregnancy doesn’t mean that you should stop living, on the contrary.
It’s time to experience something special without excluding the things you’ve always enjoyed. For instance, if you’ve been a passionate runner your whole life, your doctor will probably allow you to continue doing this.
On the other hand, if you’ve been weight training, it is highly likely the doctor will allow that as well. Just always consult with him or her first. Now, if you’ve never been a surrogate before, but you would love to become one, then you should check out all surrogate requirements to see if you’re a good match. Who knows, maybe you are!
What Else Can You Do During Pregnancy?
Swimming
Another great example of light exercise that can be done at almost any time. Not only is it beneficial for your heart, but can also reduce various discomforts that pregnant women have during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters.
Backaches, swollen feet or ankles, hip pains, all these sensations will be alleviated during swimming and at the same time, you will get your heart pumping. Besides helping with physical stress, this form of exercising is also working for your biggest muscle groups, like legs and arms, and at the same time decreasing discomfort caused by overheating.
Prenatal Yoga
It is widely known that yoga is one of the best things in the world when it comes to both physical and mental health. In the past couple of decades, it has become very popular precisely due to its many benefits.
That’s why if you’re currently pregnant and you want to start practicing something that will make you feel calm, relaxed, and carefree, then you should definitely opt for prenatal yoga. What are the biggest benefits of it?
Bear in mind that our bodies are continuously changing and that’s especially the case during pregnancy. Everything is much more accelerated which means that you may need some time to adjust and accept these changes.
With the help of this form of exercising, you will be able to adapt in no time. Another major benefit that certainly must be mentioned in the preparation for labor. Namely, prenatal yoga will teach you to relax and trust your body, especially when it’s time to have a baby.
When it’s time for labor, usually a lot of women get scared and tighten up, which causes a fear-tension-pain cycle. Unfortunately, this can negatively impact a woman’s efforts to stay calm and present during labor, especially if she wants to go through it without having any medications (or small amounts of it).
But that’s why prenatal yoga is here. It will show you how to loosen, relax, and breathe in these moments and will enable you to get to a mammalian place.
Home Is Also A Great Choice
Just because you’re interested in working out during pregnancy, it doesn’t mean that you should do it only at the gym. In fact, there are so many things that you can do while you’re at home, especially nowadays, when the internet is flooded with numerous fitness workout videos.
It would be best to go online and see what types of exercises are perfect for surrogates. Choose the ones that are safe of course. Now, it isn’t just important to know what’s safe, but also what’s unsafe as well. Below we will create a list of activities that should be avoided during pregnancy:
- Those that can potentially cause you to hit your stomach
- Movements that are too bouncy
- Could make you fall and hurt yourself
- Could seriously raise your body temperature
- Activity that makes you lie flat on your belly
A majority of surrogate mothers love to stay active and fit during pregnancy and that’s great news, however, safety should always come first, so make sure to never forget that. These exercises are pretty harmless, but still, consult your doctor first before you start doing any of them.