The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) encourages all pregnant women to exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. However, it’s important to note that while pregnant, your heart rate increases naturally, so it’s important to exercise with this in mind. Low-impact exercises can help keep Mom and Baby healthy during pregnancy.
Rachel Welch created Revolution Motherhood to disrupt a space that was hurting mothers by shying away from the physical demands of pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery. Rachel’s method teaches women how their bodies work, prepares them for birth, heals their postpartum injuries, and cross-trains them to thrive in the unique physical, mental, and emotional landscape of motherhood.
FOUR THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN EXERCISING WHILE PREGNANT
1. Exercises like active squats, lunges, wall sits and side lying glute and waist sculpting. All of these exercises raise the heart rate to low cardio and allow the mom to monitor and slow down/rest if her heart rate goes too high.
2. As long as it is a medically uncomplicated pregnancy, down dogs (for a light inversion that helps extend tight back muscles and improve circulation/heart health), supported planks, and working on hands and knees for full body/trunk stabilizing work like bird dogs, supported pushups, leg extensions, and low back waist/glute work.
3. Brisk walking/light jogging if you were a runner before pregnancy – I recommend a heart rate monitor here to stay in low cardio range and avoid getting anaerobic – excellent for keeping circulation strong, your diaphragm toned within changing ribcage and improves oxygen flow to mom and baby.
4. Soft foam rolling every night – from head to toe. It flushes subcutaneous fluids that accumulate during the day and frees restricted and tight muscles and joints – all of which support your kidneys, heart and overall circulatory systems.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel Welch, creator of the prenatal/postpartum and body education app Revolution Motherhood, is a women’s health advocate, prenatal and postnatal fitness expert, + pioneer. Her life-elevating fitness method empowers women with the knowledge and skills to understand, heal, and embody motherhood from the inside out.
Cover photo by Yan Krukau
