Exercises for pregnant women in the pool

In order to somehow reduce the level of discomfort, to relieve the young mother from at least some of the problems, many health systems have now been developed, including exercises for pregnant women in the pool.

Without a doubt, pregnancy is an important and joyful event. And, at the same time, it is a difficult period when the body of the expectant mother experiences the strongest load - both psychological and physical. Frequent fatigue, sleep problems, increased irritability, swollen legs, aching back pain - all this cannot but darken the life of even the biggest optimists.

However, before deciding to sign up for swimming lessons, any woman will hurry to make inquiries so as not to harm either herself or the child. Indeed, is swimming useful during pregnancy? Are there any contraindications? What kind of exercises for pregnant women in the pool are the most useful? Do visiting public places like the pool pose a threat to hygiene? These questions are completely natural, but the fears hidden behind them are most often completely groundless.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Is swimming good for you during pregnancy?

Exercises for pregnant women in the pool are an excellent way to get rid of accumulated stress, relieve the strain on the spine and joints, and even prevent damage to tissue integrity when the baby is born.

Strictly speaking, this is not exactly swimming, but a whole complex of various exercises for pregnant women in the pool. It is well known that water significantly reduces body weight, thanks to which the lost feeling of lightness returns, and physical activity ceases to be so exhausting. In addition, water procedures allow you to maintain physical activity, and this, in turn, helps to endure childbirth more easily and restore your figure. These exercises also improve the general well-being of a woman, activate metabolic processes in the body. The muscles of the back, abdomen and pelvis are developed, the work of the cardiovascular system is normalized. Swimming also helps to train breathing, saturate the organs and tissues of the mother and baby with oxygen. Thus, the woman is prepared for childbirth.

In addition to general strengthening exercises for pregnant women, the pool can usually offer a special course designed for women who are catastrophically gaining weight during pregnancy. A very important point: an experienced specialist will select the right level of load that will allow you to maintain optimal physical shape and in no case overexert yourself. By the way, this is important not only when performing special exercises, but also during regular swimming, because it is obvious that pregnancy is not the best time for records. In general, swimming is considered the ideal and safest fitness option for those women who did not do sports before pregnancy.

The emotional side of the issue is no less important than the purely physical one. This type of exercise is not just standard or specialized exercises for pregnant women. In the pool, women get the opportunity to relax, change the environment, rest, talk to a specialist and - most importantly - with other mothers and discuss everything that worries them together. This is about whether swimming is useful during pregnancy.

Returning to the question of the safety of visiting the pool in such a delicate situation, it should be noted that all those who signed up are required to provide certificates of absence of serious diseases before the first lesson. If you still cannot get rid of your fears, it is worth remembering that the water in the pools is thoroughly cleaned. This rule is especially strictly observed when it comes to classes for pregnant women. You can also ask your friends, inquire about the reputation of the institution where the classes are planned, and, finally, pay attention to specialized courses at clinics. And it turns out that in the absolute majority of cases there is no reason to worry, but the benefits of exercises for pregnant women in the pool are simply enormous.

Contraindications to swimming during pregnancy

In principle, if the general condition of the young mother is good, there is no reason to refuse exercises for pregnant women in the pool. Moreover, doctors strongly recommend such water procedures. However, in a situation where the health of both the woman and the child is at stake, one cannot be too careless. Therefore, before starting classes, it is necessary to consult a doctor and only then make a final decision.

So what are the contraindications to swimming during pregnancy?

One of the reasons to avoid exercises for pregnant women in the pool is the risk of miscarriage. Women who have heavy vaginal discharge, have been diagnosed with placenta previa, or are prone to edema should also avoid going to the pool.

As mentioned above, the condition of the water in the pool is monitored very carefully. It would seem, what's wrong with that? The problem is that the water is purified with chlorine, so for young mothers with an allergy to this substance, the option of a pool with chlorinated water is out of the question. By the way, even those women who do not suffer from allergies should avoid swallowing water so as not to harm the child. However, even women with an allergy to chlorine do not necessarily have to give up water procedures - it is enough to find a suitable replacement, for example, a pool with sea water.

Other reasons that prevent visiting the pool during pregnancy include general weakness, nausea, pain during exercise, shortness of breath, flushing of the skin, blood diseases, severe toxicosis, skin and infectious diseases, as well as acute respiratory diseases and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

If there are no contraindications to swimming during pregnancy listed above, then the idea of water procedures should be taken as seriously as possible. Especially since it is not only extremely useful, but also fun.

[ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ]

A set of exercises for pregnant women in the pool

The first set of exercises for pregnant women in the pool was developed back in the eighties of the last century. Since then, a great variety of exercises have appeared. Different sets of exercises are used at different stages of pregnancy, for different indications.

It is often recommended to start a swimming pool session with stretching exercises for pregnant women. They are performed facing the side of the pool and are mainly represented by various variations of longitudinal and transverse splits and half splits. When performing these and any other exercises, it is important not to overdo it. The exercises should bring pleasure and benefit, not complications.

A set of twisting exercises is also performed at the side of the pool - these are squats with turns to the right and left (while pushing off from the bottom, holding tightly to the side), a "bicycle" on the back, or simply kicking the water.

Relaxation exercises in the pool are no less important for pregnant women. They allow a tired back to rest. Probably the simplest exercise is to lie face down, spread your arms and relax your whole body. There is another option: lying on your stomach, take a deep breath, hold your breath and splash around in the water. This exercise is all the more enjoyable because pregnant women almost never get to lie on their stomachs outside of the water, especially in the later stages of pregnancy.

Group exercises for pregnant women in the pool are more extreme, but no less useful. One of the options is a kind of "stream", when women stand one after another, spreading their legs wide and, in turn, swim under each other's feet.

Exercises aimed at training breath holding are extremely useful. Of course, we are talking about diving. Young mothers learn to hold their breath for a long time, which will help them during childbirth, and the baby gradually gets used to the reduced oxygen supply that it will encounter during contractions and when passing through the birth canal. A good example of a breathing exercise for pregnant women in the pool is the "fetal position", when a woman needs to pull her legs towards herself, hug them and, having taken a breath, stay under water for a while. The "float" exercise is also designed to train breathing: you need to push off the bottom, grab your folded feet with your hands, spread your knees wide, simultaneously lowering your head into the water, and hold your breath. Another popular exercise is the "star": lie face down, spreading your arms and legs to the sides, and stay in this position for a long time, then stand up and slowly inhale.

As an example of a real sports program that experienced specialists resort to, we can cite the following set of exercises for pregnant women in the pool:

• breathing exercises;
• active exercises at the side of the pool (leg swings near the surface of the water; leg swings to the side; leg circles back and forth);
• stretching exercises for pregnant women in the pool;
• exercises for pregnant women in the pool for twisting;
• exercises to strengthen the chest;
• exercises for pregnant women in the pool with a board;
• group exercises for pregnant women in the pool;
• exercises for pregnant women in the pool for relaxation.

However, it should not be forgotten that even the most effective set of exercises will not bring the expected result if the exercises are not regular. Two exercises a week is the optimal schedule that will allow a woman to keep her body in good shape, improve her well-being and prepare for childbirth. However, the schedule may be different if the health condition requires it. The water temperature should not be lower than 29-31 degrees to avoid hypothermia. The duration of the exercises themselves is 40-50 minutes, but, again, if the expectant mother feels tired, uncomfortable, dizzy, or simply cold, the exercise should be interrupted.

Exercises for pregnant women in early pregnancy

A pregnant woman certainly needs care during the entire period of her pregnancy, but special attention should be paid to her health in the early and late stages of pregnancy. During these periods, both mother and baby need care more than ever, which means that exercises should be selected in accordance with this setting.

In the first trimester (the first fourteen weeks), it is better to avoid excessive loads. During this period, the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, and due to the threat of miscarriage, exercises for pregnant women in the pool in the early stages of pregnancy should be as simple and easy as possible. The best choice would be leisurely swimming and relaxation exercises.

During this period, it is necessary to begin to prepare the woman's body for childbirth with extreme caution, train the muscles of the hips, the spine, which will have to become a support for the greatly increasing weight, and therefore, take on a large load. In no case should you strain the press - the probability of miscarriage at this stage is too high. But it is high time to do several exercises in the pool for pregnant women aimed at strengthening the chest muscles, which will help to maintain its shape later: squeeze your palms folded in front of you with force; the same position, move your arms to the left, to the right; imitate the crawl swimming style, swinging first forward, then back; hold your hands clenched into fists and raised above your head for 5 seconds, gradually relax all the joints, lowering your hands into the water as you exhale.

All exercises must be performed carefully, without haste, under the guidance of an experienced instructor who will help maintain physical fitness without harming either the mother or the child.

Despite all the precautions and certain restrictions, you should not give up exercises for pregnant women in the pool even in the early stages of pregnancy. According to doctors, it is thanks to exercises from the first weeks of pregnancy that childbirth is easier, without tears, and the restoration of the previous shape by women in labor takes much less time. In addition, in the early stages of pregnancy, exercises also bring tremendous psychological help, because communication with other mothers helps to overcome fear and get rid of stress.

[ 7 ]

Exercises for pregnant women in late pregnancy

The second trimester, according to doctors, is the safest period for a young mother and child. For example, you can do various exercises for pregnant women, designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles. The intensity of the exercises during this period, as a rule, increases, but before the third trimester it should be reduced again and preference should be given to calm swimming and breathing exercises, which are very important in view of the approaching birth.

An example of breathing exercises for pregnant women in the pool:

• take a deep breath over the water and exhale under it;
• inhale over water – slowly exhale into water (in the last trimester, the duration of the exhalation should increase);
• intensified but even breathing for 10 seconds - first with an emphasis on inhalation, then on exhalation;
• shallow, superficial breathing.

Exercises for pregnant women in late pregnancy allow the fetus to take the correct position in the uterus. In addition, during this period it is very important to relieve the musculoskeletal system, which has to bear heavy loads, and, as you know, the best way to do this is swimming.

Of course, as in the case of the first trimester, there are certain restrictions. Thus, in order to avoid an undesirable increase in uterine tone in the third trimester, exercises should be stopped as soon as the woman's pulse quickens and painful sensations appear. You will have to limit yourself to breathing exercises for pregnant women in the pool - the only ones that have no contraindications at any stage of pregnancy.