Pregnancy and dancing

Pregnancy and dancing – many of those who are preparing to become mothers ask themselves how they can be combined?

It is necessary to immediately clarify, dispel all doubts and fears on this matter - if in the process of intrauterine development of the child there are no deviations and anomalies, and also if the condition of the pregnant woman is satisfactory, one can expect a completely affirmative answer. Physical activity during dancing is an unconditional positive factor in the health of both the mother and the future baby.

The period in a woman's life when she is carrying a child is undoubtedly a very difficult time for the expectant mother, associated with many changes occurring both in her body and in the psycho-emotional sphere. And life after that often long-awaited moment when it is confirmed that a baby is beginning to develop inside her, still continues. Its rhythm simply becomes a little different, a little more measured, smooth. But this does not mean at all that it is impossible to introduce a bit of variety in the form of regular, fairly intense physical activity, such as, for example, dancing.

So, if there are no contraindications to dancing and the doctor, under whose supervision the woman is during pregnancy, gives the go-ahead, you can start doing all sorts of dance steps. Of course, with a small caveat. It would not be wise for a woman "in position" to continue to be, as possible, a regular at night clubs and confirm the title of Queen of the dance floor. The benefits of a disco are questionable, and in addition to the fact that it can lead to overwork, in fact, it is not capable of giving anything good. It is necessary to choose those types of dances that exclude sudden movements and do not cause significant tension in the abdominal muscles, so that placental abruption does not occur. Excessive stress on the abdominal muscles is also fraught with an increase in uterine tone and increases the risk of premature birth. On the other hand, those types of dances that require movements of the arms, legs, back, neck, will only be beneficial.

Dance classes should be conducted under the guidance of an instructor who has experience leading groups according to a special program developed for pregnant women. Such a trainer will help to choose the most suitable rhythm of classes and determine the degree of acceptable load on the woman's body.

Pregnancy and dancing practiced during this period require careful monitoring of all changes occurring in the well-being and condition of the expectant mother, and if they become negative, such activities must be stopped immediately.

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Benefits of Dancing During Pregnancy

The benefits of dancing during pregnancy include a number of positive aspects, including the following.

Choreographic classes help reduce the degree of discomfort experienced by women in connection with the state of pregnancy. Thanks to them, the overall tone of the body increases, its supply of vitality and energy increases.

Dancing can act as one of the significant factors that reduce the likelihood that there may be a need for medical intervention in the natural process of childbirth. They help to minimize the need for possible delivery by cesarean section.

Regular performance of dance movements by a pregnant woman can help prevent prolonged postpartum depression in the future.

Dancing during pregnancy is an excellent preparatory activity for the body for labor, as it results in strengthening the muscles of the legs, particularly the thighs, the muscles in the pelvic area and back, and in addition the vaginal muscles.

As a result of dancing, the risk of the birth occurring earlier than the due date or being accompanied by all sorts of possible complications is reduced for the expectant mother. And while the pregnancy lasts, they help to a certain extent to prevent hypertensive disorders, the occurrence of preeclapsia (late toxicosis) of pregnant women, the development of gestational diabetes, that is, developing against the background of pregnancy.

The benefit of dancing for a woman preparing to become a mother also consists in the fact that it is a wonderful option for physical activity and has a beneficial effect on the state of the respiratory system, helping to acquire the skills of proper breathing during childbirth.

It should be noted that the benefits of dancing during pregnancy also lie in the positive psychological aspect of such activities. With the onset of approximately the 5th-6th month of development, the child begins to hear and react to sounds coming to him from the outside. Thus, the music to which his mother dances can most positively contribute to prenatal, intrauterine development and upbringing even before birth.

Dancing During Pregnancy

Dancing during pregnancy is basically the same gymnastics, one of its various varieties. The effect of dancing, say, flamenco or salsa, is comparable to the results achieved when visiting special yoga or aqua aerobics groups for pregnant women. And the consequences in each of these cases are undoubtedly positive. After all, it involves precisely those muscle complexes that are subject to the greatest stress during childbirth. Plasticity and flexibility are trained, and in addition, the pregnant woman develops the ability to maximize concentration on her own body. An important point is also the fact that she receives many positive emotions from dancing.

However, when practicing dance steps, one should not lose sight of the fact that dancing still requires a considerable amount of effort and energy from the body. Therefore, in order to avoid excessive fatigue, if the woman was not very friendly with sports before pregnancy, the intensity of the loads should be gentle until the 20th week. Do not show excessive enthusiasm in sharp movements, jerks and jumps.

Exercises that help develop body plasticity should be performed at the machine (similar to how dancers warm up). And as the pregnancy progresses toward the middle, in order to protect the veins and spine from overload, it is advisable to do them sitting or lying down. It is very important to maintain the correct position of the back.

Regular classes lasting from 20 minutes to half an hour three times a week are suggested. The level of load should be selected based on how physically prepared the woman is and how she feels. The occurrence of dizziness, increased heart rate, the appearance of signs of fatigue signal the need to stop the class.

Dancing during pregnancy with a planned gradual increase in loads will eventually lead to the emergence of skills to control your body well. Coordination of movements will improve and the ability to maintain a state of balance will develop. Muscles will become stronger and more elastic.

Belly Dancing During Pregnancy

Belly dancing during pregnancy is a wonderful way of physical exercise for a woman preparing to become a mother. Based on the experience of medical specialists and teachers, it can be stated that if certain necessary conditions are met, there is practically nothing to prevent anyone from doing it.

The possible risk of negative consequences is minimal for the mother and child if this dance is practiced on the basis of an individual approach, in classes with a teacher, who is offered exercises with a gentle level of loads. The choice of a set of such exercises is carried out, taking into account all the features of the course of pregnancy and its terms, which is of great importance in order to avoid excessive overexertion of the pregnant woman.

Belly dancing classes should be performed with the exclusion of sudden movements, shaking, blows, and pushes. Also, too energetic hip gyrations are not welcome. It is recommended to focus on performing movements with the arms, hips, and neck. It would also be good to structure the dance in such a way that it involves the back muscles, which are subject to increasing loads as the pregnancy progresses.

Belly dancing at the time approaching the time of birth helps to effectively neutralize the unpleasant sensations arising from the relaxation of the ligaments with some divergence of the pelvic bones on the eve of the onset of the birth process. From such dancing, the muscles that move the joints in the hip area become more trained. Something like a self-massage of the internal organs located in the abdominal cavity occurs.

The beneficial effect of dance also lies in the fact that it acts as a preventive measure against such a common phenomenon in pregnant women as varicose veins.

Belly dancing during pregnancy will help a woman learn to concentrate, manage tension and relaxation of her body, which is important during childbirth. And in the period after the birth of the baby, this dance helps to restore the physical form of the previous pregnancy, allows you to tighten your stomach and improve the shape of your breasts in a short time.

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Oriental dances during pregnancy

Oriental dances during pregnancy, as many experts claim, are very useful for a woman's health, first of all, at the stage of planning a child, before conception. Often, it is not forbidden to continue practicing them during the period of bearing a child. On the other hand, one can often find the opposite, no less authoritative opinion that as soon as pregnancy occurs, dancing should be immediately abandoned. The justification for this can be a number of characteristic features that distinguish oriental dances, which casts doubt on their appropriateness in this period of a woman's life.

Thus, performing oriental dance is associated with the need to tense certain muscle groups during it, which can cause harm both to the pregnant woman and to the child developing inside her. In the early stages, therefore, it is recommended to give preference to breathing exercises and gymnastics instead of dancing.

In favor of oriental dances, it should be said that they are quite rightly called dances of primordially female fertility. The sequence of movements regulated by this dance seems to symbolically reflect how a child is born. The main movements of the dance are performed by the hips and abdomen, evoking associations with the process of conception and childbirth. In them, the greatest tension, and accordingly the development, training, are subjected to the muscles of those groups that are not active under other circumstances, but are of great importance for a woman to safely bear and successfully give birth to a child. These are mainly the pelvic muscles.

Oriental dancing during pregnancy, appropriately adapted for women in this condition, is one of the best types of physical activity that helps prepare for the upcoming birth and has a beneficial effect on the future baby.