Good ways to exercise during pregnancy There are many forms of safe pregnancy exercise you can try – from exercises at home to gym-based classes. Lots of ways you can exercise are free, and there are also many specialist exercise classes for pregnant women.
Pelvic floor and abdominal exercises Looking after and exercising your pelvic floor and your abdominal muscles is really important when you are pregnant.
Flexibilty and hormones When you're pregnant your body produces relaxin – a hormone that makes your ligaments (normally pretty inflexible) stretchy and elastic in preparation for childbirth. In the first trimester you'll have high levels of relaxin and your body continues make the hormone until birth.
The increased stretchiness of your ligaments is what can cause your joints to become looser, so right from the early stages when you are pregnant you need to be aware that you might be less stable, more prone to twisting an ankle, and more flexible. Being more
flexible isn't an excuse to
overstretch! You could hurt
yourself by overdoing it,
so err on the side of caution,
and if you're in an exercise
class, take the lighter options.
As your bump grows, you'll
notice your centre of gravity
shifting, and you may become
less steady on your feet too.