
WITH CLEARANCE FROM YOUR DOCTOR, you can stick to your regular exercise regime for at least the first trimester. Further into your pregnancy, you will need to adjust the way you exercise to accommodate your changing body. You can introduce props and apparatus, like birth balls and exercise bikes, to ensure your safety and that of your growing bump.
IF YOU’RE NEW TO EXERCISE, start with five minutes per day and increase this by five minutes a w eek until you are working out for half an hour a day. Try brisk walking, jogging, or any other low-impact aerobic exercise that feels comfortable. The more you keep active before you give birth, the easier it will be to get in shape post pregnancy.
SWIMMING IS THE SAFEST EXERCISE for pregnant women because almost the entire body is supported by the water. You can target different muscle groups by practising a variety of strokes. Then, as your pregnancy progresses you can do leg flutters and leg lifts while hanging poolside, rely on kickboards for added flotation support, or simply tread water.