Swimming is the best exercise for pregnant woman

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Last month I touched on a few dos and don'ts when exercising during pregnancy.

Well I should have known full well that it would have started a domino effect from exercising moms all around. I had a few very specific questions about particular exercises and the risks associated once pregnancy enters the picture.

The first one was running during pregnancy.

I have no problem with someone who is an established runner to continue her regular running routine. However, you do have to be careful of your joints. There is a hormone called relaxin that is excreted throughout your body during pregnancy that relaxes your joints making you hyper-mobile and at a higher risk for injury.

Because there is no resistance on concrete, pregnant runners often take it inside and run on a treadmill. And as the baby grows and puts more pressure "down there" running is eventually replaced with walking. Just remember the rules associated with any cardiovascular training while pregnant.

Talk test - you must be able to maintain a full conversation while exercising. Keep yourself hydrated. Dress cool. Your internal body temperature is already up about five per cent so you do not want to overheat.

The second exercise I was asked about is swimming, probably the best exercise overall (pregnant and not)!

The best thing about swimming is there is no impact. You can get a great upper and lower body workout by pushing up against the resistance of water. There is no stress on your joints, so the incidence of injury is low.

For women who might be having higher-risk pregnancies, water therapy helps to reduce blood pressure and alleviate muscle aches and pains. Just watch that the water is not too warm (no hot tubs).

Remember, the best way to exercise during pregnancy is to continue with what your body is already used to doing.

Starting a new or different exercise routine is not recommended during the first or third trimesters as it is too taxing on the nervous system (first trimester) and too much for the physical body (third trimester).

Basically you are asking too much of your body to adapt to something new or different when its primary goal is to grow a baby.

If you are interested in changing it up a bit, save that for your second trimester.

As for at which stage in your pregnancy should you stop exercising? That's up to each individual as each pregnancy is different in its own way.

What you must do is listen to your body and don't over-exert yourself. If you're having a bad "achy" day, don't try and talk yourself into it; you may regret it. Instead, go for a walk and try and loosen up. Your goal is to keep active and move. Tomorrow is another day.

~ Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is a mother of two living in the Beach. She is a certified personal trainer, a pre- and post-natal fitness specialist and a RAB core specialist. She offers personal training in-home for pregnant women and new mothers, teaches prenatal and mom and baby fitness classes and gives workshops on the subject. You can reach her at redefineyou@rogers.com or at 647-897-5220. Her column will be running the first Friday of the month at insidetoronto.com