Home / Life 8 expert tips for safely getting your pregnancy sweat on Want to work out while pregnant? Read this first. By Diana Spalding, CNM December 20, 2016 Rectangle Inside this article Let’s talk about why exercising before + during pregnancy is an awesome thing. As you’re thinking about your prenatal exercise routine, stick to these guidelines. Things to avoid: You want to be fit when pregnant, and it’s smart to start getting in shape before baby arrives. But once you’re with child, some of those exercise guidelines change. Let’s talk about why exercising before + during pregnancy is an awesome thing. Prenatal exercise: —Helps you maintain healthy weight gain throughout your pregnancy —Can bust stress —Gives you more energy and improves your mood —Allows you to sleep better (which becomes harder as your pregnancy progresses) —Can reduce unpleasant pregnancy symptoms like backaches and constipation —Prepares your body for birth Prenatal yoga, swimming, walking and stationary bikes are all great ways to stay active while trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy. As you’re thinking about your prenatal exercise routine, stick to these guidelines. A photo posted by Yogi-tulip (@yogitulip) on Dec 2, 2016 at 9:19am PST If you exercised before your pregnancy, it’s probably fine to keep doing it.If you are new to exercise, make sure to ease into it. This is not the time to start training for your first 5k. Listen to your body.If you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy, crampy, overly tired or have any vaginal bleeding, stop right away and call your doctor or midwife. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.And eat lots of nutritious foods. Things to avoid: A photo posted by ð¿ a b b y d. ð¿ (@lifewithabbyd) on Oct 1, 2016 at 10:04pm PDT Contact sportsSkip sports like basketball as well as activities where falling is a likely, such as skiing. Exercising in excessive heatNo hot yoga, please. Activities that include a lot of bouncing, twisting and jumpingRebounding class will have to wait. Holding your breath for a long timeYour synchronized swimming career is officially on hold. Exercising with the goal of losing weightUm, nope. Make sure you discuss any exercise plans with your medical provider before you get started. As your pregnancy progresses, certain conditions may come up that would require you to stop exercising for a while, so be sure to keep asking questions if you’re unsure. You’ve got this. Inside this article Let’s talk about why exercising before + during pregnancy is an awesome thing. As you’re thinking about your prenatal exercise routine, stick to these guidelines. Things to avoid: The latest Life 7 months pregnant on the campaign trail: How motherhood has changed the way I view politics Style Zooey Deschanel’s tips on how to get holiday party-ready (without putting your finger through your tights while your kids are yelling for dinner) Motherly Stories What is the ‘gratitude trap’? How gratitude can keep us stuck Getting Pregnant What to know about using supplements for fertility—and when to start taking them in preconception