PREGNANCY WEIGHT GAIN ESTIMATOR

Can I keep exercising now that I'm pregnant?
Although there are exceptions to this general rule, if your pregnancy is proceeding normally you can continue working out with some modifications. There's no doubt that staying in shape will keep you feeling fit, will help prepare you for the labor marathon, and will make it easier to regain your form after delivery.

What modifications will I need to make?
During pregnancy you need to scale back your exercise regimen to a mild to moderate level. Aim to exercise 3 days a week, preferably with a day between workouts, for about 30 minutes at a time. However, your condition may at times leave you too tired or uncomfortable to stick to that routine. Don't fret — whatever exercise you can manage is valuable. Here are some pointers for keeping your fitness program safe:
• You should be able to exercise and carry on a conversation. If you can't, slow down. The growing uterus is crowding your lungs, so you're likely to feel breathless sooner than normal.

• After the first trimester, don't exercise when flat on your back. It can decrease the blood flow to the uterus.

• Don't overdo it. Stop exercising when you become fatigued, and don't work out to exhaustion. Reduce the intensity of your exercise routine so you'll have more oxygen available.

• Monitor your heart rate. While pregnant, it shouldn't exceed 140 beats per minute or 60 percent of your maximum heart rate. Since your heart beats faster during pregnancy, you won't have to exercise as vigorously to reach your target rate. As the months pass, you'll probably find yourself slowing down naturally.

• Avoid exercises and sports that could throw you off-balance, such as horseback riding or mountain biking. Tennis and jogging also entail a risk of falling down. You may want to switch to doubles tennis and brisk walking. (Even if you're normally quite graceful, keep in mind that relaxin, a hormone that relaxes the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth, also loosens all ligaments and joints, making you more susceptible to sprains and potential falls.)

• You need an additional 300 calories a day during pregnancy, so if you're exercising, be particularly careful to eat well.

I've heard that you should avoid getting too hot while exercising--why?
Increased blood flow and a higher metabolic rate mean you'll feel warmer than usual when you're pregnant--and doubly so when you exercise. Throughout your pregnancy, you shoud avoid becoming overheated--this is particularly important during the first trimester.

To prevent overheating, be sure to wear loose, non-binding, comfortable clothing and drink plenty of fluids while working out. You should exercise indoors in a well-ventilated room on particularly hot or humid days.

Which sports are safe to pursue during pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists offers these pregnancy guidelines:
• Brisk walking — about a 12- to 15-minute mile — is great before, during, and after pregnancy. If you're new to the joys of exercise, it's a good starter. As you become fitter you'll probably want to pick up the pace.

• Swimming is excellent because it uses both large muscle groups (arms and legs); it's cardiovascular and low-impact; it tones the body; and the water supports your weight. During the later months of pregnancy, however, you shouldn't dive.

• Jogging is fine in moderation if you did it before you became pregnant. Since there's a greater risk of falling down, however, you should do it cautiously. Avoid becoming overheated, and drink plenty of water to replace what you lose through sweating.

• A moderately paced game of tennis is acceptable, if you played tennis before you became pregnant, but doubles are preferred. You may have problems with balance and sudden stops, so watch your step.

• Because of the danger of serious injuries and hard falls while downhill skiing, stay on gentle slopes. You may have problems with balance, although some skiers find the altered center of gravity more favorable. A safer choice is cross-country skiing, which is also much better for building cardiovascular fitness. Skiing at very high altitudes — above 10,000 feet — is not advised.

• Golf and bowling are fine as recreation, but they don't really condition the heart. Again, keeping your balance during the later months of pregnancy may pose a problem.

• Waterskiing and surfing should be avoided completely because you can hit the water with great force. Taking a fall at fast speeds

Does exercise help during pregnancy?
Because exercise promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance, it can help you carry the weight you gain during pregnancy, prepare you for the physical stress of labor, and make it easier to get back into shape after the baby is born. (Unfortunately, there's no evidence that regular exercise shortens labor.) Being active during your pregnancy can also reduce the physical discomforts of backache, constipation, fatigue, and swelling; can improve your mood and self-image; and can even help you sleep better.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't exercise?
Sometimes exercise during pregnancy is strictly forbidden to protect the health of the mother, the baby, or both. Check with your doctor or midwife first before starting or continuing any exercise program.

I do a high-intensity workout everyday. Is it safe to keep this up during pregnancy?
If you're in good health, quite fit, and feel up to it, go ahead and continue your routine. According to a recent study that in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, healthy, well-conditioned women who exercised before pregnancy may continue to do so throughout pregnancy without compromising their baby's health or development. Researchers from the University of Oslo, Norway, studied 42 pregnant women who exercised six times per week at either a high or medium intensity. When the researchers compared the women's length of labor, maternal weight gain, and fetal birth weight, they found no differences between the two groups of exercisers.
Let your doctor know you plan to continue your workout routine.

Which forms of exercise are best for pregnant women?

Walking, jogging, swimming, stationary cycling, tennis, and cross-country skiing are all considered good, safe exercise during pregnancy, as long as you don't overdo it. For further guidance on optimal exercises for pregnant women, check out our safe sports list.

If I've never exercised before, are there any special precautions I should take?
As long as you get the go-ahead from your health care provider, you can engage in mild to moderate exercise. Stick to low-impact activities such as walking or swimming, and keep workout sessions short. For specific recommendations, refer to our beginner s guide to exercise.

Will I need to modify my workouts at different stages of my pregnancy?
Yes, even if you were active before your pregnancy. You will naturally feel inclined to scale down your exercise routine to accommodate your growing uterus. Additionally, you should follow general workout guidelines for pregnant women. During the first trimester, it s especially important that you avoid overheating. After the first trimester, you ll also need to eliminate exercises that are performed while flat on your back or while you're standing in one place for long periods, as both can reduce blood flow to the fetus.

Which sports are strictly off-limits?
Sports with a high potential for hard falls or ones where you might be thrown off-balance are strictly off-limits to pregnant women. These include horseback riding and waterskiing. Additionally, most doctors and midwives recommend giving up bicycling after the second trimester, even if you're an experienced cyclist, because of the potential for falls. For suggestions about alternative sports, check out our safe sports list.

How can I tell if I'm exercising too much?
In general, you shouldn't go for the burn or exercise to exhaustion. Because you'll have less oxygen available for aerobic exercise, you should generally stick to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate while pregnant. Make it a practice to monitor your heart rate while you're exercising, checking to be sure that it doesn t exceed 140 beats per minute. (A good rule of thumb: slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation while exercising.)

And stop exercising immediately if you experience dizziness, shortness of breath, feeling faint, ******l bleeding, difficulty walking, contractions, or unusual absence of fetal movements (but bear in mind that the baby is often most quiet when you're exercising).

I've just had a baby, and I want to get back in shape. When can I safely start exercising again?
Getting your body back may be high on your wish list, but you should start slowly, a little bit at a time. First, you need to make sure that you're physically ready. Then, you can begin the process of regaining your former shape with a series of easy stretching and firming exercises. As soon as you're able, you can add a second set of exercises.

If you notice ******l bleeding, you're most likely doing too much too soon, and you should take it easy for a while longer.

I'm a new mom, and I can't seem to find the time to exercise. Any suggestions?
Finding time, let alone the energy, to exercise can be difficult with a baby in tow. But here are ways to bring your baby with you, or to build time for exercise into your busy, baby-driven schedule. The easiest route: consider home exercise equipment, or, as a less costly alternative, exercise videos.

Pregnancy stretches
Approved by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

These 8 stretches will enhance your flexibility, prevent your muscles from tightening, and make you look and feel great.
Use them after a workout as a way to cool down, or just do them when you need to relax. Be sure to breathe deeply and regularly as you stretch.


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What's below:
• Shoulder circles

• Arm stretch

• Standing back stretch

• Waist twist

• Wall push-up and calf stretch

• Sitting back stretch

• Thigh stretch

• Leg stretch

• See also
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Shoulder circles

• Shrug your shoulders forward, up, back, and down in the largest circle you can make.

• Reverse the direction.

• Repeat 4 times in each direction.



Arm stretch

• Clasp hands behind your lower back.

• Pull them up as far as they can go toward your shoulder blades, then lower them toward your buttocks.

• Release and repeat 8 to 10 times.

Standing back stretch


• Stand with your feet about a foot apart.

• Bend your knees slowly while rolling your head and torso forward and down toward the floor.

• Return to a standing position by slowly straightening your back and knees. (Keep your weight centered on both feet.) Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Waist twist
• Extend both arms toward your left side while looking over your right shoulder.

• Repeat the motion while looking over your left shoulder.

• Increase speed so it becomes a swinging movement.

Wall push-up and calf stretch


• Stand about 2 feet from a wall with your armx extended forward in front of your shoulders.

• Reach hands to the wall and lean forward, bending your elbows as your body tilts.

• Keep heels on the floor to stretch the calf muscles.

• Push slowly away from the wall to straighten up. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Sitting back stretch


• Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out parallel in front of you.

• Slowly drop your head toward your knees and stretch your fingers along your legs as far as they will comfortably go.

• Sit up slowly. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Thigh stretch


• Sit as in the sitting back stretch.

• Cross your right ankle over your left knee.

• Use your left hand to pull the right thigh toward the left, stretching the outside of the right leg.

• Increase the twist by looking over your right shoulder. Hold for one minute. Repeat 8 to 10 times. Switch sides.

Leg stretch


• Lie on your left side with your head on a pillow or folded towel.

• Bend your left leg at the knee while keeping your right leg straight. Use your right hand on the floor as a brace.

• Stretch your right leg as you lift it toward the ceiling, then lower it to the floor.

• Repeat 4 times, then switch sides.

I did it for what I weighed before I had Justin.
This is what it came up with : You should gain roughly 15-25 lbs. during your pregnancy.
Which is true. I gained 16 lbs!

I guess its good to know it comes close, I guess its how you carry the weight gain that bothers most women.

Oh, great, I am supposed to gain 25-35 lbs... eek.

Its seems that the heavier you are the less you get to gain. No fair.

Alina, for someone so small you really are concerned about your weight, I think you are as thin as a rail, or am I not looking at what you are looking at.

I should gain 28 - 40 pounds!!!!!!

that is a great site Shamma.
It told me that I would gain about 25-35 lbs

Shamma, you haven't seen my behind...

I think I am not concerned with my weight, but rather the tiny gaining trend that I am seeing and disliking... I just keep on growing bigger and bigger, without the baby

I will be gaining 25-35! please tell me the baby's weight is included in that number!

25-35 for me also

I got 25 - 35 too! OHMIGOSH my chest will gain 1 pound? FINALLY

You should gain roughly 28-40 lbs. during your pregnancy.

Over the last two trimesters you should gain about 5 lbs. every 4 weeks.

1.18 in the breasts .. YES!