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Staying Fit In Pregnancy Trimester

Staying fit and healthy throughout a pregnancy should be your goal. The pregnancy trimester is divided into three stages of three months each. The 40 weeks of gestation thus get divided into smaller, separate and distinct phases of developments for both the mother and the baby.

The First Trimester

The first pregnancy trimester is the stage of pregnancy from conception to 12 weeks. Hormonal changes cause frequent nausea, vomiting, increased fatigue and heightened emotional sensitivity. Food aversion and cravings, heartburn and indigestion, tender and swollen breasts, change in complexion, frequent urge to urinate, constipation, dizziness are all the 'gifts' of pregnancy. Changes in habits, like frequent but small meals, nutritive diet, no smoking or alcohol, light exercise, drinking plenty of water, and taking adequate rest will mitigate the problems of first trimester.

The Second Trimester

The second pregnancy trimester starts from the 13th week to the 28th week. Initial nausea and fatigue abates and the baby grows rapidly and shows movements; the umbilical cord thickens to carry oxygen and nourishment to the fetus. Light exercise, good personal hygiene, nutritive diet adds to the healthy growth of the baby at this stage.

The Third Trimester

This is the last trimester from the 28th week till the birth of the baby. The fetus continues to grow in size, bringing in changes in physical appearance. Deep breathing helps in providing good oxygen supply to the baby. Take adequate rest, diet and exercise, avoid carrying heavy weights and standing for long periods.

Staying Fit During Pregnancy

Staying fit and healthy during pregnancy will aid in the healthy growth and development of the baby and the mother.

The first trimester pregnancy can be a tough time to maintain the regular exercise regime due to fatigue and nausea. Walking is the single best exercise at this stage. It keeps the joints smooth, tones muscles, enriches blood oxygen and contributes to a positive outlook. Avoid high impact and potentially dangerous sports, but carry on with gentler activities like swimming and cycling very carefully.

The second pregnancy trimester brings about a growth in the body. Avoid sports and activities that require balance as change in centre of gravity of your body may cause imbalance and toppling over. Go in for simple yoga exercises, walks and easy paced swimming at this stage.

The third trimester pregnancy should be devoted to strengthening pelvic muscles to aid delivery. Light walks will keep you active and provide more oxygen for the baby, avoid lying on back exercises so as not to compress the nerves and blood vessels.

An expert doctor will help you in learning various techniques for staying fit in pregnancy trimester.