The positive effects of walking while pregnant

The best effects of walking while pregnant

Are you looking for something you can do right now to ease those pregnancy pains and make your labor a whole lot smoother? Why not add a bit of walking to your day? Your doctor will be the first to tell you that when your body is in shape, your delivery will generally be much smoother and not as painful. And let’s face it, we all want a smooth and painless labor. But when you are pregnant, you hardly feel like moving, let alone exercising, and the further along in your pregnancy you are the harder it is to think about starting a baby safe exercise routine.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t workout, in fact you might not realize it but you workout every single day. Believe it or not every single step you take means that you are working out your body, and you are doing it in a way that is safe for your baby’s development. Walking is not only low impact, but it gets the blood flowing and it gently works all of your muscles.

pregnant and walkingWe are not talking about running or speed walking either. Those things would are not always the best as your pregnancy progresses. What we are talking about is nice, long, slow walks that ease the mind, relax the body, and get your muscles ready for the rigors of labor. Even a short 15 minute walk will go a long way in working out your body.

You can walk anywhere at any time of the day. It doesn’t matter if you are on your lunch break at work or walking laps around the park while your other children play you can literally squeeze in a workout wherever you are. All you need is a little bit of creativity and some spare time.

If you are looking for the best results in the shortest amount of time, you should make yourself a walking routine and stick with it. For instance, why not make it a rule that you go for a quick 30 minute walk every night right after dinner? That way you will not only get a nice long walk in, but the easy workout so late in the day will be enough to help you sleep better too.

Remember, when you want to do something healthy for you and your baby, you don’t need to make huge changes in your lifestyle. Adding a simple walking routine to your daily schedule will be more than enough for you to feel real and positive changes in your body.

What you should know before you go to the hospital

Some Tips  before you go to the hospital

Are you ready for your stay at the hospital? It isn’t just about packing your bag and bringing some comfort items with you from home, there are many other things that will happen at your hospital stay that you should be prepared for.

For instance, there are some questions that you should have answered before you ever go into labor:
• Do you want any medication during labor?
• Do you know how you want your labor to progress?
• Are you open to a c-section and what are the circumstances where you would allow a c-section?
• Do you want a private room?
• Will your child’s father be staying in the room with you? (if so, he should pack a bag to and keep it with your hospital bag)
• Have you thought about a water birth?
• Do you want a birthing mirror?

Tips before going to hospitalThese are all things that you want to think about before you go into labor. Many times, a hospital staff is accustomed to only asking you questions as your labor is progressing. But once your labor starts, the excitement and discomfort might cause you to forget about what it is you really want. And when it comes to your child’s birth, it is literally a once in a lifetime experience.

In addition to the things you need to know for yourself, you should also think about what it is you want for your child
• Do you want the father to cut the umbilical cord?
• If you have a son, should he be circumcised? (the hospital staff will ask you about this after birth, but this is a very sensitive issue for most parents and it should be well researched before your little boy gets here)
• Should your baby stay in the room with you?
• Who do you want to give your hospital pictures to? (this will help when you are picking out your package before baby’s first picture is taken)
• Are there any standard newborn tests that you do not want your child to have?
• Are there any standard newborn medications that you don’t want your baby to have (for instance newborn eye ointment is not mandatory and some claim they can sting the eyes)

Having a baby is an exciting and stressful time. Be sure that you weigh all of your options before going to the hospital. This way you won’t have any surprises later.

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