Prenatal exercise: only stretching during pregnancy?

Have you recently discovered you are pregnant? Everyone seems to have an opinion about your work-out routine when you are expecting a baby. Your doctor, mother, neighbor, or a total stranger may have said something that has you worried about exercising, and wondering you can only do stretching "exercises" during pregnancy. Is that true?

Let's face it stretching is good to loosen your muscles and to prepare your body for a work-out. Stretching, in itself, can hardly be considered exercise. Women who are experiencing normal, healthy pregnancies do not need to shun actual exercise, and will benefit immensely from being active throughout their nine months.

If you are pregnant and both you and your baby are healthy, there are numerous prenatal work-outs that you can choose from. Of course, there are dangerous exercises that pregnant women should stay away from. But swimming, walking, jogging, aerobics, and even weight lifting can all be perfectly safe while you are expecting. Of course, listening to your body and stopping when you notice warning signs for exercising is a good idea.

Those who are going through a high-risk pregnancy, and have complications like an incompetent cervix, a history of premature labor, twins, and other conditions that medically justify bed rest or "taking it easy" may find that stretching is a good way to get in some movement.

For anyone else, there is really no reason to stick to stretching just because you are having a baby. On the contrary, keeping fit during pregnancy will help you and your baby stay healthy. It will also encourage an easier labor and birth, and a quicker postpartum recovery. If you have a doctor who says differently, and who thinks pregnant women should not do exercises even if their pregnancy is healthy and normal, it's probably time to look for another healthcare provider.