When is the best time for pregnant women to take a walk?

Pregnant women should pay more attention to exercise during pregnancy, but they can only do simple exercise and not too intense, otherwise it will cause harm to the fetus in their belly, or even the risk of miscarriage. They should do moderate exercise, such as going for a walk after dinner at night, walking for about half an hour every day, which can help to enhance their physical fitness and facilitate a smooth delivery.

Generally speaking, obstetricians and gynecologists will recommend pregnant women to do some simple and safe outdoor exercises to help promote blood circulation in the body, avoid various pregnancy diseases, and promote the healthy growth of the baby. However, pregnant women have many things to keep in mind when engaging in outdoor sports: [2]

When pregnant women are engaged in outdoor activities, they should pay special attention to the following outdoor sports precautions to avoid harming themselves and the fetus:

1. Do not carry out activities in an environment that is too hot or too cold. If the body temperature of pregnant women is too high or too low, it will harm the development of the fetus;

2. Avoid sports that require excessive jumping, bouncing or large movements to avoid falling and injuring the fetus;

3. Avoid training in a supine position after pregnancy for more than four months, because the weight of the fetus will affect blood circulation;

4. Exercise should be gradual, and the whole process should include warm-up before exercise, stretching, and breathing adjustment after exercise;

5. Physiological changes during pregnancy can cause ligament relaxation. Be careful to avoid excessive stretching of muscles and joints when stretching.

Pregnant women can choose swimming, walking, cycling or weight training. The environment of indoor fitness centers is more comfortable than that of outdoor ones, and most of them have professional coaches to provide sports guidance. They are ideal places for training and also ensure safety.

Benefits of outdoor sports for pregnant women:

Improved cardiopulmonary function

Appropriate exercise can enhance cardiopulmonary function, prevent and reduce symptoms such as shortness of breath or panic caused by pregnancy; it can eliminate and relieve symptoms such as back pain and low back pain, enhance physical endurance, and prepare for the final smooth delivery.

Smooth blood circulation

Promote blood circulation in the waist and lower limbs, and relieve compressive symptoms such as low back pain, leg pain, and lower limb edema in the middle and late stages.

Consume the right amount of fat

Appropriate consumption of excess fat can avoid rapid weight gain during pregnancy and reduce the possibility of giving birth to a giant baby. It can also effectively regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, and avoid pregnancy-related diseases such as gestational hypertension and diabetes.

Increase muscle strength

The contraction of muscles during exercise can increase the strength and elasticity of the abdominal muscles, back muscles and pelvic muscles, which can not only prevent malposition of the fetus or dystocia caused by relaxation of the abdominal wall, but also shorten the delivery time and reduce the possibility of birth canal lacerations and postpartum hemorrhage.