During my pregnancy, Dr Tan strongly encouraged me to stay active. I started swimming regularly and the exercise helped me in going through natural delivery without pain management.
by Ms.Ong R U
(read more)
During my pregnancy, Dr Tan strongly encouraged me to stay active. I started swimming regularly and the exercise helped me in going through natural delivery without pain management.
by Ms.Ong R U
(read more)
Women were once misled that exercise during pregnancy could increase the risk of miscarriage.
Over the last two decades, many studies have shown that this is not the case.
In fact, mild to moderate exercise during pregnancy is safe and benefits the mother in more ways than one.
Studies suggest that exercising during pregnancy can help:
In addition, regular exercise during pregnancy may also benefit you with:
However, before you embark on an exercise programme, it is important to discuss with your obstetrician to ensure you are ‘fit to exercise during pregnancy.
You should avoid exercise if you have the following pregnancy complications/conditions:
It is recommended that healthy pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week. Moderate exercise is an exercise intensity that causes you to break a sweat and have an increased heart rate. Examples of moderate aerobic exercise include brisk walking, swimming and jogging.
It is advisable to start out slowly and gradually increase your activity. You can divide the weekly quota of 150 minutes into 30-minute workouts over 5 days of the week
The following are some safer exercises which you may consider for your exercise regime:
You should avoid any activities which may put you at risk of injury such as:
You should stop your exercise and call your obstetrician if you develop any of the following signs or symptoms:
The key is to LISTEN to your body.
Try to participate in types of activities that you enjoy and can easily fit into your daily routine so that you are more likely to remain committed to your exercise plan.
Here are some simple tips to keep you motivated:
A Patient’s Experience
“During my pregnancy, Dr Tan strongly encouraged staying active to lower the risk of gestational diabetes. Fearing needles, I took his advice seriously from week 24 and started swimming regularly for an hour, 2-3 times a week, up until I delivered in week 38.
Not only did I manage to keep away from needles during pregnancy, the exercises gave me a higher pain tolerance and stamina that allowed me to experience natural delivery without any assisted pain management.
I’m really thankful to Dr Tan for his constant reminders and encouragement throughout this journey to ensure I have a higher chance of experiencing the au-naturel delivery I had been aiming for.” - Ms Ong R U