Walking is what I call 'organic' prenatal exercise. I call it organic because we (most of us) walk anyway. Turning walking to exercise is as easy as walking a little bit faster than you normally do for a period of time. ANY KIND of exercise, even walking, should be discussed with your health care professional. Once you have done that the only other thing you may need is footwear that supports your ankles & arches and comfortable, breathable clothing.The ease of turning walking into a targeted prenatal exercise is a benefit in itself. It is a low-impact, total body workout. It is one of the best (if not THE single best) exercise to begin with if you were not active before you became pregnant. It is an exercise you can continue throughout your entire pregnancy (and beyond).
Always keep plenty of drinking water with you when walking. If you are walking outside (particularly in warm weather) you might consider carrying a spray bottle as well. If it is really hot outside you can walk somewhere inside; like a mall or if you have access to a treadmill that's an option too. Watch your posture when walking. Swinging your arms will intensify your workout and will help with your balance in later stages of pregnancy. As with all exercise, you should be able to talk normally while you are walking. It's always a good idea to walk (or any other exercise) with someone. A track is a good even surface to walk on if you have access to one.
If you use the 'talk test' you should avoid walking (or any exercise) to the point of exhaustion. Stop immediately if you experience pain of any kind. While the chance of these things being triggered by walking is negligible; you should also stop (and contact your health care professional if necessary) if you experience other warning signs such as dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, chest pain, fluid leaking from the vagina, premature labor or a decrease in fetal activity.
Walking is the easiest prenatal exercise that can be continued for the duration of the pregnancy. Something simple I also did was get off the elevator early and take the stairs (one flight) occasionally. During one of my pregnancies I lived on the 4th floor in a walk-up (no elevator) building; I didn't need to do ANYTHING extra.
For more information visit this site: prenatal exercise.
