The key word for pregnant women is gentle! Stay off the rebounder and out of the kickboxing classes. Above all avoid doing any type of weightlifting.

The very safest of exercises for a pregnant woman are those that don’t require your body to bear the burden of extra weight as your body is already hauling around a weight of its own. Bowling or playing golf is not a good idea (unless you can get a caddy to haul around your golf clubs and then it is okay.)

Swimming and stationary cycling are thought to be safe for pregnant people. However the exercise that is the safest of all is simply taking a walk in the fresh air.

Avoid activities that increase your risk of falling or hurting yourself, such as contact sports or vigorous sports. After the first three months of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid exercising while lying on your back, since the weight of the baby may interfere with blood circulation. You should also avoid exercising in very hot or humid weather.

Most pregnant women do not feel any symptoms when they exercise. However if you experience shortness of breath, fatigue or any kind of pain while exercising you should immediately stop!

“The message is not getting out that women should continue to exercise during pregnancy, at least at moderate intensity,” said Terry Leet, Ph.D., a study author and associate professor of community health at Saint Louis University School of Public Health.

“Only one of every six pregnant women are meeting the current physical activity recommendation of 30 or more minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.”

The research, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

(Source)