Pregnancy entails a journey in a woman’s life that changes her being forever. It’s a mixed experience for her, with both delights and hardships coming along her way. Your body and mind both undergo a number of changes during this period of time. Each trimester of your pregnancy involves a different set of issues. Keeping a healthy body helps deal with all these issues.

The first trimester is the time during which your body gets familiarized with the concept of developing a whole other human being inside it.

Here is a guide to some of the workouts that you can do while you’re expecting.

Breathing exercise routine

A good breathing exercise routine is very important to keep your body energized and habituated to the changes occurring within it. Apart from being an effective reliever of your nausea, it also strengthens your lungs, which now breath for two. Here’s how you go about it:

• Sit on a comfortable area such as a soft mat or even your bed. Placing both hands over your stomach, breathe in and out deeply, feeling your hands moving in and out with each breath. Repeat this for 15 breaths in a set of 3 rounds.
• With both your hands outstretched sideways, deeply inhale and move them upwards to join them over your head. Exhale and bring the hands down and repeat for 10 times in a set of 3 rounds.

Upper body routine

• In a standing up or sitting position reach out your arms to either sides and begin to circle them forward and backward 20 times each.
• Place the arms parallel in front of your body and slide them up and down 30 times.
• Lean forward and reach above the waist behind you. Keep your palms facing towards the ceiling. Bending the knees slightly (if standing), move the arms up and down in this position 30 times.

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Core routine

• Sit on a mat with your legs bent and feet on the ground. Move your upper body in small circles to strengthen your abdominal muscles.
• Lie down on the mat. Hold weights in each hand and start to lean forward,with both arms reaching slightly up to the shoulder level. Repeat this movement 15 times.
• Stand 6 inches facing away from the wall and lean against it. Inhale slowly, relaxing the muscles and exhale while flattening the lower spine against the wall. Pull the navel into the spine. Release your spine, relax and then repeat the same 10 times.
• Kegel exercises are also very effective and should be started immediately with antenatal care. Hold your uterine muscles such that you are holding urine and count till 5. Release and repeat 15 times, in 3 sets.

Lower body

As you move forward with your pregnancy , your center of gravity shifts along. The lower body exercises have to be stable for the same reason. Standing in front of a table to rest your hands is also a good option.

• Stand with your legs open slightly wider than the hips and toes slightly turned out. Bend your knees to a high squat, keeping your knees over the toe level. . Try to bend down 90 degrees without leaning forward. Bend up and down 25 times.
• Back in the standing position, lift your right leg behind you to about 45 degrees and bring it straight back. Repeat this 20 times, two sets each. Do the same for the left leg.

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Walking

Walking and taking a stroll are actually the go-to exercises that that all doctors prescribe. It is important to understand the value of walking as a whole body exercise. The basic function of a moderate to brisk walk is to create a heightened heart rate, which in turn pumps blood all across your body and leaves you feeling fresh and revitalized. A healthy release of endorphins makes you upbeat and fun. A 15 minutes brisk walk to a 45 minutes stroll is advisable throughout your pregnancy.