Stretching Your Limits

Flexibility Helps During Pregnancy By Paige Waehner

You already know the importance of staying active throughout your pregnancy. Not only can exercise help you cope with your body’s changing center of gravity, it also can make for an easier labor and postpartum recovery. One important aspect of a healthy exercise routine is flexibility. Don’t worry, no one’s asking you to touch your toes (or even to see your toes!), but gently stretching your muscles will allow you to handle the new and strange postural changes your body will experience.

Stretching is great for the body because it reduces muscle tension, thus making you feel more relaxed. It also helps with coordination, increased range of motion and prevention of injuries. An added bonus is that stretching allows you to focus on your body and stay in touch with how it moves and feels. That awareness will allow for an easier adjustment as your pregnancy progresses and your body changes to accommodate your new and growing belly.

You should always, however, consult your health care provider before starting a new exercise routine.

The Basics of Stretching
Unlike other forms of exercise that may require special equipment, clothes or a trip to the gym, stretching can be done anytime throughout the day. You can do it first thing in the morning, at work, during exercise or anytime you feel stiff and achy.

It is particularly important to stretch when doing cardiovascular exercise. Before you exercise, warm up with light cardio and then take five minutes or so to stretch your legs and arms. After a cool-down, stretch once again, paying close attention to the muscles used. For example, if you’re walking for exercise, focus on stretching the major muscles of the legs: the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and hips.

You can also incorporate stretching throughout the day, as it may help you through some of the more aggravating discomforts of pregnancy, such as lower back pain and aching legs. If your job involves sitting most of the day, set an alarm to go off every hour and stand up to work out the kinks. Some of the most effective stretches can be performed while sitting right at your desk or while standing and holding onto a chair for support.

Try these stretches throughout the day, holding each one for at least 15 seconds, to keep your muscles loose and relaxed:

• Neck Stretch – Standing or sitting with back straight and arms relaxed, gently bend chin toward the chest. Roll head to the right and then to the left, avoiding bending the neck backward.
• Hip Flexor Stretch – Stand in a split stance – one leg forward and one leg back – holding onto a chair for support. Bend at the knees and contract the buttocks, lengthening the front of the hip.
• Inner Thigh Stretch – Sit on the floor with the soles of feet together and hands on ankles. Gently press knees toward the floor using the elbows.
• Calf Stretch – Sit in a chair with back straight, head up and one leg straight out in front of you. Place a towel or resistance band around the bottom of the foot and gently pull the toe toward the shin.
• Shoulder Stretch – Standing or seated with back straight and arms relaxed, slowly rotate your shoulders in a circle forward, upward, backward and downward.
• Back Stretch – On hands and knees with abs tight, move the hips backward toward the feet while keeping hands in their original position, belly resting between the thighs (also called “Child’s Pose” in yoga).

The Dos and Don’ts of Stretching
As with most aspects of exercise, stretching while pregnant requires some modification to avoid injury. During pregnancy, your joints and ligaments loosen due to a hormone called relaxin, which makes it easier for your body to give birth. The same hormone that makes birth easier can also lead to injuries if you’re not careful. By taking simple precautions, you can reduce the chances of straining your joints and muscles. Follow these dos and don’ts for safe stretching:

• Do hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Do stretch to the point of mild tension and avoid going beyond your muscle’s limits.
• Do warm up before you stretch, either with light cardio or a warm shower.
• Do pay attention to your balance and hold onto a chair for support if needed.
• Do breathe throughout the stretch.
• Don’t perform stretches or other exercises while lying on your back after the first trimester, as this can cut off the blood flow to the baby.
• Don’t bounce! Stretches should be static and gentle.
• Don’t hyperextend the joints.
• Don’t do any exercise that causes dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath or pain.

Yoga During Pregnancy
Yoga is an excellent way to increase your flexibility and soothe your mind before the baby comes. Yoga poses help stretch and strengthen the muscles used during labor and birth. This early preparation will allow your body to work more efficiently when it comes time to head to the delivery room.

As with any exercise, you want to consult with your doctor before you begin yoga and then start with a beginner class or a yoga video made specifically for pregnant women. While yoga can be a gentle way to work on your flexibility, now is not the time to challenge yourself with difficult, pretzel-like poses. The poses should be soothing, gentle and fun – not painful! When doing yoga, you want to avoid supine positions after the third month and, as your belly grows, positions in which you have to lie face-down.

To find yoga classes near you, call your local health club or community center for information. Make sure the instructor knows you’re pregnant and is able to give you modifications to avoid injury. You also can consider yoga videos to do at home. For those experienced with yoga, try Yoga Zone's Postures for Pregnancy. For beginners, try The Method: Baby and Mom Prenatal Yoga. You can also check out the Web site, Workouts for Women, for detailed descriptions and demonstrations of safe stretches during pregnancy.

Want to see more?

• Move That Belly! Bellydancing During Pregnancy
• Exercise Your Way Through Pregnancy
• Pregnant? It’s Not Too Late to Start Exercising
• Yoga: An Ancient Practice for Pregnancy in the Modern World
• Talk about it!

About the Author: Paige Waehner is a California-based ACE-certified personal trainer and the Exercise Guide at About.com. She is co-author of The Buzz on Exercise and Fitnessand the e-book Guide to Being a Personal Fitness Trainer at Fabjob.com.