Exercising, sleeping, breathing and physiotherapy during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time to learn to listen to your body; there are no extra rewards for smashing out hard workouts during pregnancy.
In saying that, it’s important to strike a balance of activity, rest and rehabilitation to ensure you have the happiest and healthiest pregnancy possible. At Lane Cove physio, we have our very own women’s health specialist to guide you through your pre, during and post pregnancy phases.
Our approach to exercise and physiotherapy during pregnancy is more focused on improving overall health as compared to achieving specific fitness goals.
Lane Cove women’s health physiotherapy areas of expertise:
- Urinary incontinence or reduced bladder control
- Bowel incontinence or constipation
- Urge incontinence and overactive bladder
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Painful sex
- Pregnancy-related pelvic pain – see Aquatic Natal Classes
- Post-natal care including abdominal separation
Are you getting enough sleep?
Sleep is vital for recovery and overall health for you and your baby. If you’re having trouble sleeping, here are some ideas:
- Place a pillow between your legs
- Use a pillow for support behind your back and neck
- Use a pillow or towel under your belly while on your side
- Stretch or perform deep breathing before bed
- Get your partner to give you a relaxing massage
- Decrease screen time in the hours before bed
- Exercise regularly and eat healthy.
Exercise ideas for pregnancy
When trying to find what feels right for you during pregnancy, consider activities such as:
- walking
- hiking
- yoga
- stretching
- Hydrotherapy
If you are experiencing lower back or pelvic floor pain, hydrotherapy may help you feel more relaxed and less fatigued.
One of the reasons prenatal aqua and pregnancy fitness classes in Sydney are so effective and popular is because of the body’s positive response to water. If you’ve ever wanted to lose 90% of your bodyweight during a workout, hydrotherapy is for you!
The warm water of our hydrotherapy pool helps to improve your circulation, ease your aching back, feet, knees, hips and ease the pain of labour and delivery.
Although healthy weight gain is important for the growth of your baby, many people want to find ways to limit their pregnancy weight gain.
By reducing your weight by up to 90% in the water, your movements will be easier, pain lessened and more relief felt than anything else.
Aquanatal classes offer an environment not found in other pregnancy exercise classes in Sydney with the viscosity of water adding resistance without adding weight. This means that exercise will be effective without adding strain and pain to your growing body. Staying active will keep excessive weight gain at bay and keep yourself and baby healthy.
A hot tub or hot spa during pregnancy is not a substitute for hydrotherapy classes and can actually be quite dangerous to yourself and your baby.
It’s very important to keep your body temperature in a safe range think a soothingly warm pool or bath, not blisteringly hot.
Benefits of Aquatic natal classes include:
- Improving or maintaining physical fitness
- Helping with weight management, circulation, fluid retention and swelling
- Reducing and managing pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain
- Reducing the risk of gestational diabetes in some populations
- Assisting in controlling blood pressure
- Enhancing psychological wellbeing and sleep
- Promoting relaxation
To make a booking for an assessment or consultation with our women’s health physiotherapists, feel free to contact us on (02) 9428 5772 and we will do our best to answer all your questions and provide you with an appointment time.
