Getting the OK

Before you start on any exercise program, consult with your doctor. Although exercise during pregnancy is generally good for both mother and baby, you'll need to proceed with caution if you have a history of pre-term labor or various medical conditions, including:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Placenta previa, a problem with the placenta that can cause excessive bleeding before or during delivery
  
  

Pacing it for pregnancy

For most pregnant women, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, 3-5 days of the week. But even if you work out less every day frequent it can help you to stay in shape and prepare for labor.

Walking is a great form of exercise for beginners. It provides moderate cardiovascular exercise with minimal stress on your joints. Other good choices include swimming and cycling. Avoid stress sports, when you can.

If you exercised before pregnancy, you can probably continue to work out at the same level while you're pregnant - as long as you're feeling comfortable and your doctor is well informed of your activity. If you haven't exercised for a while, begin with as little as five minutes of physical activity a day. And start building up to 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and so on, until you reach at least 30 minutes a day.

Remember to stretch before and after each workout. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and be careful to avoid overheating especially in a warmet climates. No matter how dedicated you are to being in shape, don't exercise to the point of exhaustion.

Staying motivated

You're more likely to stick with an exercise plan make a diary and write each day how much you spent exercising.

Start small. You don't need to join a gym or don expensive workout clothes to get in shape. Just get moving. Try a daily walk through your neighborhood. Vary your route to keep it interesting.

• Find a friend. Exercise can be more interesting if you use the time to chat with a friend.
• Listen to your favorite music or a book on tape, while you exercise.
• Try a new class. Fitness centers can recomend special exercises for pregnant woman. Try classes that fits your interests and schedule.
  Get creative. Don't limit yourself. Consider hiking, rowing or dancing.
• Give yourself permission to rest. Your tolerance for strenuous exercise will decrease as your pregnancy progresses.
  
  

After Baby has Arrived

Becoming a new mother is certainly one way to incorporate more exercise into your life! From lifting to bending to picking up items, to carrying - seems like you never have a chance to sit still now that your precious bundle has arrived!

However, you may be feeling the need to exercise to get back into shape after your pregnancy. There's no need to join an expensive club, though. Start by exercising with your little one!

A great exercise with a baby is dancing with her. You can sway to Mozart, twirl to 50's tunes, and rock gently to lullabies. Consequently, you became fitter, and the baby has learned to appreciate all kinds of music.

Simply lifting your baby up and down and saying the words, "up" "down" give your arms a mini workout and help your baby learn! That's right! Talking and moving help increase baby's IQ! So sing to your baby, tell him or her that you're moving "left", "right", "over", "under", "around", etc.

Walking is still going to be a great way to exercise. Purchase a sturdy stroller and take baby out for a walk each day. The fresh air will be beneficial to you both, and it's another great way to introduce your child to the objects around the neighborhood. You do want to make sure your stroller doesn't jiggle too much - it's not much fun pushing a stroller and ending up with numb hands (like you're pushing a lawn mower!). A quality stroller will help you want to go for more walks with baby!

As your baby grows, he'll mimic your movements. This is a fun time to incorporate some silly movement games into your "exercise" session. Watching her trying to do exactly what you do brings tears of joy and much laughter!

As you can see, exercising with a baby is not only possible, but loads of fun as well. It's a time to bond, teach, and take care of yourself and your little one. One day soon you'll be telling your school age child about all the fun you both had exercising together when he was a baby. And yes, it will happen quicker than you ever dreamed!