Walking: Walking is a wonderful workout that you can do just about anywhere. Be sure you get comfortable shoes and that you use good posture to keep your back straight. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm-up and then stretch and continue with your walk. Always remember to stretch afterwards as well to reduce soreness. Try to walk for a minimum of half an hour a day, 3 to 5 days each week.

Swimming: This is often one of the most relaxing and safest exercises to do while pregnant. Swimming relieves pressure in the joints with the light as air feeling that you get when you're in the water. Swimming gives you a good cardio workout using your large muscles. There's also a low chance of injury during swimming, still, be cautious that you don't slip and fall while walking near the pool. Some things you can do while in the water are shallow-water walking, water aerobics, deep-water running and swimming. Try joining a water aerobics class or simply swim 20 min. a day- three to six days a week. Don't forget to avoid hot tubs and saunas since they can lift your body temperature to a dangerously high level and cause harm to your baby.

Jogging: If you have been running or jogging before becoming pregnant, it's safe to continue to do so. You should use common sense. If you begin to feel tired, slow down or walk. Don't let yourself become exhausted. As you get farther along in your pregnancy, you ought to cut back a little. If you have complications, it's likely that your caregiver will ask you to quit running for the remainder of your pregnancy. Remember to consult your practitioner first.

Aerobics: Low impact aerobics is safe to continue doing while pregnant. You shouldn't do jumps or high kicks (these aren't typically done in low-impact aerobics anyway). Alter your workout if you need to. A good way to do this is by going at 1/2 speed. Join a low impact aerobics class at a local gym or you can obtain a workout video and workout in your own home. Many women are more motivated to exercise if they have joined a class.

Bicycling and spinning: Be careful when bicycling or spinning. Your center of gravity is changing making you more vulnerable to falls. Steer clear of uneven terrain when bicycling outside. As your abdomen grows larger, you'll probably have a difficult time reaching the handlebars. During your 3rd trimester the bike seat will become pretty uncomfortable. Don't overwork yourself. Take breaks as needed. If you participate in a spinning class, turn down the tension and slow down if you feel tired.

Pilates: Pilates toughens your entire body, teaches you body awareness and helps increase your flexibility. Pilates is safe to do while pregnant. There are some gyms that have Pilates classes specifically for pregnant women or you can merely obtain prenatal Pilates videos to workout at home. You may attend regular Pilates classes, just remember to avoid movements that compress your neck.

Yoga: Yoga focuses on relaxation and breathing techniques which could help you breath correctly as you experience through labor pains. You can participate in Yoga classes throughout your whole pregnancy. You will want to avoid poses that require you to lie flat on your back or inverted poses. As with Pilates, a local gym may have prenatal yoga classes or you can find prenatal yoga workout videos to workout at home.

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Having eight children of his own, Chris Dunn enjoys writing articles about birth for his pregnancy website.