is it safe to do threadmill during pregnancy?

Question

I'm 7 wks pregnant, and I was active and used to do cardio before my pregnancy. But I'm scared to do same now coz am pregnant. If it is safe , how many minutes of threadmill at an average is safe? I forgot to ask my DR, I was wondering if anyone here knows the answer.

Answer 1

Exercise has great benefits, but during pregnancy you need to approach it with extra caution. Whether you're a regular exerciser looking to continue your regime during pregnancy, or a former couch potato looking to get moving, follow these 13 rules to keep yourself and your baby safe.

1. Check with your healthcare provider first
If you exercised regularly before getting pregnant and your pregnancy is problem-free, you can most likely continue working out as before — with modifications as noted below. There are exceptions to this general rule, so talk to your doctor or midwife about your fitness routine to make sure your activities don't put you or your baby at risk.



2. Take in extra calories
Get the 300 to 500 additional calories a day you need during pregnancy, especially if you're exercising. Make sure to eat well to help nourish and strengthen your body.

3. Steer clear of dangerous sports
Avoid contact sports, as well as activities that might throw you off-balance, such as horseback riding or biking. Even if you're normally graceful, keep in mind that the increased levels of the hormone relaxin during pregnancy, which relax pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth, loosen all ligaments and joints, making you more susceptible to sprains and injury from falls. See our list of safe sports and those to avoid.


4. Wear the right clothes
Wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing. Dress in layers so it's easy to peel off a layer or two after you've warmed up (or if you simply feel too hot). Make sure your maternity bra offers enough support, and choose athletic shoes that fit your feet properly and offer good support. If your shoe size has changed because of mild swelling, stash away your pre-pregnancy sneakers and buy a new pair.

5. Warm up
Warm-ups prepare your muscles and joints for exercise and build your heart rate up slowly. If you skip the warm-up and jump into strenuous activity before your body is ready, you could strain your muscles and ligaments and experience increased post-workout aches and pains.

6. Drink plenty of water
Drink water before, during, and after exercising. Otherwise, you can become dehydrated, which can cause contractions and raise your body temperature, sometimes to levels that are dangerous for you and your baby. James M. Pivarnik, Ph.D., of Michigan State University, says that while there's no official recommendation for how much water pregnant women should drink while exercising, a good guideline is to drink one cup (8 ounces) before you exercise, one cup for every 20 minutes of exercise, and one cup after you finish your workout. In hot and/or humid weather, you'll need more.

7. Don't lie flat on your back
Avoid lying flat on your back after the first trimester. This position puts pressure on a major vein called the vena cava, which will diminish blood flow to your brain and uterus, and can make you dizzy, short of breath, or nauseated. Some women are comfortable in this position well into their pregnancies, but this isn't necessarily a good gauge of whether blood flow to the uterus is affected. Placing a pillow under your right hip or buttock will allow you to be almost supine without compressing the vena cava.

8. Keep moving
Standing motionless for prolonged periods — as when you're lifting weights or doing yoga poses — can decrease blood flow to the uterus and cause blood to pool in your legs, making you dizzy. Keep moving by switching positions or walking in place.

9. Don't overdo it
Don't exercise to exhaustion. A good rule of thumb: Slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation. In general, the best guideline is to listen to your body. When something hurts, that means something's wrong, so stop. You should feel like you're working your body, not punishing it. For more signs of danger, click here.

10. Don't get overheated
Avoid letting yourself get too hot, especially during the first trimester when your baby's major organs are developing. Although there's no proof of a danger to humans, some animal studies suggest that overheating can cause birth defects.

Increased blood flow and a higher metabolic rate mean you'll feel warmer than usual when you're pregnant, and doubly so when you exercise. And since feeling warm is common in pregnancy, you may get overheated much faster than you normally would, even before your belly is big.

Signs of being overheated are largely individual, but pay attention if you're sweating a lot, feel uncomfortably warm, or feel dizzy or short of breath. On hot and/or humid days, skip your workout or exercise indoors in a well-ventilated, air-conditioned room. Wear loose, non-binding clothing and drink plenty of water.

To cool off quickly, stop exercising, take off layers, and change your environment: seek out air conditioning or step into a cool shower. Hydrating is key, too, so drink lots of water.

11. Get up from the floor slowly
As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts. That's why it's important to take great care when you change positions. Getting up too quickly can make you dizzy, and may cause you to lose your footing and fall.

12. Cool down
At the end of your workout, take a few minutes to walk in place and then stretch. Heart rate increases during pregnancy and it may take as long as 15 minutes for your heart to return to its resting rate following a workout.

13. Make it a habit
Make a commitment to work regular exercise into your schedule. Keeping up a routine is easier on your body than periods of inertia interrupted by spurts of activity. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you can safely engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week as long as you have your healthcare provider's go-ahead.

Answer 2

ABSOLUTELY! Do not so anything you wouldn't do before you got pregnant and when you feel tired do not push yourself. I would start off with major stretching, then a few minutes to get warmed up, 10-15 minutes jogging, then 5-10 minute cool down, ALSO DRINK LOTS OF WATER! When you get really huge you probably won't want to jog, just want to walk since it is quite awkward and you really do get tired easily. Also monitor your heart rate if you can!
Be safe! ALSO talk to your doctor in case you have a high risk pregnancy! Then exercise is a NO NO!

Answer 3

Absolutely. Moderate workouts are completely safe and recommended for pregnant women as long as you are not high risk or have complications in pregnancy.
Just don't over do it! Take your time and build up your fitness level over time...
Congratulations! :)

There is also a great DVD called Walking Away the Pounds by Leslie Sansone. I participate in this about 3-4 times a week and am presently 15 weeks.

Answer 4

yes, but I would not suggest it in late pregnancy after 30 weeks.

Answer 5

As long as you don't overdo it, it is fine. Exercise is good for you and the baby. I was told(and again just yesterday) that you can keep your exercise the same, just don't increase it whilst pregnant.

Answer 6

It is fine as long as you keep it simple not strenuous and drink plenty of fluids while and after you are exercising!

Answer 7

yes just try it for about ten min each day but dont over do it to try to hurt yourself or the lil one

Answer 8

probably. you should just not push yourself so hard and take breaks and water when you are tired.

Answer 9

In years past, women were told to "lie low" during pregnancy. Instead of continuing their active lives, they were "confined"—to the house or even the bed. Did you know that because the heart rate increases by 20 percent even in the first trimester, just being pregnant causes a woman's body to perform a low- level of aerobic exercise?

If you have a healthy pregnancy, you can generally plan on maintaining an active lifestyle—including exercise—with time out for napping. Even in your last trimester, when your form seems less than stable to the eye, you can still exercise to enhance your well being—as long as you are careful! Let the following tips help you to stay fit during pregnancy:

Consult your doctor. Before you sign up for an exercise program, talk to your doctor. Explain the type of exercise you will be doing—or program you will join. The following conditions or problems will affect choices you make about an exercise routine—anemia, heart problems, asthma or lung problems, hypertension, diabetes, seizures, thyroid problems, muscle or joint problems, extreme under- or over-weight, history of miscarriages, carrying multiples, history of premature labors, persistent bleeding, incompetent cervix, placental abnormalities (placenta previa), a previous sedentary lifestyle (couch potato).
Determine your personal fitness level. Did you exercise frequently before pregnancy? How did your instructor rate your fitness level? If you are fit when you enter pregnancy, there is no reason to safely continue your prepregnancy levels of exercise, although the movements may have to change (i.e., NO jarring movements). Keep in mind that you are now exercising for two. If you are a two-mile per day jogger, that little one inside you may not want to go that far! Reduce your mileage to protect baby's health. Walking four miles may be better for mom and baby. If you were not active prepregnancy, then start slow and gradually build up the time and intensity of exercise. Warning—do not try to lose weight through exercise during pregnancy because of harmful effects on the fetus from the byproducts of fat and stored toxins when they breakdown.
Dress for the occasion. Wear loose-fitting pants with a loose elastic waistband. Avoid overheating by layering your clothes. Wear supportive shoes that allow swollen feet to "breathe." See if a special runner's bra may help prevent chaffing on your nipples, or try a protective emollient such as Lansinoh.
Exercise regularly. Short regular exercise routines are healthier than being a weekend warrior! Begin with 10 to 15-minute sessions twice daily, three times a week. Gradually build from this time until you are doing 30 to 45 minutes of medium-intensity exercise at least three times a week.
Know your limits. The key to exercising safely during pregnancy is to work your body without stressing it or your baby's. A general guide is—if it's too strenuous for you, it's too strenuous for baby. Check your heart rate. Can you talk during exercise? Or are you out of breath? You know which is best for your health—and baby's. If you are too winded to carry on a conversation, ease up until you can comfortably converse.
Go easy on your joints. Due to the influence of relaxin and other pregnancy hormones, making your joints less stable and more prone to injury. Use light weights (five-pound is safe). Gymnastics is OUT. Avoid jarring movements in tennis and racquetball.
Don't shake the baby. For now, baby is safely snuggled in her own pool, so exercise is unlikely to bother baby. But, avoid jarring exercises and sudden stops—such as jumping or changing directions. Go softly on your feet. Avoid running on hard surfaces. Upright weight-bearing exercises are more likely to bother baby's heart rate that non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming. Avoid hopping and jerking exercises.
Realize you are now off-center. Your enlarging breasts and uterus change your body's center of gravity, increasing your chances of falling during workouts. Avoid risk ventures that require precise balance (gymnastics and downhill skiing).
Rehydrate and refuel. To avoid dehydration, drink two 8-ounce glasses of juice or water before and after exercising. Dehydration makes muscles tire more easily. A before and after exercise snack may protect your body and baby from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Keep cool. In the first trimester, prolonged body temperatures above 102 degrees F. can hard baby's development. Avoid exercising in hot and humid weather. Keep the room cool or well ventilated. Wear loose clothing to allow body heat to be released.
Warm up and cool down. During pregnancy your body's extra blood supply knows its priorities: your uterus and its resident. It takes time for your cardiovascular system to ease into the extra demands of exercising muscles. Ease into exercise. Take five minutes to build up to your peak, and then take time to cool down from your peak.
Choose the right sport. Swimming is the number one recommended baby- friendly exercise for pregnant women. Brisk walking is much less jarring to joints and uterus than bouncy jogging. Street cycling is great during the first trimester, but because you get more off-balanced, it would lead to a risky fall in later months.
Mommy slows as baby grows. In the final months, your baby and uterus need more of your blood in order to grow. Your heart has to work even harder when you are resting. There is less reserve blood supply for exercising muscles, so slow the intensity of your exercise routine.
Keep off your back. After month four, avoid exercising while lying on your back. By this stage of pregnancy, your uterus is large enough to compress the major blood vessels (vena cava and aorta) that run along the right side of your spine. Allow your body and baby to REST after exercise, but lie down on your LEFT SIDE. This prevents your uterus from pressing on the major blood vessels and promotes circulation to your uterus.