Keep it moving…pregnancy is just as important of time as ever to keep your body moving and to prepare for delivery. Here are our top 5 ideas for incorporating movement into your already busy life:
Start your day with movement! Before you get out of bed, roll onto your hands and knees, gently stretch back into child’s pose and then come back up slowly into tabletop. Move your hips in a clockwise figure-8 position five times, and then do the same in a counter-clockwise direction.
While brushing your teeth each day, choose to do 25 squats, making sure to keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes facing forward.
Whenever you are going to need to have a longer conversation on your phone, choose to walk at the same time. For added benefit, pick an area such as a hallway to do lunges down.
If you are working outside of the home, park a longer distance from the entrance and walk, take the stairs when possible and choose the furthest water fountain to refill your water bottle throughout the day.
For those of you with stairs in your home, use going up the stairs as an opportunity to mobilize your pelvis and hips. Crawl up the stairs, if it’s safe to do so, being intentional to stretch your front knee up and forward and your back knee leans into the lower step. Envision your pelvis opening up and allow the muscles and ligaments to gently stretch. Repeat on the other side and remember to take deep breaths.
Making movement a priority allows you to continue, or start, healthy habits and optimize your prenatal, birth and postpartum experience.