Exercises to Get Pregnant – Understand and Do It Right

When the decision for starting a family starts becoming a reality, many women think about hitting the gym or going through an intense regimen. This is primarily aimed to get their weight under control since pregnancy is going to shift them up on the scale by more than a few kilos. The awareness of having a healthy body to give birth to a healthy child is good learning, but that is usually held up to a pedestal without realising its effects on the conception itself. Exercising is necessary, but so is knowing how far you should push yourself for it.

Is Exercise Good When Trying to Get Pregnant?

Women often wonder if it is safe to exercise while planning for a baby or is it best to take a break from it. The answer doesn’t sway on either side, but exercising does help you with your pregnancy for sure. The body will be going through numerous physical changes, and being in shape can help make the transition more comfortable for you. At the same time, it is necessary to keep your body rested and free from stressing it needlessly, in the pursuit of perfection.

What Are the Advantages of Exercising While Trying to Conceive?

Exercising keeps your body fit and regulates numerous internal bodily processes as well. But in the realm of pregnancy and the ability to conceive, exercise helps your body in a few significant ways.

1. Sleep Cycles

On the surface, sleeping might have nothing to do with the fertility of a person or the ability to conceive a child. But deep down, sleep has a deeper connection with the very functioning of the body. This is the time when all the maintenance activities of the body are at full speed and that period is necessary for appropriate hormonal regulation and body development. Exercising helps set the circadian rhythms back to normalcy and allows for better sleep.

2. Weight Regulation

Weight plays a crucial role in the success of conceiving a child. There are established connections of hormonal problems, miscarriage, and infertility with the tendency to be overweight. Not only does exercising help in resolving these conditions by keeping your weight in check, but it also streamlines numerous other bodily processes, which prepare the body to take care of the baby.

3. Stress Reduction

The connection of mental health with the state of the physical body has been documented for the longest time. That connection also makes itself evident when you are trying to conceive. Anxiety and depression, combined with unhealthy activities such as drinking alcohol or smoking can reduce your fertility considerably. Exercising releases the feel-good hormones in the body, reducing your stress levels, consequently keeping all these activities at bay.

Body Weight and Exercise

At times, the links of weight with the chances of getting pregnant might seem exaggerated. But that honestly isn’t so. There have been various studies that have shown a marked improvement in the possibility of conceiving a child with just a 5% reduction in the weight of a woman. The same affects men as well, regarding their sperm health.

If your weight is below the ideal, the ability to conceive a child successfully takes a hit, making it twice as difficult to do so. The presence of healthy body fat in the body is a necessity, without which the menstrual cycles can start getting disturbed, which consequently affects the frequency of ovulation, ultimately making the production of eggs a complication altogether.

On the flip side, being higher than the ideal weight possess a massive barrage of problems for the woman herself, right from hypertension to a propensity for diabetes and so on. All of these affect the chances of conception as well since the various bodily process might interfere with the regular fertilisation cycle.

Which Are the Best Exercises for Women Trying to Get Pregnant?

When wondering about an exercise to get pregnant fast, there is generally no way set in stone to achieve that. A few exercises are usually termed the best ones since they help you achieve your goal healthily, as well as prevent you from over stressing your body.

1. Lifting Weights

You don’t have to go to the heavy barbell ones to compete at the Olympics. It is very easy to go overboard with these and affect your periods, leading to even more problems. Go for simple weight lifting exercises that focus on your upper abdomen and legs, since this will make those areas stronger, giving the muscles the strength they would need to support your pregnant body.

2. Pilates

Quite a fancy exercise word used these days; pilates essentially does two functions well. Firstly, it helps in increasing the flexibility of your muscles, which helps in maintaining their strength even after your body grows in size. Secondly, the focus stays on the core of your body by working on your mind as well, allowing you to establish a good posture by a balance of mental health and physical fitness.

3. Yoga

There is a reason yoga is quintessentially popular amongst everyone. Various yoga exercises have been deemed to be useful not just before pregnancy, but during pregnancy, as well as after your delivery. All the asanas that fall under yoga work towards establishing a healthy connection of your mind with your body.

4. Swimming

The safest exercise to be undertaken during pregnancy has its benefits before it as well. Swimming a couple of laps in the pool works its wonder on the core of your body, without any stress of disproportionate impact elsewhere. This flexibility and muscular strength go a long way in staying fit even while pregnant.

5. Cycling

Why remain restricted to a single location when you can pretty much move around your city on your cycle and get the benefits of exercise as well? Get your friends together and try to go on cycle rides daily, if not regularly. The muscles get the workout they need, and you can get the fun of cycling all over again.

6. Running

Running is one essential quick-fix exercise that can kick off your fitness regimen in the appropriate manner. The only time when you should avoid running is if your menstrual cycle is irregular and you are tired. Otherwise, running a short distance on a daily basis can boost the circulation of blood within the body, benefiting various muscles in parallel, too.

7. Walking

The safest of them all. The only thing you need is a good pair of shoes. Walking is rarely harmful since everybody has a good idea of what their walking limit is. Stick to it and walk as much as you can daily. Choose appropriate times for it, and you will be benefitting mentally as well as physically from it.

How to Exercise Through the Cycle to Maximise Pregnancy Chances?

Your exercise programme needs a few tweaks and adjustments based on your phase of conception. Adhering to it can prevent you from ruining your chances of conceiving a baby while keeping your fitness on track.

1. Menstruation

When you are on your periods, it is best to stick to simple exercises and avoiding the cardio ones. Yoga is your best bet in this regard.

2. Pre-Ovulation

This stage requires the right stimulation for the body. Spending about half an hour every day on exercises that get your blood flowing is a good choice.

3. Ovulation

Increased blood circulation is necessary at this stage but so is safety from hard impacts. Opt for swimming or brisk walking that can get your heart rate up without any risks.

4. Implantation

Avoid any high impact exercises at this stage. Stick to swimming or yoga and keep a check on whether implantation has been successful. If not, you can resume your regular programme.

Can You Exercise While Undergoing IVF?

Wondering whether you can exercise while trying to conceive naturally is one thing, but a similar question might arise when opting for IVF as well. Regular exercise is usually fine until you start approaching the phase when the stimulation hormones have been completely administered, and egg production is at its highest. Rigorous training could cause discomfort or even ovarian torsion. Once the transfer of eggs or embryos is complete, you should avoid very high-intensity exercises.

Are There Any Exercises You Should Avoid While Trying to Conceive?

Along with conception friendly exercise options, it is necessary to remember that certain exercises ought to be avoided, too. Any intense weightlifting, kickboxing, or any other forms that can be intensely aerobic or expose your body to a multitude of impacts should be avoided at all costs.

Essential Tips to Follow While Doing Exercise for Conception

Adhering to a few tips when you choose to create an exercise programme can help you stick to your goal and keep safe as well.

• It is best to have your regimen created by a professional and approved by your doctor.
• Choose to exercise with a partner if you can to stay motivated.
• Cardio exercises are a better choice to boost your blood circulation.
• Don’t diet in parallel with an exercise programme.
• Stick to moderate intensity while exercising.
• Focus on your core muscles and get them strong.
• Adopt regularity without letting laziness get in the way.
• Begin your exercise programme as soon as you can.

The right diet and exercise to get pregnant are essential to be healthy as well as safe. It is best to avoid unrealistic goals and high-intensity exercise programmes when you are attempting to conceive a child. A general fitness usually does the trick pretty well.

Also Read: Common Signs & Symptoms of Ovulation