Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?

Exercising when pregnant used to be considered risky and unsafe but pregnancy exercise is now known to be safe and extremely beneficial to pregnant women who are in good health and are having a normal pregnancy without any complications.Fitness levels of women who do not exercise during pregnancy begin to decrease month by month as the pregnancy continues and the pregnant woman becomes heavier and heavier,a good exercise programme which fits into a pregnant womans daily lifestyle can prevent fitness levels dropping and encourages a sense of overall happiness and well-being.

The benefits of pregnancy exercise

• Decreases feelings of fatigue and increases energy levels!!
• Improves sleep and reduces insomnia
• Improves both physical and mental well-being by producing endorphins-the happy hormones!!
• Strengthens muscles and increases endurance
• Helps pregnant women cope with the imbalance of a growing abdomen
• Improve joints
• Reduces backaches
• Reduces constipation
• Reduces the swelling of hands and feet
• Strengthening your body and endurance will enable you to cope with labour better
• Helps women to regain pre-pregnancy shape sooner after the birth of their baby

Choosing the right exercise when pregnant

If you are already a regular participant in exercise or a sport you can probably continue to participate throughout your pregnancy with some alterations which take in account your pregnancy but it is always best to seek advice from your GP.

It is not advised to take up a new sport during your pregnancy but here are some pregnancy exercise ideas that are safe for healthy pregnant women(experiencing normal pregnancies with no complications) new to exercise to participate in

• Walking at a brisk pace, see details of buggyfit classes
• Swimming in shallow water that is neither too hot or too cold,this is a non-weight-bearing exercise which is one of  the easiest ways to stay fit during pregnancy
• Aqua natal programmes designed for pregnant women
• Cycling on a stationary bike at a comfortable speed and tension setting
• A step machine,at a comfortable tension setting
• Yoga designed for pregnancy
• Pilates designed for pregnancy
• Pelvic toning (kegel exercises)
• Relaxation routines

Pregnancy exercise guidelines

• Always warm-up slowly and cool down gradually- muscles and joints are vunerable when cold and are especially vunerable during pregnancy
• Wear loose fitting comfortable clothes,good supportive trainers and a good well fitted bra to protect your breasts whilst exercising
• Levels of the hormone Relaxin increase during pregnancy which relaxes your joints making it easier to hurt yourself.Stretching should therefore be performed to maintain flexibility not to improve it so avoid developmental stretching
• Inform your instructor that you are pregnant so they can inform you of exercises which are unsafe and give you a safe alternative
• Avoid exercising flat on your back after the first three months because it restricts blood flow to your baby
• It is extremely important to drink plenty of water so you do not become dehydrated
• Stop if you feel any pain or muscular pain or are uncomfortable
• Do not get too hot and do not exercise to exhaustion
• Do not use a sauna,steam room or jacuzzi
• Do not perform exercises which pull on the abdomen such as sit-ups and double leg lifts
• Avoid pointing toes as this could lead to cramping in your calves,flex feet instead by pointing feet up towards your face

Healthy Mum – exercise during pregnancy

The home pregnancy test like the urine test done in a lab or doctors surgery diagnoses pregnancy by detecting the presence of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) in urine. Home pregnancy tests tell you if you are pregnant or not pregnant in a couple of minutes.

When using a home pregnancy test you can use an any-time-of-the-day urine sample and you can carry out the pregnancy test as early as the first day that you have missed your period, some tests are so sensitive that you can use them before your period is due, but you must check the  instructions of  the home pregnancy test  you have purchased carefully to see when it recommends the earliest time you should perform your test, different brands vary.

When performed correctly an at home pregnancy test is as accurate as a urine test done in a lab or doctor’s surgery, with a positive result more likely to be correct than a negative one. You can help to avoid a false negative result by waiting and performing your pregnancy test a few days after your missed period rather than on the day itself and be sure you have calculated when your period is due correctly.

What is an ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy which has implanted outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes. This usually occurs because of damage in the tube which then blocks the passage of the egg down to the uterus. Very rarely the fertilized egg sometimes implants itself in the ovary, the abdominal cavity or the cervix.

Women who have a increased risk of ectopic pregnancy

• Women who have had a previous ectopic pregnancy
• Women who have had abdominal or fallopian tube surgery and scarring is present
• Women who have suffered from a pelvic inflammatory disease caused by a STD
• Women who have been surgically sterilized or unsuccessfully sterilized
• Women who conceive whilst an IUD (contraceptive coil) is in place
• Women suffering from endometriosis

Although ectopic pregnancy is very rare it is important for pregnant women, especially those with an increased risk to be aware of the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy and seek urgent medical attention if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected. Women may experience one or all of the following symptoms:

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy

• Sharp, crampy pain with tenderness usually starting on one side of the abdomen and sometimes radiating throughout the entire abdomen. Pain may increase when coughing, moving or straining of the bowels. Pain becomes very sharp and steady before diffusing throughout the pelvic region when a tubal rupture occurs.
• Light bleeding or brown vaginal spotting which can occur days or weeks before any pain is experienced. Some women do not experience any bleeding until the tube ruptures
• When the tube ruptures heavy vaginal bleeding is experienced
• Some women suffer with shoulder pain
• Some women have a feeling of rectal pressure
• Some women experience weakness or dizziness.When a tube ruptures a weak pulse, clammy skin and fainting are likely
• Some women experience nausea and vomiting but this can be difficult to distinguish from morning sickness

Quick medical attention often results in the fallopian tube being saved and infertility in a woman being avoided so getting to hospital immediately is very important.

Healthy mum - ectopic pregnancy

What are the early signs of pregnancy ?

Some women experience all of these pregnancy symptoms at some point during early pregnancy and other women may only experience one or two. It is important to remember that the signs and symptoms of pregnancy are not a definite confirmation of being pregnant and it is advised that you perform a pregnancy test and visit your local GP.

Physical signs of early pregnancy

• Slight bleeding or cramping as the embryo implants itself in the uterus, can occur around 7-10 days after conception
• Breast changes:tingling,tender,swollen breasts which can be more noticeable in women who have breast changes prior to menstruation and possibly less noticable in women who have had previous babies, can appear as early as a few days after conception.Darkening of the areola(area surrounding the nipple),the sweat glands in the aerola can become prominent and can look like goose bumps
• Nausea, with or without vomiting present at anytime of the day,can appear 2-8 weeks after conception
• Frequent urination, can occur 2-3 weeks after conception
• Extreme tiredness and fatigue
• Heartburn,indigestion,flatulence and bloating
• Food aversions and cravings
• Missed period-some women experience slight bleeding when their period was due

Possible emotional feelings & symptoms when pregnant

Pregnant women can often experience emotional signs of pregnancy as well as the physical ones.

• Symptoms very similar to PMS which may possibly include irritability,irrationality,weepiness and sudden mood swings
• Feelings of fear, joy and elation- any or all of these

Pregnancies are dated from the first day of your last period so you are already four weeks pregnant when your period is due. Your baby who is actually about two weeks old(counting from conception)is a tiny tadpole like embryo which is even smaller than a grain of rice. Although far from being human looking your baby has a head, a rudimentary brain and a primitive heart that has begun to pump.

Home pregnancy test

A home pregnancy test measures how much of the pregnancy hormone hCG is present in your urine. hCG can usually be detected by a home pregnancy test as early as the day of your missed period and they are easily available online and from your local chemist or supermarket.

Early signs of pregnancy & pregnancy symptoms
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Congratulations on your pregnancy and welcome to our free pregnancy calculator & Estimated Conception calculator online.

Simply fill in the date of your last menstrual period into the pregnancy due date calculator and it will work out your estimated due date, estimated conception date and the estimated fetal age.

Calculate your due date

Last Menstrual Period:


                              (MM/DD/YYYY format)

Average Length of Cycles:
 (22 to 45)

                              (defaults to 28)

Average Luteal Phase Length:
 (9 to 16)

                              (defaults to 14)


Estimated Conception:


Estimated Due Date:


Estimated Fetal Age:

Healthy Mum – Conception Due Date Pregnancy Calculator Online