JUST KEEP SWIMMING

Swimming is extremely beneficial during pregnancy. Biokineticist Lisa Bain offers some tips to get you off the starting blocks

- Biokineticist Lisa Bain

WHETHER YOU’RE TAKING up swimming as a newbie to exercise, or whether you are a seasoned gym-goer who is switching to swimming now that you’re pregnant, the guidelines remain the same.

FIRST TRIMESTER: AIM FOR 30 MINUTES AT A TIME

During this stage of pregnancy, the two main difficulties you will face are fatigue and nausea, caused by massive hormonal changes. Base your exercise routine around how you feel. If you really struggle with nausea in the morning but feel better during the day, try to fit your swimming in at lunchtime or after work. If you find you are too tired at the end of the day, then go swimming before work. Ideally, 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week is best. If you can’t manage this, aim for building up to 30 minutes three times per week. Swimming as a form of exercise takes some getting used to. It is a full-body exercise, using many of the body’s major muscles all at once. You will feel out of breath in the beginning. This is increased during pregnancy as your resting heart rate and breathing rate are now higher, resulting in feeling out of breath more easily.