How to Swim During Pregnancy

What’s not to like about an opportunity to feel weightless during an ever-growing pregnancy? Aside from that perk, swimming is a great way to build cardiovascular endurance, improve circulation and increase muscle tone and strength. Here are some ways to do it properly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Access to a swimming pool
• Comfortable swimsuit
• Swim goggles
• Kickboard

1. Get the greenlight from your OB/GYN or midwife. Because swimming is such a low-impact exercise and therefore carries minimal injury risk, most women can swim throughout their entire pregnancies.

2. Plan to swim for 30 to 60 minutes each day. Swimming can be an effective workout by itself or in combination with a walking/running routine. (For example, you may want to alternate your high/low impact days.) As your pregnancy progresses, you may focus on more swimming than running.

3. Buy a comfortable swimsuit. If you can get by with a standard suit, go for it, but many of today’s maternity suits are both attractive and practical. Remember, the main goal here is comfort. When the elastic begins to feel tight, start shopping. The last thing you need is to become chafed in an area you can no longer reach.

4. Practice your breaststroke. The breaststroke focuses on your chest and back, two areas that are prone to misalignment during pregnancy. If you feel pressure on your neck when you bob up for air, try using a snorkel.

5. Roll over and try a backstroke. With the water as your gravity-defying cushion, you can lie on your back and do the backstroke without risking the impaired blood flow that similar on-land exercises can cause.

6. If you feel fatigued, try adding a kickboard into the mix. Every other lap, use a kickboard and let your arms rest while your legs kick. (If you have back pains doing this, try holding the kickboard farther out in front of you.)

7. Another rotation option: In between laps, stop and do leg lifts or arm curls against the wall or walk the length of the shallow end. Water’s natural resistance forces your body to work even when doing small movements.

Tips & Warnings

• If you did not exercise before your pregnancy, start slowly with swimming. If necessary, take frequent breaks to catch your breath.
• Being in the water can make you feel deceptively hydrated. Take care not to get overheated or dehydrated. Keep a bottle of water near the pool’s edge so you can drink every 15 minutes.
• An old wives' tale claims that underwater somersaults can speed labor. Something to consider if you are 42 weeks pregnant.
• Check with your doctor or midwife before beginning any exercise program.