When women look forward to having a normal delivery, gynecologists often advise them to adopt a healthy diet, take necessary precautions and stay physically active by going for walks regularly. This way, the mother’s body remains active, the baby in the womb remains healthy and the mother has to suffer less during delivery.
Dr. Lata Nayyar, a gynecologist from Chennai says that for a healthy pregnancy, along with following all the other advice and precautions, a woman must go for a 30-45 minutes walk every day.
She informs that walking is considered to be a cardiovascular exercise and during pregnancy, it helps in maintaining the mother’s heart health as well as helps in strengthening the muscles. In fact, during the second and third trimesters, sometimes due to weight gain and many other reasons, the woman gets swollen feet. But when the muscles are strong enough, swelling in the feet can be relieved.
Also, during pregnancy, women are at an increased risk of digestive problems like gas and constipation and other comorbidities like diabetes. A woman can overcome all these problems with a regular walk.
Precautions To Be Taken
- When going for a walk, pregnant women must wear comfortable, non-heeled shoes particularly sports shoes. Also, not just while walking, at other times too, heeled footwear must be avoided, because they increase the risk of ankle twists and many other problems.
- In view of safety, instead of going for a walk alone, the expecting mother should take someone along.
- The doctor advises that it is beneficial to have a light diet or snacks 30 or 40 minutes before the walk.
- If possible, go for a walk in the morning. Additionally, you can spend 15-30 minutes at night after dinner for the same.
- Contact a doctor if you face any discomfort or pain while walking.
Also Read: Is Your Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain Sciatica?
