Erica Ziel from Knocked-Up Fitness Gives WavHello Tips for Exercising During Pregnancy

WavHello is encouraging expecting moms-to-be to get outside and stay active! Exercising during pregnancy can help you feel better, potentially decrease your pushing time, help you recover more easily after baby and (last but not least!) prepare your body for life as a busy mama. With so many myths and opinions flying around, it is hard to know which exercises are best (and safe!) for mama and baby and which to stay away from. That’s why we called in prenatal fitness expert and creator of Knocked–Up Fitness, Erica Ziel, to fill us in on the perfect fit pregnancy ideas. Read our interview with Erica below, complete with a full workout routine that you can follow from home!  

How can expecting moms exercise during pregnancy? 

Ideally you should aim to workout 30 minutes most days of the week. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise during pregnancy, but I highly recommend including resistance training exercises, such as weight training and my Pilates-Infused style exercises. You’ll find those elements in all my workouts to help keep you strong!

BellyBuds® baby bump speakers are great to use during long walks! Think of BellyBuds as headphones for a pregnant belly; they move and stay with you while you exercise. They also come with a splitter so that you and baby can listen to the same music during your workout.

What are 5 exercises that are easy (and safe!) for pregnant moms?

Here are 5 wonderful exercises you can do anytime, anywhere and with little to no equipment. It’s important to listen to your body as baby grows and your body changes. You can turn these into a full-body workout by following my recommended reps and order below, or repeating them 2 to 4 times for a very effective at-home workout!

*Be sure your physician has approved you for exercises before beginning any exercise program 

Cat Cow x 10 reps

1. On all 4’s exhale as you do a gentle kegel to activate your pelvic floor muscles while gently “hugging your baby” at the same time to round your spine.
2. Inhale to lengthen your spine. Do 10 slowly with focus on your breathing.

 

 

Squats + Rotations x 10 to 20 reps

1. Standing in a comfortable wide squat {sticking your booty slightly back} and your arms out in front {holding an exercise band or hand towel if you have either}.
2. Exhale as you stand {keeping your glutes engaged} rotating towards your right as your left leg and toe pivot with you allowing easy rotation of your hips and your arms reach up overhead. You should feel a light core connection, your booty working and lengthening of your spine.
3. Inhale as you return to your starting squat position.
4. Then rotating to your left making sure that your right leg and toe pivot with you.

 
 

 

Reverse Flys 10 to 20 reps

{using a light dumbbell, soup cans or no weight at all and go for 20 reps just to get the movement of helping open up your chest and lengthening your spine}

1. Standing in a hinged over position keeping your back flat while keeping a light core engagement to support your back and arms reach down towards the ground.
2. Exhale as you use your middle back muscles to reach your arms out and away from you {feel as though you are slightly sticking out your chest}.
3. Inhale to return to start.

 

 

Kneeling Side Reaches x 10 reps on each side

1. In a side kneeling position, reach your top arm over your body and extend your top leg out and away from your body.
2. On the start of your exhale slowly round your spine drawing your top elbow and knee towards each other (they do not have to touch, the goal is to get her to round her back).
3. Inhale to lengthen back out. Do 10 reps then switch sides.

 

 

Full Lunges x 10 reps on each side

{using light dumbbells or soup cans or no weight at all}

1. Standing in a forward lunge feeling your weight in your front leg and sticking your booty slightly back while reaching your arms gently out in front of you.
2. Exhale to stand as you bring your arms to your side {squeezing those triceps} as you stand up either bringing your left all the way through and up which greatly challenges your core {for added balance keep your back leg on the ground}.
3. Inhale to return to your starting lunge.
4. Continue for 10 reps then switch sides.

 

What are moves that expecting moms should not do?

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends avoiding movements that are jarring, high impact or sports where you change direction quickly. As your ligaments become more lax due to the hormone relaxin, there could be an increase in your body’s susceptibility to injury.

I know many mamas want to know about running – personally I didn’t run during any of my three pregnancies because it just didn’t feel right for me. So I listened to my body and did a lot of walking {and strength training and Pilates} instead! I do know many mamas run through much of their pregnancy and if your doctor is okay with you running and it feels good for your body - go for it!

To see more exercises, workouts, and Erica’s DVD series and book “The Knocked Up Fitness Guide to Pregnancy” and Digital Programs - visit KnockedUpFitness.com.

WavHello is a family-first technology company that is dedicated to helping families connect, share and thrive. We are the makers of BellyBuds specialized speakers that gently adhere to mom’s baby bump and safely play music to baby-to-be! Visit us at wavhello.com to learn more!