Benefits of cycling during pregnancy
According to Dr. Dharmesh Shah, Director of Holistica World Comprehensive Health Care Center (India), maintaining your figure and health during pregnancy is always a top priority for expectant mothers.
Among many forms of gentle exercise, cycling is considered a useful choice if you know how to exercise properly and safely.
However, not every pregnant mother can continue cycling like before pregnancy, because the body will experience many significant changes during the first 9 months of pregnancy.
Cycling helps improve cardiovascular health, control weight and maintain muscle tone, these are important factors to support the birth process.
However, changes in hormones, weight and posture make pregnant mothers easily tired, unbalanced and stressed in the joints, especially the hips and lower back.
Experts recommend that outdoor cycling should only be done in the first two trimester when the belly is not too large and the body's center is still stable. In the third trimester, when the ability to maintain balance is significantly reduced and the risk of falling increases, switching to a fixed bicycle at home is a safer choice. Static bicycles still bring effective exercise without causing risks to mother and fetus.
Some important notes for pregnant mothers when cycling:
- Consult your doctor before starting or continuing to cycle during pregnancy.
- Maintain moderate intensity, avoid overtraining.
- Adjust your bicycle, especially the handlebars, to suit your changing figure.
- Monitor your ability to maintain balance, switch to fixed bicycles when needed.
- Drink enough water throughout the workout.
- Listen to your body, stop immediately when you feel uncomfortable or have unusual symptoms.
Each pregnancy is different, so the most important thing is that pregnant mothers need to adjust physical activity according to their personal health and always put the safety of both mother and baby first.
