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Tips for swimming
Swimming is a great type of exercise because it uses both of your large muscle groups (arms and legs). Though low-impact, it provides good cardiovascular benefits and allows pregnant women to feel weightless despite the extra kilos you’re carrying. It is also very safe to do with low chances of getting injured.
Swimming also improves circulation, increases muscle tone and strength, and builds stamina. When you swim, you'll burn calories, sleep better, and handle pregnancy's physical and emotional challenges better.
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Safety tips
Swimming is one of the safest forms of exercise. If you did swim regularly before you got pregnant, you should be able to continue without much modification. If you didn't swim or exercise at all, you should still be able to swim, but check with your doctor or midwife first. You'll need to start slowly and stretch well before and after entering the water.
When you're in the water, it can be easy to forget to stay well-hydrated. A good guideline is to drink one cup before you start your swim, one cup for every 15 minutes of exercise, and one or two cups after you get out of the pool.
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Fist-trimester tips
If you can summon the energy, swim for at least 30 minutes daily. Swimming in the early morning may counteract nausea and energize you for the rest of the day.
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Second-trimester tips
Your pregnancy won't require you to cut down on swimming as you grow because it's easy on expectant moms. You probably won't need to modify your regime, but a maternity swimsuit may be more comfortable as your tummy gets bigger.
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Third-trimester tips
The water supports your joints and ligaments as you exercise, preventing injury and also protecting you against overheating. The breast stroke is particularly beneficial in the third trimester, because it lengthens the chest muscles and shortens the back muscles, two areas that typically become misaligned as your body changes during pregnancy. Use a snorkel to relieve the pressure on your neck.
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Best strokes fo pregnancy
The breaststroke is probably your best bet while pregnant, it doesn’t require rotation of the torso and requires less exertion. Also, it helps counteract the increased strain in the back due to the belly weight of pregnancy. While pregnancy forces the spine and shoulders to round forward and the pelvis to tilt out of alignment, the breaststroke gently strengthens the muscles and counteracts that tendency.
Another good stroke is the backstroke. Because the water reduces the effects of gravity on your body, you can lie on your back to do the backstroke without risking the impaired blood flow.
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