Summer in our middle zone - anywhere! Either it’s raining, or there’s a north-west, but it doesn’t make us hot, it’s cold. It’s disgusting that the water in your favorite reservoirs has not yet warmed up. And it doesn't seem to heat up.
However, hope dies last, and since mid-July we have been waiting for the gentle sun and warm water in the few remaining clean reservoirs. And some lucky ones will go to the southern seas, where they can actively train their natural and pregnant bodies. After all, aqua gymnastics is the most useful and gentle way to prepare yourself and your baby for childbirth. And water also means pleasure, relaxation and pleasant lightness everywhere. When we plunge into the water, we become like that little creature that has settled inside us: just as quiet, just as dark, just as calm. The water rustles and gurgles, time stops...
The benefits of water exercises for pregnant women
But that's not true. Water does not kill people, but vice versa. After all, the ancient Greeks and Romans used water as a cure for depression and many other diseases. Water and pregnancy are a great combination. This is recognized by instructors and midwives of all well-known schools for expectant mothers and fathers. Firstly, swimming is perhaps the safest sport during pregnancy. The load is an order of magnitude less than on land, and the effect is amazing. Secondly, it’s easy and simple in the water even for those who don’t know how to swim, because most of the lessons take place in shallow water, in paddling pools. Underwater, the potbellies not only train their muscles, but also relax, as if throwing off the notorious atmospheric column that so depressing Ostap Bender. Thirdly, you can swim until the last days before giving birth, until the plug comes out. And not to fear for your life or for the safety of the little resident in your stomach. Water relaxes the pelvis and makes it mobile. Fourthly, water gymnastics is the path to an easy birth, preparing the little one for stress. And finally, water fights cellulite, massages the skin, and relieves us of excess weight (we pregnant women love to eat!). Yes, and the muscles don’t hurt after training.
What brought me to the pool
Years passed, the first child was born, 7 years later she became pregnant with the second.
Pregnancy plus office sedentary work - you will get back pain. Almost from the first trimester, I could not stay in a static position for a long time, my lower back ached, my legs became numb. Doctors advised me to go in for sports, best of all – swimming.
I thought for a while. My back hurt more and more every day, and I had not yet reached 20 weeks, halfway through pregnancy. It's only the beginning! I started collecting information, chose a swimming pool, and signed up for a training program for expectant mothers.
In the footsteps of Paracelsus or water aerobics with a big belly
They say that the famous Paracelsus lowered his sick, having first wrapped them in a kind of fishing net, into warm and dark water, because he trusted in the healing properties of this element. Fortunately, this cup has passed us by, and we can enjoy physical exercise in the water on our own and in groups of the same potbellies. But without Paracelsus...
Today, the basics of water gymnastics for pregnant women are taught both in parent schools (“Magic Child”, “Second Birth”, “Precious”, “Baby”, “Lungwort”, “Pangaea”, “Stihial”, “School for Moms and Dads” in Moscow, "Rainbow" in St. Petersburg), and in fitness clubs (Petrovka-sport, World Class, Planeta Fitness, Kimberly Land, etc.).
It is more convenient to go to the pool at the school you are enrolled in. If for some reason you do not want to attend the courses, then try to enroll in the group by talking with the instructor. Geographically, the swimming pools are located in different places: for example, at “Medunitsa” on Pushkinskaya, “Pangea” - on Alekseevskaya, “School for Moms and Dads” - on Arbatskaya. There is a separate swimming pool for pregnant women at 8/2 Krymsky Val (Oktyabrskaya metro station). The fee for visiting is very affordable everywhere - about 80-150 rubles per session, but in some schools it is included in the course price, and in others you have to pay extra. Mostly classes take place on weekends, sometimes in the evenings on weekdays, less often during the day. Choose where it is closer, more convenient and more pleasant. My husband and I ourselves went to the pool on Saturdays throughout our pregnancy, twenty minutes from home. We really enjoyed it - it relieved all tension. In general, the two capitals have a very strong “water” school, and what happens in the pool is considered not just as a physical set of exercises, but as a kind of psychotherapy. Instructors believe that in water it is possible to simulate many psychological experiences that cannot be experienced on land. For example, get in tune with the baby and imagine what it’s like for him (“float”) or go through the “birth canal.” To do this, all mothers and fathers stand in the stream, feet shoulder-width apart. And the “newborn” swims through this channel underfoot. It's always fun, sometimes everyone is buzzing, like they're having contractions. And after classes it’s always fresh and light, and even a nine-month belly doesn’t seem heavy.
First impressions of the pool
After my first lesson in the pool, I was both pleased and disappointed at the same time. I am pleased that I was able to partially overcome my fear of depth and hang around in the water without feeling any support under my feet. The activity relaxed me and relieved tension. My back, however, bothered me no less.
But I was severely disappointed. Firstly, I always thought that water aerobics was something easy, requiring no effort or preparation. Hold on to your sports equipment and spin in the water. In fact, it turned out that exercises in water require a certain technique in the same way as on land. You won’t be able to “hang out” accurately and clearly right away; you need to train your skills and understand your body - as with any physical activity.
Secondly, I was disappointed with my own physical fitness in comparison with other expectant mothers in our group. They dived, did somersaults in the water, and knew how to hold their breath well - a skill necessary during childbirth. I couldn't even imagine how this could be done. Well, I just made it to the Olympic synchronized swimming team.
Of course, I understood that the other girls had been studying for more than a month - many had quite a decent amount of time and such large tummies, but this was of little comfort to me.
I was also amazed by how gracefully pregnant women move in the water, how easy it is to again feel weightlessness in the body, floating on their backs - expectant mothers are strictly forbidden to swim on their stomachs. On land, in ordinary life, after the first trimester you already feel like a kind of mandarin duck, waddling from side to side, you completely forget about the flying gait.
At what water temperature can you do aqua gymnastics for pregnant women?
In the water element, pregnant women have something to do. Today, both breathing practices and complexes for stretching the muscles of the pelvis, perineum, legs, as well as special relaxing techniques have been developed. Actually, you can easily do this on your own or together with your waiting father or with a girlfriend, for example. It is better to practice in shallow water so that your legs are stable and the water reaches the middle of your chest. The temperature, of course, should be comfortable: in the sea it is 26-30 degrees, in the pool - 28-29.
Rules for practicing water aerobics for pregnant women
Water aerobics for pregnant women should take place at a comfortable water temperature - at least 29°C. If your health worsens during exercise, you should stop immediately.
For any workout, including water aerobics, you need to take a bottle of still water or juice with you to maintain a normal water-salt balance in the body. To avoid injury, use caution when moving on slippery surfaces. Some expectant mothers wear special shoes for classes - “aquashoes”.
As long as you take precautions, water aerobics for pregnant women is a safe way to prepare your body for the upcoming birth and improve your physical fitness. To ensure that the exercises bring only benefits, before starting training you should consult a gynecologist and take into account the trainer’s recommendations.
Author: Yana Semich, especially for Mama66.ru
Breathing exercises in water for pregnant women
Remember, when we were little and played with rubber duckies in the bathroom at home, our favorite pastime was to dive and count to ten, twenty and even one hundred underwater. This skill is worth remembering. The main purpose of holding your breath underwater is training. Some spiritual obstetricians believe that this is how we prepare the baby for the lack of oxygen during childbirth, and he gets used to the stress. Not everyone shares this point of view, but such training is definitely useful for a woman.
The most common is “float”
. We take a deep breath into our lungs and dive under the water. There we take our hands to our feet, wrap our hands around our knees, pressing them to our stomach. Not much! Now we seem to be hanging in the weightlessness of a pool, sea or lake. It's better to close your eyes. We swing on the surface like a float, there is no bite, the surface is calm. As soon as we start to run out of breath, we don’t swim out, but try to hold it a little longer, literally for a second. Midwives believe that women always face this “I can’t” during childbirth. It seems like I have no strength, I can’t breathe. And you have to go through this barrier. The body finds reserves.
Complication of the “float” - diver
. For this exercise you will need a ladder handrail or your husband's feet. We take air into our lungs, lower ourselves to the bottom, squat down and hold our partner’s legs or the ladder with our hands. The algorithm is the same, as soon as the breath “spirals”, it seems it’s time to swim out. Try to delay this moment for a second. If it seems difficult, just dive in - it's also useful. If everything works out, you can complicate the task. Dive as you exhale, completely clearing your lungs. And try to stay under water for several long seconds.
"Dog" breathing
, accelerated, which is taught in childbirth preparation courses, can also be done in water.
"Whale in reverse"
. Imagine yourself as a big bellied whale noisily throwing a fountain into the air. Just the opposite. To do this, you just need to inhale strongly over the water and exhale sharply into the water.
Dive
- it's even simpler. On the count of “one” you immerse your face in the water while inhaling, on the count of “two” we consider what is going on in the sea (or in a chlorinated pool we close our eyes), on the count of “three” we emerge and exhale. The essence of the exercise is rhythm. We dive frequently, increasing the time spent under water.
Can pregnant women do water aerobics?
Water aerobics allows the expectant mother to strengthen her muscles and prepare her body for childbirth. This type of exercise is the safest and improves a woman’s emotional state, so exercises in the pool, in the absence of contraindications, are allowed for all pregnant women.
In the early stages
Despite the minimum restrictions, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the body, well-being and the duration of pregnancy. The first trimester is a potentially dangerous period, during which the attachment of the fetus and the formation of all its organs occurs. If a woman did not exercise before conception, feels weak, or has been diagnosed with a threat of miscarriage, it is better to postpone the start of exercise.
With good physical fitness, especially if the expectant mother has previously attended water aerobics, the exercises will only be beneficial. But even in this case, the usual loads must be reduced.
In the later stages
In the second trimester, water aerobics is especially useful for pregnant women. This period is considered optimal for starting classes. The increased threat of miscarriage characteristic of the beginning of pregnancy has already passed, but the belly is not yet too large and does not limit movement.
When exercising in the third trimester, you should avoid exercise accompanied by increased heart rate. Towards the end of the term, expectant mothers are advised to pay more attention to breathing exercises. This will help prepare you for the birth process.
List of stretching exercises in water for pregnant women
It is even safer to perform muscle stretching exercises in water. You won’t hurt yourself, and you will make your muscles elastic and ready for stress. Stretching in water is much more pleasant than on land. You don’t get so tired, you stretch easier, and you can even do the splits. However, they usually start with simple “twists”. We stand with our back to the side and turn our leg, twisting it at the hip joint - inward, outward.
"Butterfly"
aka “book” is a little more complicated. In the water, bend your knees, pulling your heels towards your perineum. Now we move our hips, holding our knees, as if a butterfly is flapping its wings. It's like we're closing our legs. It is clear that at this moment you fall into the water. So remember to stop breathing. 
"Frog"
. We hold on to the handrail, face up to the sky, move our legs like frogs. The movement is similar to breaststroke, but on the back.
"Bike"
. We hold the mattress or side with our hands and “pedal”, bending our knees. You can face the water or face the sun.
"Leg-split"
only possible in a pool with a handrail. We hold on to the handrail and stand facing it. We spread our legs as wide as possible and put our socks on the side. Now we move forward with our hands, stretching the inner thigh muscles and perineum.
"Splits with my husband"
. We hold the handrail, face and stomach towards the water. The partner takes his legs and tries to spread them as far apart as possible. You lower him into the water and, while relaxing, try to help him. Agree on how to make it clear that you are already in pain and he needs to stop.
"Heron"
. Standing in the water, take one foot by the heel and pull it up at the crotch. Trying to stretch the muscles. The same with the other leg.
You can simply jump in the water (considering your time limit, of course), and it will be great, useful and fun. Run, walk, raising your knees high.
When can I start training?
If there are no contraindications, and you have definitely decided that water aerobics for pregnant women is what you need, then get a subscription to the pool, meet a good instructor and start immediately, no matter what stage of pregnancy you are currently in.
Your initial state should determine the intensity of the load. The first trimester is the time when the amniotic egg attaches to the uterus, and all the systems and organs of the child are formed. Before pregnancy, you may have been active in exercise and continued to do so for some time until you found out you were pregnant. Don’t be scared and don’t give up everything at once - but rather, switch to water aerobics - with full confidence that this is exactly what you need now.
Personal experience
Photo report - water aerobics for pregnant women.
water aerobics for pregnant women or just swimming?
Water aerobics for pregnant women
The most ideal time to start classes is the second trimester. The intensity of training during this period should be the highest. And when time begins to bring you closer to the “X” moment, you can perfectly prepare for childbirth with the help of water aerobics.
Do not reduce the general load in the third trimester, but focus on breathing exercises and training the muscles involved in labor.
But be careful: classes should last no more than an hour (including warm-up and stretching during this time) and be leisurely, measured and calm.
Relaxation exercises in water for pregnant women
Water relaxes you even without any exercise, especially if it is warm and flowing. Take advantage of these qualities and enjoy warm days. When the sea is calm, you just want to become a starfish. By the way, no one is stopping you. Spread your arms and legs, hold your breath and plunge into the water. Are you drowning? Exhale and slowly lie down to the bottom. You can either face down or face up. Sometimes water pours into your ears or nose, you can buy special clamps for divers and “star” as much as you like.
For special relax exercises you will need an assistant or even several.
So, if you become an ordinary “floater” (let me remind you: we hold our breath, tuck our legs to our chest, and plunge into the water face down, dangling in zero gravity), you will need another person who can gently rock you, spin you, and push you down. Or two people can put their arms around you—the float—and rock you slightly.
"Stream"
form several pairs, standing in a row, facing each other. Now the pot-bellied one temporarily turns into a log, relaxed and calm. The log lies face up. The rest slowly pass it from hand to hand along the chain.
"Balls"
. Half of the participants stand in a circle. The rest turn into “floats” or balls that float chaotically inside the circle. The task of those around you is to push and push the balls, and spin them. The feeling is like being in a gentle centrifuge. Cool, especially with a belly!
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Are there any contraindications for swimming and water gymnastics?
Despite the wide range of positive aspects of swimming in the pool, pregnant women should familiarize themselves with the list of contraindications before starting water aerobics training.
In addition to the threat of premature birth or the existing risk of miscarriage, doctors also include:
- kidney pathologies;
- diseases of the genitourinary system, in particular cystitis;
- tendency to allergic reactions, for example, to chlorine;
- predisposition to the formation of fungus and other skin diseases;
- deviations in the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system, in particular, impaired coordination of movements and so on;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- blood diseases, for example, bleeding tendency;
- appendicitis in chronic form;
- current infectious or bacterial disease;
- acute toxicosis.
Important! Even in the absence of the above diseases, a woman carrying a child should carefully monitor her well-being and, if discomfort, pain or discharge occurs after exercise, refuse to visit the pool for the entire duration of pregnancy.
What active exercises can pregnant women do in the pool?
Are you frozen? Try more active exercises.
"Dolphin"
. Expectant mothers swim in the pools like pot-bellied dolphins. Because it's useful. Because it's fun. To become this glorious creature, you need to lie face down on the water, stretch your arms forward, cup your palms and make undulating movements as if you were surfing the waves. We hold our breath, emerge to get oxygen and... plunge back into our native element. The feeling is simply super, it seems as if the entire spine is stretching and fatigue goes away. Dolphin swims can be done long and hard.
An absolutely wonderful thing - a swimming board. It allows you to perform literally acrobatic performances, despite your big belly. First, try just swimming with it, holding it in your hands. Now you can put it under your back and lie down on the water for a while. Now float on your back, holding the board under your head with your hands. Next option: lie on your stomach, grip the board with your knees, and hold on to the handrail, ladder or side. Now we are trying to move towards the stairs and move away from them without using our hands. By the way, if you replace the board, a small inflatable pillow can replace it. If you suddenly happen to have special gloves for water aerobics, try doing exercises with them. True, a special belt that supports you on the surface of the water may not fit over your wonderful belly.
Why is it better to choose water aerobics in a specialized group?
Regular water aerobics classes “for everyone” are not recommended for pregnant women. No matter how good your physical shape is, it’s not worth experimenting in this state. A woman may simply not feel a critical increase in heart rate, and harm herself and her unborn child by ignoring the symptoms of overload. The general recommendation of gynecologists is not to raise the pulse above 140 beats per minute during pregnancy, no matter how trained the woman is. In regular groups designed for all people, this requirement may not be feasible, especially if the main goal of the group is training for weight loss.
In addition, from the second trimester, exercises lying on your back are not recommended, which may also not be observed if you exercise in a general group. There are some movements that involve holding onto your back and rowing with your arms. This cannot be done. Conventional abdominal exercises are not recommended, for example, bringing the knees to the waist in the “fixed at the side” position. In general, it's better not to do this.
During classes in regular groups, the pool load can be so high that people simply collide with each other, which creates a risk of impact injury and is completely undesirable during pregnancy. In general, it is better to attend specialized groups.
