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Staying in shape

Whether it means getting out and playing sport or finding a quiet room to relax and refuel, look on these nine months as a time to concentrate on your own needs, and those of your growing baby.

Exercise

Exercise plays a crucial part in helping to keep your body healthy, and you shouldn't overlook it when you're planning a pregnancy.

Staying fit helps your body's immune system, and keeps coughs and colds at bay. A wide range of vitamins and minerals can also help your body stay healthy.

The combination of exercise and vitamins will not only keep your body in good condition, but it will also keep your mind strong, and make you more relaxed. This is essential not just for your own health but also for the wellbeing of your baby.

The beginning of pregnancy is a good time to start exercising, but unless you're a regular exerciser, don't overdo it. Swimming is a good way to relax and re-energise, and many pregnant women also find yoga helps to alleviate aches and pains as well as keeping them fit.

Even if you just decide to walk more instead of using the car, every little helps.

Remember, it's always best to check with your GP before taking up a new form of exercise.

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Pelvic floor exercises

Yes, there is one exercise that you must not, under any circumstances, neglect. Your pelvic area - uterus, cervix, vagina and abdomen - widens to accommodate the excessive amount of stretching that occurs during pregnancy and it can be hard to get it to return it to its former glory after giving birth. We suggest you start doing your pelvic floor exercises as soon as you find out you're pregnant (earlier if you want to be really good) and keep going afterwards. You'll be pleased, your doctor will be pleased, and believe us your partner will be pleased too.

If you'd like a more scientific explanation, here goes. During pregnancy, an increase in progesterone causes the muscles to soften and relax, and when that's combined with pressure from the expanding uterus, the pelvic floor can become stretched and weak. What this means is that after the birth, women can suffer from 'stress incontinence', and sexual feelings can be less intense.

You can physically pull these muscles in yourself, as if you were stopping the flow of urine. Try to do this 10 or 15 times a day. You may find this harder towards the end of pregnancy, as the soft tissue around the pelvic area starts to swell as your baby exerts more pressure, but try to keep going, and continue as soon as you can after the birth.

The pelvic tuck-in

Kneel on all fours with your knees hip-width apart, tighten your buttock muscles, tuck in your pelvis, and arch your back upwards into a hunch. Hold this for a few seconds, then release, but don't let your back sink downwards. Repeat several times.

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Sport

The main rule here is that if you did a lot of sport before, it's ok to continue, within reason. If you didn't, now may not be the time to start training for that triathlon you've been meaning to enter, but taking some exercise will definitely be beneficial.

There is no doubt that many women exercise in an attempt to keep some control over their bodies, which are changing beyond all recognition. We're all for staying healthy but you have to accept that you're pregnant and so you will get bigger over the nine months.

The main thing to remember is that exercise is great, but do it in moderation and stick to things like swimming, yoga, walking and antenatal classes that specifically incorporate exercise.

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Yoga

With its emphasis on careful muscular control, breathing, relaxation and tranquillity of mind, yoga is a wonderful preparation for pregnancy and childbirth. It will strengthen you, but is also one of the safest forms of exercise. Iyengar yoga, for example, works with props such as belts and blankets, to ensure that you don't force your body into any unnatural positions. One of the main benefits of yoga is the ability to concentrate and still your mind. Rest assured, this is very useful during the final stages of labour.

However, to benefit fully from yoga takes months, even years of practice, so, in this case, look at pregnancy as a wonderful introduction to this form of exercise. Better still, start taking classes before you become pregnant.

For details of local classes, contact the British Wheel of Yoga.

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Me time

Pregnancy is one of the most challenging and life-changing processes you'll ever go through. Not only are you worrying about doing the best for your baby during pregnancy, you're also planning for the future, after the birth. You're also trying to eat healthily, take exercise and you may still be working, leaving you feeling tired and in need of pampering. So taking time out to pamper yourself is absolutely essential.

Set aside some me time as often as possible, where you simply relax and enjoy yourself. Our favourite thing to do is escape to a coffee shop with a good book.

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Getting back in shape after the birth

After your baby is born, your body begins (and we mean begins) to reverse the changes it underwent during pregnancy and labour. Before you get too excited, remember that women who magically revert to their former shape in the delivery room are few and far between (they're usually celebrities). The withdrawal of the huge amounts of pregnancy hormones can be draining. Try to get as much rest as possible, drink lots of fluids and don't worry about the fact that your stomach still looks pregnant - look on the bright side, you now only look four months pregnant instead of nine!

A few weeks after the birth, you can begin a gentle exercise routine. If you've had a Caesarean, wait four to six weeks after the birth to exercise, and check with your doctor first. If you've had a tear or an episiotomy, don't practise stretching exercises until it has healed.

Bear in mind also that, although you'll be tired, gentle exercise will increase rather than decrease your energy. Exercise in short bursts rather than in one long period.

You can do a few gentle exercises just days after giving birth. Whether you're lying in bed or sitting in a chair, try to get into the habit of doing something to tone your muscles. Remember the importance of your pelvic floor muscles and concentrate on strengthening them. Tone your stomach muscles by pulling them in as you breathe out, then holding for a few seconds. Relax, then repeat as often as possible.

You can prevent or reduce swollen ankles and feet simply by moving your feet up and down as though you were pedalling a bike.

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