Dance With Your Baby: Pregnancy Fitness

What type of exercise is it safe for you to do when you are pregnant? What type of exercise will benefit your body and also be safe for your baby? Perhaps most importantly, what form of exercise while you actually be able to enjoy while you are pregnant? Although it’s possible to maintain your normal exercise routine, many women find that switching things up while their pregnant makes the most sense. Some women find that dance is the best form of fitness for them to enjoy throughout the time that they are pregnant.

10 reasons that dancing is a great fitness choice for pregnant women are:

1.     It’s safe for you and the baby. Nearly all forms of dance are safe for you while you are pregnant. They are also safe for the baby. Safety is generally the number one concern that women have about working out while they are pregnant which is what makes dancing such a great choice. Of course, there are forms of dance that you might want to avoid (breakdancing and aerial dancing, for example) but you’ll discover that most dance classes are ideal for pregnant women.

2.     Dancing is a great form of aerobic exercise. Dance is a terrific workout. It’s an easy way to get in aerobic exercise. Many women find that a short dance routine of just twenty minutes really gets their hearts pumping and makes their bodies feel better. This helps pregnant women to really feel like they’re still in shape even as their bodies do change and grow with the pregnancy.

3.     Dancing also builds muscle. One of the things that many women lament about the way their exercise routine changes when they are pregnant is that they lose a lot of muscle tone. Strenuous activity such as weight lifting is often not recommended when you are pregnant. Muscle-defining exercise like sit-ups will also need to be lessened. Dancing is a safe and smart way to build new muscles, which makes a lot of women feel strong, proud and happy with their pregnancy exercise.

4.     Dancing really puts you in touch with your own body. Dance isn’t just a form of fitness. It is also a form of self-expression. Many women find that dancing allows them to tune in to who they are and to get to know their bodies better. In learning how to move more fluidly, they also learn new ways of creatively sharing who they are. It’s an emotionally powerful form of exercise for many women. What better time to get in better touch with your own body through exercise than during the months when you are pregnant?!

5.     Dance is a form of exercise that comes with a community. It’s certainly possible to practice dance at home. However, the majority of women who do dance for exercise will go ahead and do this in a class. These classes tend to be female-centered, welcoming, collaborative and creative spaces. During pregnancy, many women start to feel a little bit alone. They feel like they’ve lost themselves to the pregnancy. They feel like their friendships are changing. They feel like they’re losing touch with other people. All of these feelings can be assuaged when you’re part of a community and dance classes provide a built-in community that other forms of exercise don’t necessarily offer.

6.     Emotions are accepted as a part of dance classes. Another change that happens when you are pregnant is that you have a lot of different emotions. You have mood swings. You have fears that express themselves in the way that you act with other people. Emotion is something that is considered wonderful in dance. It’s allowed to be tapped into and explored. You might not feel comfortable crying during your tennis match but it’s something that you’ll be okay with if it happens while you’re dancing.

7.     You can dance anywhere. Although going to a dance class is ideal, you can actually dance anywhere. That’s what is so great about dance. It’s particularly great for pregnant women because their schedules and general sense of wellbeing change so much throughout the pregnancy. You may feel nauseous due to the pregnancy and incapable of making it to a scheduled class or personal trainer appointment. If you have to skip it, that’s okay, because later when you’re feeling better you can turn on some music and get in your dance routine at home.

8.     Dance keeps you off of the floor and continuing to move. Some of the things that change about fitness when you are pregnant are that you can’t lie flat on your back and stomach anymore and you really need to keep moving rather than staying still in poses. Dance helps you to get moving, stay flowing and stop lying down on the floor. However, it can still be a very restful and meditative form of exercise even without these features.

9.     Dancing helps you to lose weight. Of course, you don’t actually want to lose weight while you’re pregnant but dancing is going to help you to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy. It will prevent excessive weight gain making the pregnancy safer for both you and your baby.

10. Your pregnancy will go smoother and your post-partum problems will be fewer. Reports indicate that dancing during pregnancy can actually make your pregnancy, labor and post-partum experience much more positive. Port-partum depression is less likely and lasts for a shorter period of time for people who dance during pregnancy. Stamina during and after pregnancy is better for dancers. It’s a really healthy choice that helps you and your baby!