I actually felt healthier and it helped get me through my pregnancies. I was less constipated, less inflamed, and felt that baby was happy when I was standing up. 

Physical exercise is generally ideal for staying fit and maintaining good health, but there are so many other advantages that pregnant women will see.  Please keep in mind to always ask your doctor and it won't be the same results for everyone.

Here are 29 benefits of exercising while pregnant:

1. Labor and delivery could be easier. Women that participated in prenatal water aerobics were less likely to request pain medication during labor. Strong abs could also give you more stamina during the pushing stage.
2. Exercise could relieve some gestational related issues. Routine aerobics could help women avoid muscle cramps, constipation, swelling, and varicose veins. 
3. Enables bowel movement. Increased activity will promote digestive processes and help stop constipation. 
4. Less likely to gain weight. Women that exercise during pregnancy may gain fewer pounds than if they were not exercising. 
5. Your immune system could improve. Exercising lowers your risk of catching a cold or getting sick. 
6. May improve the way you look. Exercising can increase the blood flow to your skin, giving you more of a glow!
7. Helps you sleep well. After each regular workout, your nerves will feel more relaxed and you will be able to snooze easier. 
8. Experience less back pain. Many pregnant women experience back pain, but water workouts and yoga could offer relief. 
9. Maintain good posture. Aerobics for 15-30 minutes a day will help your shape and posture, and it will help you beat obesity and overweight problems. 
10. Exercise promotes a lower heart rate. Both the mom and the baby will see lower heart rates from routine workouts. This will also help the mother see a lower risk of heart disease.
11. You will see more energy. Daily exercise will increase energy and revive your body. 
12. Enhance your mood. Prenatal yoga is one of the best things you can do to prepare for a baby, and it could improve your mood and relax your mind.
13. Manage stress easier. Pregnant women often find themselves stressed and worried, but the exercise could relieve some stress and anxiety. Who wouldn't want to be more excited and happy during pregnancy?
14. More flexible than ever. Prenatal yoga could lead to flexibility that you have never experienced before. 
15. Prevents depression and anxiety. Daily exercises could reduce the amount of depression and anxiety that you feel during pregnancy.
16. More likely to avoid a C-section or forceps delivery. Women that regularly exercise are less likely to have a C-section or forceps delivery. 
17. Stay in better shape longer. Women that exercised during pregnancy are more likely to be more fit and healthier later in their life as well.
18. You feel more in control. The consistent exercises will help you feel like you are doing something productive and will help you feel more in control. 
19. Might prevent cardiovascular diseases in babies. Exercising can strengthen the heart of the baby and help prevent against diseases. 
20. Quicker recovery after childbirth. Your body will be more prepared for a normal lifestyle after pregnancy when regular exercises have been performed. 
21. Lower risk of having a premature birth. Exercising can help prevent premature births.
22. The attention you receive will be positive. Everyone loves to see a pregnant woman that is happy and active, and that can also give you a little boost of confidence!
23. You could meet other moms doing the same thing. Exercise class for expecting mothers could be a great place to meet a new friend. There are stroller mom groups and lots of mommy and me classes to stretch out and have fun.
24. Less leg swelling. Exercise can limit the amount of swelling that you see during pregnancy. 
25. Less likely to experience morning sickness. Many pregnant women feel less nausea after working out. 
26. More confidence and a sense of accomplishment. A good exercise will make anyone feel more accomplished and confident!
27. Be more chill and relaxed. Yoga can help future moms relax and stay calmer during uncomfortable times of pregnancy. 
28. Feel good about your body image. Exercise helps everyone feel better, but it also may help you feel like a hot mama! 
29. Experience new exercises. You could try new exercises during pregnancy that you may not have thought to try before being pregnant. 

Exercising during pregnancy has many possible benefits for the mother and baby, and these are just a few of them. If you would like more information on exercising while pregnant or any other information for new mothers, always talk to your doctor.  

Now that you're carrying a new life, ensuring that you get the exercise you need is more important than ever. Why? Here are 31 good reasons to consider ...

1. Daily exercise boosts your energy levels, which can be lower than usual during pregnancy.  While tiredness is real, the mental thought that you are energized, healthy, and revitalized from a workout session can be enough to keep your endorphins up all day.  The physical benefits will also add up and soon enough you will be a much more active and happy mum. 

2. Exercising for 20-30 minutes per day can help you sleep better while you're pregnant, and we all need as much "good" sleep as possible. 

3. Exercising daily, or even a few times a week can help reduce your risk for certain pregnancy-related complications.  Such as gestational diabetes and other health complications that can arise just from being pregnant.  Pregnancy changes your body...even a very healthy seeming person may find new issues arise from the time of being pregnant.  Stay active to keep changes at bay while your hormones are doing enough crazy changes. 

4. Exercise, even third trimester exercises, helps prepare your body for the rigors of childbirth. In general, the fitter you are when you give birth, the better.  Mmmmhmmm, it literally can be a marathon.  Keep active so delivery can be "easier" that it would be if you didn't work your pelvic floor, kegals, and do those long walks.  

5. Regular exercise reduces stress and boosts feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.

6. Regular exercise helps ease some of the discomfort associated with pregnancy like swelling (by increasing blood flow) and lower back pain.  Even really good long walks can help circulation, keeping down any swelling of the legs and ankles.

7. Exercise helps improve your self-image, which can suffer when you start to gain weight.  A "belly only" pregnancy is possible by keeping a healthy diet and keeping up activities.  Eat a ton...a ton of good healthy foods, and balance sweet cravings with activity and eating them periodically so you avoid excessive fat gain.

8. Being fit can help make the process of childbirth a little easier because it improves muscle tone and strength.

9. Exercise improves your posture, which is a help when your body is carrying several extra pounds.  Back pain is real. Sit up straighter, get a body pillow if needed (works wonders in bed), and try to walk with good posture. 

10. Exercise improves the health of your heart -- and your baby's heart too!  You're heart needs to be strong for childbirth so keep it up mama!

11. Studies show that when your body fat is low (as a result of exercising), your baby's will be too, and those benefits not only give her a great start, but can help ensure she stays that way into her childhood years.  This also ties into your baby's birthweight and risks for childhood diabetes.  Keep healthy for that healthy baby to be. 

12. Being healthy and fit when you give birth due to faithfully following an exercise regime during pregnancy can help your body bounce back faster.  While your body is a superpowerful force, as long as you can stay active and eat a healthy diet, you will find postpartum recovery to be a little easier and quicker. 

13. Regular exercise during pregnancy is believed to help boost your child's brain functioning.

14. You can improve your Microbiome -- the beneficial bacteria in your gut -- and your unborn baby's as well. Why is this important? Because scientists have learned that the bacteria that reside in the intestines of humans have a direct connection to our immune systems, our brains, and our metabolisms -- not to mention improving our digestion.

15. Practicing yoga regularly keeps you calm and stretches tired and overused muscles.

16. Regular exercise is a great way to ward off constipation -- a common complaint among pregnant women that are sometimes exacerbated by the supplemental iron in prenatal vitamins.  It's amazing what even a good walk will do to get the food down and reduce feeling backed up. 

17. You can capitalize on the fact that pregnancy tends to make your muscles more flexible by doing prenatal yoga and showing off your amazing flexibility to your friends and family! (Relaxin is a pregnancy hormone that loosens your pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth, and also has the effect of relaxing other joints in your body.)

18. Being fit might make you less likely to need an Episiotomy for a vaginal delivery.

19. Exercise also reduces the odds that your obstetrician will need to use forceps to aid in your baby's delivery.

20. Women who exercise throughout their pregnancy are less likely to need a C-section than women who don't exercise while pregnant. That is only considering everything is normal, like not breech baby, etc. etc. 

21. The benefits of exercising during pregnancy can follow you into middle age, according to a Fit Pregnancy's citing of a study that followed women for 20 years after pregnancy.

22. Practicing prenatal yoga will help you learn to better deal with discomfort.

23. Exercising in water can help relieve pressure on joints and let you enjoy a wonderful sense of weightlessness at a time when you feel anything but weightless!  Swimming is a great workout while pregnant!

24. Establishing a regular exercise routine during your pregnancy can make you feel so good about yourself, that you're more likely to continue to prioritize exercise after giving birth.

25. Exercise may make you less prone to nausea -- or at least it can help take your mind off it, which certainly helps.

26. Dancing (a great form of aerobic exercise) can boost your mood and expose your baby to uplifting music while he's still in the womb!  Baby can hear and sense the happiness in you...so bust a move mama and crank up the tunes!

27. Exercises like walking can help improve your stamina -- something you'll need plenty of for labor and delivery and once your baby arrives at home.

28. Each time you complete a workout, you get a boost in confidence, and that can spill over into the rest of your life.  A bright and happy mama is totally contagious to the energy of those around her!

29. Taking a prenatal exercise class will give you the opportunity to meet other expectant Moms, some of whom you may end up being friends with for years to come!  A great support group will also help curb postpartum depression and feelings of loneliness. 

30. Exercise makes you look better. Increased blood flow enhances the legendary "glow" that pregnancy brings.  That glow can be real...so exercise combined with the fact you haven't been drinking, you're gonna look and feel amazing!

31. Exercising regularly helps keep your immune system in tip-top shape, reducing your risk for colds and flu during your pregnancy. You can't afford to be sickly during pregnancy so stay active and eat lots of blueberries and antioxidants to keep sickness away. 

With all these benefits, don't forget to drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water a day!  Keep the UTI's away, stay hydrated for baby and yourself, manage exercise with drinking water, and find yourself feeling really good during this special time. 

So obviously, there are a multitude of reasons to exercise during your pregnancy. Some of the best pregnancy exercises include prenatal yoga, walking, water exercise and working with weights to tone muscles. Just be sure to advise your doctor of your exercise plans and get her approval -- a wise move even when you're not pregnant!

While we're on the subject of exercising while pregnant, take a minute or two to check out the great tank tops, hoodies, tees, leggings and other great prenatal, postnatal and breastfeeding fashions at anekantsquick because you'll want to show off that bump and mama glow in style!

As your body grows and your center of balance goes, you may be wondering if you should really keep exercising. After all, is it really safe for a woman in her third trimester to continue moving normally?

The answer is yes, it is safe.

Not only is it safe, but it is actually recommended in order to ensure mama and baby are as healthy as possible, come delivery day.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. If, for instance, you feel intense pain when doing a particular exercise, it is probably not a good idea to continue. A quick chat with your care provider is sure to help you better understand when exercise is unsafe in pregnancy. Therefore, if you aren't sure whether or not a particular type of exercise is allowed, it is always a good idea to ask your doctor or midwife beforehand. 

So...what kinds of exercises should women in their third trimester attempt? There are actually quite a few options out there. This is especially true if you have been very physically active throughout your pregnancy, as your body is already accustomed to intense exercise. 

Today we are going to focus on a few of the most popular types of exercises for pregnant women. We will discuss why these types of exercise are ideal and help you acquire a better understanding of how they will help you and your baby achieve the healthiest status possible. 

Walking

By far the most popular exercise for expectant mamas, walking requires no special gear, can be done on your own time, and doesn't even require any training. Even if you have never been a walker before, taking up walking in your third trimester is perfectly safe as long as you are experiencing a healthy pregnancy so far.

Walking is an ideal exercise during pregnancy because it is a relatively low-impact activity that really gets your blood pumping. Women who choose to power walk will likely even break out into a sweat, a sure sign that your body is burning calories and working toward optimal weight and heart health. 

FUN TIP: Download your favorite music and create an upbeat playlist. Using an iphone arm band, bluetooth speakers, or something like your Apple watch will help with not having to hold anything so you can concentrate on your stride and arm movements. Lastly, choose a beautiful place to walk. Nature settings at the beach, a park, a lake, or even around a neighborhood with beautiful homes can be the perfect walking path to make this exercise go by quickly. 

Water Aerobics

Most mamas-to-be enjoy spending time in the water. The feeling of floating is absolutely incredible when you are carrying around so much extra weight on a daily basis. ( Floating and being in water is so relaxing there are even "float spas" in many urban city areas. )  Additionally, a skewed center of balance is completely unnoticeable when submerged in water. All of these are great reasons to choose water aerobics as a way to get moving during pregnancy.

Other benefits of this type of exercise include little to no risk of overheating, as well as an instructor to help ensure every move is carried out safely and effectively. Fun classmates are an incentive to get in some exercise are pretty great as well. 

Take time to yourself and also go to the gym pool without the class and focus on water walking the length of the pool as many times as you comfortably can. 

Dancing

Yes, you read that right! Line dancing - Zumba - Dance Aerobics—or any other type of low-impact dancing that doesn't require jumps, leaps, or turns—is a great form of exercise during pregnancy. It also makes mamas happy and feel good! The music will inspire you to get into the groove and start sweating, and the good friends made at line-dancing or other dance class sessions will keep you coming back for more. 

This is an ideal exercise for all the same reasons walking is. It is relatively low-impact and gets your blood moving to help ensure cardiovascular health and a healthy weight. However, it can be much more fun than walking if you are into the music!

FUN TIP: If you're rained or snowed in, just turn up the music in your house and just spend 30 minutes dancing and moving to get your blood flowing in the comfort of your own home. Maybe your hubby or partner will join you!

Pilates

Ideal for working large muscle groups and building strength, Pilates is a great pre-baby workout. There are so many numerous benefits to this type of exercise.  This fun group or private session activity also helps build up the core muscles and gives you a stronger connection to your pelvic floor muscles that you will need during delivery, making it a perfect addition to your workout routine. 

That said, Pilates can get a bit intense. Therefore, it is important to remember to sit out if anything becomes too challenging and causes pain or discomfort. Be sure to discuss this with your instructor before class. He or she will be able to customize your workout while you are pregnant and lead the way for you. Lastly, this exercise quickly becomes addictive with the great results and aids in postpartum body recovery, so you may just keep doing for many more months or years! 

Yoga

Another great one for strength work and toning sleek sexy muscles is yoga. Additionally, yoga can help with flexibility and focused breathing. All of these things are ideal skills to work on in the weeks leading up to labor and delivery, making yoga a wonderful choice for expectant mothers. 

Attending a yoga class in person is generally recommended over following along with videos whenever possible because the atmosphere and instructor can aid in engaging you in the moment and also assist you if needed.  Finding a prenatal yoga class is an even better option. The instructor of your class should fully understand how to safely include a pregnant woman in the session.

Stationary Cycle

If you have access to a stationary cycle, you should be putting that thing to use. Riding a bike is a great cardio workout and really helps keep you fit. However, riding a real bike during pregnancy can be quite tricky due to balance issues. Therefore, a stationary bicycle is the perfect option. 

While riding your stationary bike, consider listening to some music or watching your favorite TV show to pass the time more quickly. Before you know it, your workout will be over and you'll be feeling much more energetic. 

As stated before, exercising during pregnancy is a crucial part of keeping you and your baby healthy. Therefore, unless your care provider has stated otherwise, you are going to want to pick a few of your favorites from this list and get moving. Consult with your doctor to make sure what you can and cannot be doing. 

Not a fan of these particular types of exercise? Try to find something you do enjoy instead. However, be sure to choose an exercise of the low-impact variety, and avoid high jumps, leaps, twirls, plyometrics, or anything else that might throw you off-balance and cause harm to your or your little one or make you fall.

Keep going mama! Consistency yields results and you can do it!

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