This is when exercise becomes a whole lot less daunting.

The struggle is real, but there are lots of reasons to stay physically active despite some difficulties.

But what exercises are you cleared for and which ones should you forgo until after pregnancy?

pregnant woman exercising

Turns out there’s a lot ofthings pregnant women need to know about fitness.

Here are exercises to do while pregnant, as well as exercises to avoid.

Better yet, it helps foster heart health while toning up your muscles, according toParents.

pregnant woman walking

“A stronger mom will have an easier time meeting the demands of motherhood,” Neporent said.

It is a fairly common postpartum affliction, affecting nearly 50 percent of women.

Simply lift your pelvis off the floor, while pressing your lower back toward the ground.

pregnant woman working out

Do prenatal yoga to keep your body and mind healthy while pregnant

Namaste in bed?

No way, mama.

Get up and do some yoga.

pregnant woman in a prenatal yoga class

Furthermore, she noted that practicing yoga during pregnancy can help you honor your changing physique.

She suggested some specific poses to help relieve the common pains of pregnancy.

To help alleviate belly weight, she likes “wide-knee child’s pose” and “cat-cow pose.”

hot yoga class

If you are new to yoga, stick with a prenatal-specific practice.

In short, consider hot yoga one of the exercises to avoid while pregnant.

In addition to the physical benefits of swimming, there are other perks to this pregnancy activity.

pregnant woman at pool

So get on that maternity swimsuit and show off that beautiful big belly.

Since practice makes perfect, prepare for the delivery room by doing squats throughout your pregnancy, too.

Yes, doing squats is one exercise to do while pregnant.

modified leg lift

Simply, place a yoga ball between your back and the wall.

As per Mayo Clinic’s suggestion, you should have a spotter present to prevent falls.

Twisting can also “limit the baby’s space and can restrict blood flow to the uterus.”

pregnancy squats

According toWhat to Expect, you might need to slightly alter your pace.

You might want to stick to some relaxing activities.

Physical sports where you could potentially take a fall like skiing and snowboarding are especially risky during pregnancy.

prenatal yoga practice

Your center of gravity and sense of balance also completely changes, per theAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

So it’s best to consider sports like snowboarding as exercises to avoid while pregnant.

Instead, the magazine suggests ski bunnies try light cross-country skiing or easy snowshoeing.

pregnant light weight lifting

you might practice Kegel movements anytime and anywhere and nobody will be the wiser.

Yes, doing Kegel exercises is one piece ofadvice you should listen to while pregnant.

But how do you actually do it?

woman volleyball

It’s basically the same mechanism you use when “holding in” or suddenly stopping your urine stream.

These are all exercises to avoid while pregnant.

Want to try a safer exercise that can get both feet off the ground?

pregnant runner

Get out a good old-fashioned jumprope.

woman skiis

pregnant woman

woman working out