Exercising during your pregnancy is not a vanity issue or a weight-gain issue – but a health issue. Women who workout while pregnant are less likely to develop most pregnancy-related health problems like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure and are better equipped to handle possible complications.

Prenatal exercise has the "general exercise benefits" of developing more strength, cardiovascular endurance, stamina, energy and better sleep, posture, mood and self-image. However, these benefits play a much different part in a pregnant woman's life than the average person.

Preparing your body
Would you run a marathon without training for it? Of course not, so why would you assume to "take it easy" while pregnant and expect to be able to handle one of the hardest and most physically and emotionally challenging experiences in life – labor and delivery? Physically training your body can help you to handle the long hours of contractions, fatigue, or the pain of the contractions and pushing.

Strength and endurance
As you progress through your trimesters, strength and endurance will help your body be better equipped to carry the extra weight of pregnancy.

Stamina, energy and posture
Prenatal "aches and pains" can be exhausting! Most women just deal with unneeded pain because they think it is a part of the whole pregnancy experience. "It is important for women to realize that working with an instructor who focuses on exercising correctly, strengthening the 'right' muscles and correcting prenatal body alignment can help with these aches and pains," says Sara Jones, Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness Instructor at The Elizabeth Blackwell Center at Riverside. "Many of my pregnant clients who exercise do not complain about low back pain, sciatica, swelling of the extremities, poor sleep, or low energy throughout their entire pregnancy."

Mood and self-image
Exercise is proven to produce "happy" endorphins that make you look and feel great. This can only help support you through hormonal changes, mood swings, emotional anxiety and "fat days."

The wrong kind of exercise
Current research has proven that exercise, while pregnant, can be safe and absolutely beneficial for your pregnancy. However, doing the wrong kind of exercise can do more harm than good. Always check with your doctor before beginning or continuing any exercise regimen.

Here's what to avoid when you're pregnant:

Balance exercises
While pregnant, your center of gravity is not normal and often times make you clumsy or off balance. Avoid attempting balance exercises to prevent falling or injury.

Over-stretching
Relaxin is one hormone released during pregnancy to help expand the pelvis and birth canal. It also induces hyper-flexibility in the muscles and joints, which could lead to you over-stretching and eventually pulling or straining a muscle or joint.

High-intensity workouts
If you can't talk while you are exercising, your level of intensity is probably too high. Remember that even if you are exercising less intensely, the actual level of what you are doing is more difficult, due to the added weight of the baby.

Contact sports
Avoid any sort of contact sports which could result in falls or injuries. Even mild injuries to the "tummy" area can be serious when you're pregnant.

Exercising in heat
Exercise in the early morning or late evening to help you avoid getting overheated. If you are exercising indoors, make sure the room has enough ventilation. Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty.

Prenatal fitness class
OhioHealth offers a six-week class that meets twice a week to exercise, strengthen and stretch muscles. Learn how to relieve common aches and pains associated with pregnancy, correct posture and prepare for labor and delivery. Search for the class online -- go to the class search at Riverside and use the keyword "prenatal."