If you were a fan before you conceived, it’s likely you can continue Zumba when pregnant. This megapopular dance-based workout can be high impact, but it also allows for adjustments to accommodate a growing belly and changing body. Here’s how to keep the party going while still keeping your niñito-to-be safe and sound.
Do check with your doctor first. For most mamas-to-be,
exercise is healthy and beneficial, and doctors recommend continuing pre-pregnancy workout routines. But in some high-risk pregnancies, exercise is considered unsafe and your health-care provider will ask you to take it easy. Your ob-gyn may recommend skipping the Zumba routines in pregnancy in favor of some low-key strolls instead.
Do check in with your Zumba instructor too. The teacher should be able to show you modifications to your usual moves, especially those that involve a lot of bending and twisting; they’ll be hard to perform when your baby bump is in the way and your sense of balance is off-kilter (more on that below). If the instructor isn’t encouraging and helpful, try another class or gym.
Do drink plenty of water before, during, and after you exercise, and wear comfortable, breathable clothes. The music and moves in Zumba class might be sizzling, but overheating isn’t good for you or your baby during pregnancy.
Don’t dance so vigorously that you can’t sing along to the music. If you’re breathing so heavily in Zumba class that you can hardly harmonize or are unable to even chat with a classmate, you’re working too hard — and depriving the baby of oxygen. Slow down and reduce the intensity of those dance moves.
Do go low-impact, especially as your pregnancy progresses. Keeping one foot on the floor at all times (marching instead of jumping, stepping instead of leaping) is easier on your newly bulky body. Cutting back on arm movements will also help you keep your heart rate lower — and keep you from overexerting yourself.
Don’t forget that pregnancy affects your balance (that big belly again) and your joints (you can thank
pregnancy hormones for relaxing your ligaments). So quick transitions, twists, and turns can be tricky. Take care with these types of moves and modify them if you need to.
Do check out Aqua Zumba, which gives you the high energy and fun of the classic dance workout in the zero-impact, refreshingly cool environment of the
swimming pool.
Do know the warning signs of overexertion: uterine contractions, vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, and pain or swelling in your calf muscles. If you experience any of these during a Zumba class or any other workout, stop exercising and call your health-care professional.
After 4 months!
NO MORE TUMMY!
