exercise for conceiving baby?

Exercise When You're Trying to Get Pregnant

Stocksy
woman working out
Working out on your path to pregnancy does wonders for you and your future baby. Here's how exercise can help boost your chances of conceiving safely, plus the best pre-pregnancy workouts to try.
In This Article

What are the benefits of exercise when you're trying to get pregnant?
How much exercise should you aim for when trying to conceive?
How much exercise is too much when I'm trying to conceive?
Best pre-pregnancy workouts
Signs you're overdoing it on the exercise

If you're wondering if it's safe to exercise when you're trying to get pregnant, here's some good news: Starting a workout routine and being active is a big move in the right direction when you're trying to conceive. Exercise, after all, plays a huge role in overall health and wellness and can help prepare your body for conception and pregnancy.

Here's what you need to know about getting and staying fit when you're TTC.
Managing My Anxiety and Stress While Trying to Conceive
What are the benefits of exercise when you're trying to get pregnant?

These days, experts like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) urge women who are expecting or planning to get pregnant to get more physically active. Why? Regular workouts get your body in top baby-making shape by toning muscles including your heart, which has to pump up to 50 percent more blood to supply you and your growing baby.

Exercise reduces stress, which has been shown by numerous studies to block the best conception efforts, and it helps you to sleep better. And working out on the regular can help you to maintain a healthy weight, which is important since pregnancy is not the time to try and lose pounds — and being overweight or obese during pregnancy can increase the risk of complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

It's a good idea to get a fitness routine in place before you get pregnant, so you'll have an easier time mustering the get-up-and-go when working up the energy is tougher. But even when motivation is tough to come by, those pregnancy workouts are well worth the effort. Once you do get pregnant, exercise offers loads of benefits, reducing the risk of pregnancy complications and the severity of common pregnancy symptoms like backaches and bloating, all while likely boosting your baby's brain development and heart health. Big bonus: Being in shape will even help make delivery day go more smoothly.