Exercise during pregnancy is important for both mom and baby. Participating in a regular exercise routine throughout pregnancy has a lot of perks. It helps improve posture as well as alleviate backaches and overall fatigue. Research also suggests exercising during pregnancy may work towards preventing gestational diabetes while managing stress. Staying fit prepares the body for the rigors of labor and delivery as well as gives new moms a leg up with their recovery.
Most obstetricians advise pregnant moms continue their regular exercise routine, but with modifications. No worries if you don’t have a regular exercise plan. You can still begin one during pregnancy, but only after consulting your doctor. A walking plan is typically one exercise routine that is deemed safe after checking with your physician. Like most exercise plans, it can be difficult to stick with it…pregnant or not. Thankfully there are apps to help moms-to-be stay on a fitness track. Here are the best pregnancy exercise apps to use during pregnancy after checking with your doctor first, of course.
Down Dog Prenatal Yoga
Yogis have long known about the restorative and health perks of yoga. Continuing your yoga practice is a definite do during pregnancy and with Down Dog’s Prenatal Yoga app it’s even easier to keep your practice fresh. The app offers daily yoga practices geared toward each trimester and is beginner-friendly. It also features tips to help with back pain, leg cramps, and discomfort in the wrists and arms. Down Dog’s Prenatal Yoga is free to download, but does offer in-app purchases as well as a membership with additional bonuses.
Juna
If you’re looking for a complete fitness app to navigate your pregnancy and postpartum recovery, check out Juna. Juna offers daily trimester-specific workouts, though users can choose from more than 200 workouts as well. The workouts are put together by pre- and postpartum fitness experts along with pelvic floor therapists. Juna features nutritional advice, recipes, and more. The app is free to download, but in order to get access to all the workouts and perks, you need to be a subscriber. A free trial is available for moms-to-be to see if the app suits their pregnancy exercise needs.
Oh Baby! Fitness
Oh Baby! has three different apps to choose from starting with the Pregnancy Weekly Workout app. This app provides a new workout each week from the first trimester all the way through the delivery. Then, new moms can check out The Mom and Baby Weekly Workout app, which provides workouts for the first six months of postpartum recovery. A bonus is the How to Push Out Your Baby app. This app takes typical childbirth classes to the next level. Oh Baby’s fitness apps are not free. Each app does have a fee to download.
Tone It Up Pregnancy Program
Tone It Up is a popular fitness program and app. It’s always provided users with pre- and postnatal workouts. In 2020, the fitness program’s creators laid out a pregnancy program for Tone It Up’s faithful followers that is easily accessible. The app and all of its workouts and nutrition guidance comes with a cost. A free trial is available to see if the pre- and postnatal program suits your needs.
Baby2Body
Moms-to-be in search of a pregnancy app taking them through all three trimesters will want to take a look at Baby2Body. It offers users tailored workouts, daily coach tips, nutrition guidance, mindfulness exercises, and more. Baby2Body is not free. Interested moms-to-be can check it out with a free trial.
Beachbody on Demand
Like Tone It Up, Beachbody is an extremely popular workout program delivering a multitude of programs for all fitness levels including pregnancy. Beachbody On Demand is not free, but a subscription lets users in on all the programs including its Active Maternity Series. The series features a workout program for all three trimesters and a postpartum one too.
Kegel Trainer PMF Exercises
Moms-to-be have probably heard about the importance of strengthening the pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises. Doing Kegels before, during, and after pregnancy can be a healthy option for women. With the Kegel Trainer PMF Exercise app, all the mystery and confusion about Kegels is made easy. The app is free for the first two levels, but costs to go further.
Exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and beyond. Exercising throughout your pregnancy can help you manage the delivery better and can make recovery easier. Using a pregnancy exercise app is a great option for keeping your fitness goals on track. Prenatal and postpartum yoga apps like Down Dog Prenatal Yoga are perfect picks for yogis. Popular workout programs like Tone It Up and Beachbody on Demand offer workouts designed for pregnant subscribers. If you’re looking for an all-around exercise and nutrition app, checkout, Baby2Body or Juna.
Most of these pregnancy exercise apps do have a fee, but also offer a free trial so you can check out the programs before diving in. Regardless of what exercise plan you decide on for your pregnancy journey, make sure to consult your care provider. Exercise is safe during pregnancy and recommended, but often with modifications. Don’t worry if you haven’t been exercising before you found out about your pregnancy. It’s okay to start a simple exercise plan during your first trimester; just check with your physician first.
