One of the most common questions we receive is – what workouts should I do when I'm pregnant? Or, do you have pregnancy-specific workout programs?

Well, the truth is that each person's ideal or appropriate "pregnancy workout" is going to be quite different. Almost literally, any of our hundreds of workout videos might work, depending on an individual's specific limitations, fitness level, health conditions, and pregnancy experience. On the other hand, there are also many individual circumstances that should be factored in when deciding what workouts should be done when pregnant, that providing specific advice or developing a specific "pregnancy" workout program would not be advisable.

The best thing that you can possibly do is to talk to your doctor about what kinds of workouts might still work for you throughout the length of your pregnancy, and then use that criteria, and our search/filter tools, to find routines that are going to help you exercise safely. Exercise can be very beneficial for both mom and baby, just make sure that you are cautious and seek out that relevant medical advice.

Of course, advice about what do do when you're pregnant will come from many places (often unsolicited!). And while it's great to have people interested and willing to help – when it comes to exercise (or physical activity in general) while pregnant, our quick and simple advice is that you absolutely have to talk to your doctor.

You'll hear things all sorts of things from others, often advising you a bit differently – "oh yeah, I did yoga all throughout my pregnancy" or "I ran 5 miles a day into my second trimester" or "your really shouldn't exercise at all" – seriously, you're going to hear it all! However, just because something worked (or didn't) for one person, doesn't mean it will (or won't) for you.  Honestly, and we cannot stress this enough, the best, safest, most accurate, most relevant answers you will receive are from your own personal medical doctor – who has access to your specific health information and medical history.

With that said, here are a few general pointers to consider if you want to work out while you're pregnant.

• Don't attempt to lose weight while you're pregnant – your baby's health comes first, and a weight loss oriented diet and exercise plan are not ideal while you're pregnant.
• Realize that both the time and the duration of your workouts are going to need to be modified as you progress through your pregnancy.
• Drink lots of water to help avoid dehydration and consider eating a light snack just before your workout.
• Make sure to do very thorough warm up and cool downs – take longer for both than you normally would.
• Avoid extremely high impact exercises, uneven surfaces, situations/games where you might have a chance of falling, ballistic style stretches, lying on your back for longer than 5 minutes, and movements that put your joints in compromising positions.
• Listen to your body!

In summary, the best thing that you can possibly do in terms of finding out what kinds of workouts are safe for you during your pregnancy, you're going to need to talk to your doctor – and listen to your body.

Take care of yourself and keep the focus on eating well and exercising properly for both your health and your baby's best health.