Do you need a prenatal exercise class?

Exercise is important during pregnancy, that's a fact. What's a myth though, is that you have to take a prenatal exercise class. There are benefits to taking an exclusively prenatal exercise class:

• Your class will be perfectly coordinated for pregnant women.
• You won't need to adjust the workout yourself.
• You can meet other pregnant women, share pregnancy experiences, and make friends.
• You won't feel bigger than everyone else in class.

However, if you can't find an exclusive prenatal class, or don't want to ditch your favorite class or instructor, you can take a regular class. You can actually take any sort of exercise class you like, (within reason - no cross country skiing) so long as you adjust the workout for your pregnancy. To adjust any workout to fit your pregnancy needs do the following:

• Get an ok from your prenatal care provider before starting a class.
• Watch your pregnancy heart rate.
• Be careful to avoid slips and trips during your workout.
• Make sure you're lifting weight correctly during pregnancy.
• If you're in a yoga class - follow basic safety rules.
• Like when you're in any exercise class, watch for warning signs that you're working too hard, and quit if you notice any.

Are you in a prenatal exercise class? What do you like about it?