| Before hitting the roads for a run a pregnant | | | | to stop and count the beats for 10 seconds then |
| woman should consult her doctor about continuing | | | | multiply the number by 6 to get your heart rate |
| her exercise program. Make sure to keep your | | | | per minute. Heart rate monitor provide a simple |
| obstetrician informed about the type and amount | | | | and accurate way to observe and regulate the |
| of running/exercise you are doing. In most cases | | | | woman's heart rate during exercise. When you |
| if a woman ran or exercised prior to finding out | | | | train with a heart rate monitor watch it will allow |
| she was pregnant the doctor will encourage her | | | | you to train continuously and get her instant |
| to continue exercising during the pregnancy. The | | | | feedback. You can preset your limit of 140 beats |
| important word is before because your body is | | | | and the watch will beep letting you know you are |
| accustomed to exercising already. You may have | | | | going to above your limit. Since you will know |
| to run slower and at a different time of the day | | | | instantly when you are above your heart rate of |
| but there are lots of benefits for staying active | | | | 140 beats you can adjust your pace immediately. |
| during your pregnancy. You don't want to be | | | | Most monitors use a weak radio signal to transfer |
| running during the hottest time of day in the | | | | heart rate from a strap you wear around your |
| summer months. A pregnant woman should keep | | | | chest to a watch. This is safe for both mother |
| her core body temperature below 102 degrees to | | | | and child. |
| prevent fetal hyperthermia (over heating). | | | | I have three children and ran during all of my |
| Another key element for a pregnant woman | | | | pregnancies. I personally was able to run until the |
| while running or exercising is her heart rate. Your | | | | day before I delivered each of my children. I didn't |
| heart rate will help determine how hard the | | | | run the day I delivered because they all arrived |
| individual is working while running of exercising. | | | | early in the morning. My body was accustomed to |
| Most doctors suggest keeping a pregnant | | | | running between 70 plus miles a week before I |
| woman's heart rate below 140 beats per minute | | | | found out I was pregnant. The only thing that |
| during the run. Monitoring her heart rate during | | | | changed for me was I ran slower and shorter. |
| exercise is essential for both mother and the | | | | The monitor helped me adjust my training pace |
| unborn child health. The extra weight will make | | | | as my body was adjusting to each pregnancy. |
| your bodywork harder then it did before you | | | | Wearing a monitor helped me continue running |
| where pregnant. This is true even if you are | | | | while pregnant by giving me peace of mind that I |
| working at a slower pace. Intense exercise | | | | was not harming my child. The fun part was |
| boosts oxygen intake and blood flow to the | | | | when I entered a few 5k races. Other runners |
| muscles and away from other parts of your | | | | would get frustrated to a pregnant runner |
| body such as your uterus. | | | | enjoying the race. I was use to running hard in |
| If you don't have a HR monitor you would have | | | | races but being pregnant I just ran for fun. |