Every woman and pregnancy is unique and has different needs, but as long as you aren’t experiencing any significant complications, the general recommendation is to exercise with less intensity (never more) and adjust your workouts as your pregnancy progresses. You should double-check with your doctor if you have any doubts regarding the type or intensity of exercise you’re doing!

To make it easier for you to decide whether or not you should get out of bed and go for walk or light run, you should know that running can actually help reduce some of your pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, cramps, constipation and lower back pain all the while helping you maintain muscle tone, increasing your energy levels, regulating your weight gain, and most likely decreasing labor time and helping achieve an easier delivery.

One important tip to keep in mind for all you runners out there: make your transition into running while pregnant as smoothly as possible. If you enjoy outdoor runs, learn the routes you’ll take beforehand, locate all nearest bathrooms and try to avoid bumpy courses (remember your sense of balance is not what it used to be).

The best tool to know if you’re on the right track or not is your body! Listen to it! Pay attention to how you’re feeling both during and after exercising. Running should leave you full of energy and in a better mood. If you find yourself completely wiped out, then modify the intensity of your workout. Remember, we’re trying to reap the benefits of running while pregnant, not aiming for a marathon. This is a time to enjoy and feel good, not to set exercising goals that can potentially damage you or your baby’s health.