DRESSING FOR YOUR MATERNAL WORKOUT
By Birgitta Gallo Lauren

You're half way through your pregnancy and motivated to continue to exercise for the health of both of you, but all of a sudden your regular exercise cloths don't fit anymore.
Your breast are all swollen, your belly is bursting through your pants and your behind is, well, behind you …Do you just wear larger and looser sweats and t-shirts? How do you support your breasts when exercising, now that you can't even get into a regular jog bra? How do you stay cool? And you know your workout would be more comfortable if your belly had some support…but those maternity belts leaves a lot to be desired…

Dressing for exercise during pregnancy definitely needs extra care and attention not just for fit, but style and fabric. Invest in specially designed prenatal fitness wear, as any ol' sweats just won't do at this time. Your body shape is different, your cooling system is more efficient (you sweat faster), yet you need to be careful not to overheat, not to wear anything too tight and worry about varicose veins etc… You may get a away with some regular cotton T-shirt and pants, but choosing active wear made in flexible, breathable fabrics like Lycra, Coolmax, Supplex and such, ensure supported, non-restrictive movements, staying cool and dryness throughout your workout, by the fabric wicking away moisture. Avoid other synthetic fabrics as they won't allow your skin to breath properly and may cause you to overheat or dehydrate. If you need to wear support hose for sever varicose veins, wear "thigh highs" rather than full hose to avoid overheating. Do not wear any of these hose during exercise or hot weather, unless you absolutely must to reduce pain.

Wear as little clothing as you can for indoor workouts and on warm days to allow your body to cool naturally as fast as possible. A jog bra, short tights and a tank top or t-shirt should be sufficient. Never exercise outside on hot or humid days or covering up to sweat more. You could overheat and put your baby in serious distress. On cooler days a long pair of tights, jog bra and long sleeved top will serve you well. On very cold days dress in several layers so that you can peel off one layer at a time as your body warms up. One or two thick layers may either not be warm enough, or if you do get hot, you won't be able take anything off without getting too cold again. Several layers of breathable fabrics will also keep you dryer. Be careful to also dress your legs warmly in layers during cold weather.

Sports bras: A good supportive prenatal sports bra will compress and lift simultaneously and is easier to get on and off if it has closure snaps in the back. Give it a jiggle test when you try it on, by bouncing a little to ensure motion control.
Exercise tights can be tricky as seams may hurt your belly from too much pressure, "dig" and sheaf in all the wrong places. Choose tights long or short, which hold and lift your abdomen rather than just covering it up. Supportive waistbands should run under your belly. Any tight waistband running across your belly will cause too much pressure.
Underwear should be comfortable and supportive in breathable fabrics. Regular briefs and thongs may not be the most comfortable for exercise during a pregnancy.
T-shirts and tank tops, long sleeved, short sleeved or no sleeves are great both for cover, staying dry and layering with.
Cover-ups needs to be warm, windproof and easy to take off. Pants should come with a drawstring at the waist to allow adjustments for your growing belly.

To cover all your basic exercise needs for pregnancy shop for a pair each of short tights and long tights, two jog bras, a swimsuit, a maternity tank top or t-shirt and warm cover-ups.

For more guidelines and exercise modification see the book Expecting Fitness. Our active wear by Mother's-in-Motion are designed to last and adjust throughout both pregnancy and postpartum. It has also been part of a clinical study that found these garments to offer great back, belly, and breast support, flexibility, fabric that retains its shape and keeps you dry by wicking away moisture.

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