Ballroom Dancing During Pregnancy

Ballroom Babies on the Way!

We’ve had quite a few mommies-to-be in the studio over the past few months! In honor of of the moms-to-be and their future ballroom babies, I’m sharing a few tips for ballroom dancing during pregnancy and things to consider when exercising on and off the dance floor.

1. Check with your healthcare provider. Talk to your doctor about your ballroom dance or fitness routine to make sure that your practicing doesn’t put you or your baby at risk.

2. Avoid dangerous dance moves. Pregnancy loosens all ligaments and joints which can make you susceptible to sprains, injury from falls, or over-stretching.

3. Warm your body up before dancing. Warm-ups prepare the joints and muscle and allow the heart rate to build up slowly.  Jumping into a big dance routine before warming up could lead to injury.

4. Don’t lie flat on your back. While ballroom dancing doesn’t involve lying down unless choreography calls for it, this is a big no-no for pregnant women.

5. Don’t over do it. Listen to your body. If you can’t carry on a comfortable conversation while you’re dancing, slow down.  If anything hurts in a way that is beyond the challenge of natural exercise, stop because something is not right.

6. Don’t get overheated. You may get overheated faster than you normally would when you are pregnant.  Sweating a lot, being nauseated, dizzy, or short of breath are all signs of being overheated.  Getting overheated during the first trimester is especially dangerous because that’s when your baby’s major organs are developing.  Seek cool air, take off layers of clothing, hydrating, or stepping into a cool shower are all ways of cooling down quickly.

7. Cool down when you’re done dancing. At the end of your dance workout, take five to ten minutes to do a slower dance or to walk in place and do some pregnancy-friendly stretching.

8. Make dancing a habit. Keeping a routine is easier on your body.  It’s possible to safely engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise on most days of the week according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Article by Ziva