Slide show: Pregnancy exercises

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Wall pushups

Pregnancy exercises might help maintain or improve your fitness and prevent excess weight gain. Before you get started, be sure to avoid moves that make you feel unstable, which could increase your risk of falling.

Start with wall pushups, which work the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest wall and the triceps muscles in the back of your upper arm. Stand up facing a wall. Lean against the wall with your hands. Keep your knees comfortably apart. Place your hands on the wall at the level of your shoulders, slightly greater than shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the wall. Keep your back straight. Then return to the starting position. Gradually work up to 15 repetitions.

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3. Artal R. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 15, 2019.
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