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Congratulations! You're having a baby. But before you kick back with the potato chips and triple-dip sundaes and slump into couch potato mode for the next nine months, consider this: Staying active during pregnancy prepares your body for the rigors of childbirth by strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility and building endurance.

Studies even suggest that women who perform regular aerobic activity have shorter labors and fewer Caesarean sections. And the benefits of physical fitness extend beyond the delivery room. Exercise can help pregnant women sleep better, decrease fatigue and prevent constipation. It also controls weight gain during pregnancy and helps you get back into shape afterward.

If you're an expectant mom, the following tips will keep your body in prime prenatal condition. Check with your doctor before starting any workout regimen. After all, you're exercising for two.

* Move daily. Mommies-to-be can engage in most exercises with few worries. Once your doctor gives you the green light, move as much as you can. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity each day.

* Warm up to fitness. Warming up muscles and joints prepares your body for exercise and prevents strains and injuries. Begin your workout with a few minutes of light stretching or exercising at a light pace.

* Keep it fresh. Stay psyched for fitness by linking exercise with a fun pastime. Walking is one of the best cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women since it's easy on joints and muscles. Swimming also is ideal because it provides a total-body workout and the weightless effect of the water makes it easier to move with extra pounds. Yoga and stretching maintain muscle tone and flexibility and lull your body into a state of relaxation, while dancing and low-impact aerobics get that positive energy pumping.

* Exercise caution. Avoid any activities that could make you slip or fall, risking injury to your abdomen. No bicycling, roller-blading, horse-back riding, break dancing or contact sports like football and basketball. After your first trimester, avoid lying on your back to exercise, which can make you dizzy. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout to avoid dehydration and skip outdoor activities in hot and humid weather, otherwise you risk overheating and harming the baby.

* Go for gain without pain. Ideal exercise gets you in shape without putting excessive stress on you or your baby, so don't push yourself to the limit. If you can't comfortably carry on a conversation, slow down and ease up. If you experience pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, severe headache, vaginal bleeding or contractions during your workout, stop immediately and contact your doctor.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:47 AM