Being pregnant doesn't mean you have to stop exercising. In fact, exercising can actually make you feel more comfortable during pregnancy and help you bounce back more easily after the baby is born. Here are some ways exercise can make pregnancy easier and some recommendations on the right kind of exercise to do during pregnancy:

• Exercise releases endorphins that can help improve your mood when other hormones are making things difficult.
• Exercise can keep you flexible, preventing injuries caused by clumsiness as your body changes.
• Exercise can improve posture and relieve backaches by strengthening muscles, making them more capable of supporting your increased mass.
• A fit body makes labor and delivery easier.
• Exercise helps you sleep better at night.

Exercise during pregnancy is generally forbidden for women who have vaginal bleeding, early contractions, high blood pressure or other complications. Otherwise, most pregnant women will feel comfortable doing any exercise that is not high-impact. Examples of exercises that are comfortable and safe during pregnancy include swimming, walking, biking and yoga. Women that are already very fit, such as runners, may be able to continue their regular exercise programs with certain modifications, as long as they don't overdo it.

Before you start a new exercise program, check with your OBG-GYN. Once he or she has given you the go ahead, try to schedule exercise regularly. Exercising half an hour, four days a week is a good start if you've been relatively inactive beforehand. Wear loose-fitting, cool clothes - overheating is dangerous to the baby - and a supportive bra. Comfortable sneakers with good support are essential. Your feet may swell during pregnancy, so consider ordering or buying a half size larger.

Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise to keep your body cool and hydrated. If the exercise ever causes pain or discomfort that's out of the ordinary, stop working out and immediately call your doctor. But in most cases, you should be fine. By the time the baby comes he or she will have a mom that can set a good example with healthy habits!

Keeping kids exercising is often as simple as finding a fun, energetic sport or activity that they enjoy. One sport our family enjoys that I don't see enough of anymore is tetherball. Remember that game from the schoolyard where you would take turns trying to punch a ball on a string around a pole? That's tetherball.

To enjoy tetherball, you don't have to hunt down the nearest gym or school who happens to have access to it. All you need to do is either buy your own or make your own. It's not as hard as it may sound. The local sporting goods store will generally have an easy-to-set-up, low-cost, low-grade tetherball game, even including the pole. The instructions will come with the set.

If you want a more sturdy tetherball game, try making your own. It's very simple and depending on the ages and abilities of the kids, they may even be able to help. All you need is a small bag of concrete mix, an old tire with the rim still inside, a cheap tarp, a metal pole, a bolt with a hook, a drill with a metal bit, and a pre-strung tetherball. First, drill a hole the correct size for the bolt into the top of the pole. Next, screw in the bolt. Mix the concrete thickly. Set the tire on top of the tarp.

Now place the mixed concrete inside of the tire. Fill the entire hole. Place the pole in the center of the mixed concrete inside the tire. Smooth out the concrete. The pole should stand straight up and if the concrete is thick enough, it will not move. Allow it to dry completely. There's your tetherball pole. Now, just hang your tetherball and you and the kids can start to play.

Tetherball rules are very simple. Player one is the server. To serve the ball, much like volleyball, set it atop the non-dominant hand and punch it with the other. The goal is to get the tetherball to wrap completely around the pole without interruption from the other player. Each player must take turns hitting the ball in opposite directions until one player wraps it around the pole.

Whomever wraps it around the pole first is the winner. Players may not grab the string or hold onto the ball. Either is an automatic "out". If this occurs, the next player will come in and a new game will begin. Players may only punch or hit the ball.

Who says a race is simply running from start to finish? Not this mom. I like to mix it up a bit. Sometimes I even turn it into an extreme sport for kids, increasing their physical benefit from the fun exercise. To do that, I simply add something extra to the race. Since kids are like animals, that is one of the themes I use often. I also have been known to throw in plenty of other fun things to make the race extreme.

Most kids seem to have a natural love for racing. The reason likely varies from kid to kid. For some it could be the thrill of the competition. Yet, to others, it may be the adrenaline rush or the force of the movement. When choosing extracurricular physical activities for my kids, racing is an activity that gets chosen often. It doesn't have to be the same every time either. In fact, racing is very versatile, especially in what I call extreme racing for kids.

Let's Get Hopping!

In this extreme race option, kids must hop just like a kangaroo all the way to the finish line. Kids caught not hopping are eliminated until the next round. The jumping motion helps to increase the heart rate and also exercises those limbs. So, get those kids hopping to the finish line.

Climb The Ladder

To have kids do this extreme race, I have them move their hands and feet up and down from start to finish, resembling climbing a ladder. This must be done quickly to cause a running motion. Kids like this one because it looks pretty silly.

Zig Zag Zip

In Zig Zag Zip, the kids will jump from side to side in a zig zag motion toward the finish line. This extreme race can get pretty fun. Sometimes the kids cross paths by accident. There is also a lot of laughter!

Just go!

This extreme race option allows the kids to each pick their own method of extreme racing. It's interesting to see what the kids come up with. Sometimes they pick from things we've done before. Other times, they get very creative.

Physical fitness is an important aspect of a child's life. To get the most benefit, a variety of physical activities should be utilized. One activity kids seem to enjoy a lot is dancing. When they are dancing, kids often don't realize they are also exercising.

Physical fitness is an important aspect of a child's life. Keeping fit will not only help a child control weight issues, but it is also beneficial to all areas of the body. Adding a good exercise routine to a child's daily activities is a must. To get the most benefit, a variety of physical activities should be utilized. One activity kids seem to enjoy a lot is dancing. When they are dancing, kids often don't realize they are also exercising.

Dance can be done at home or at school as a group. Parents can also hire an instructor or enroll children in dance classes. In addition, there are many dance videos to help teach the kids how to do various dances. Many schools are actively using dance as part of the regular physical education curriculum. Because dance is so versatile, different movements and styles can be used to form a good workout routine.

While schools may do this in a more organized fashion, parents have the unique opportunity of simply slipping in exercise through dance at opportune times. For instance, when we are doing chores, I like to play music. Kids can not only get exercise from the chores, but if parents allow them to dance as well, they will get an even better workout. My kids love this activity and forget they are exercising.

Another fun way to add in dance is by doing a weekly talent competition between family and friends. Each person or team should get a chance to dance at least once. This can also be done at school, perhaps in a more organized way. In fact, I have seen a few elementary schools hold talent competitions involving dance. These seem to go over pretty well with many of the kids I've observed during one of these events.

The main point when working with kids on physical fitness is to keep it fun and exciting. After too much repetitiveness, routines can get a little boring. By mixing up dance styles and movements, as well as being sure to seize the appropriate moments, your child will be having more fun while working out in no time.

To keep kids active and promote physical fitness, strive to provide more than just an exercise routine. You can make it fun at the same time. When you transform exercise into an active game, a child will show far more interest.

To keep kids active and promote physical fitness, strive to provide more than just an exercise routine. You can make it fun at the same time. When you transform exercise into an active game, a child will show far more interest. Because of the element of fun, kids may not even realize, or care at all, that they are participating in a form of exercise.

One fun, active game to play is what I like to call "Spray Bottle Relay Race". It's a game I have always played with my own kids, but have also recently seen used in schools as part of Field Day or just as a fun activity. In Spray Bottle Relay Race, the kids will work pretty much the entire body. Spray Bottle Relay Race should be played in an open field, such as one at a school or park. It's a team game, but can be easily modified for fewer kids. This game is fun for school-aged children of all ages.

The only materials needed to play this active game are batons and large spray bottles. The spray bottles should be ones that can spray a straight line of water, not a mist. There should be 2 batons and 1 spray bottle for each team. Setting up the game is fairly simple. First, determine how many teams there will be. Then, split up the kids accordingly. Determine where the start and finish lines will be and place a baton at each to mark the spot. Alternatively, a chalk line can be drawn to mark the start and finish lines as well. Have the kids line up behind both the start and finish lines. Give each of the kids located at the start lines a spray bottle, filled with water and ready to spray.

To start the game, blow a whistle or shout "Go!" The children who are first at each of the start lines will race to the finish lines and then squirt their next teammate with the spray bottle (no face shots allowed) and hand off the spray bottle. Then, that child will run to the start line and spray the next teammate and hand off the bottle. This will continue until all of the children have run at least once. Ideally, each child should run more than once. Splitting the children into small teams can help make that happen.

This active exercise will give the kids a great cardio workout, as well as help them cool off on a hot day. It works the entire body while running and also increases the heart rate. The action of squirting the water also gives an added bonus of using the smaller muscles in the arms, hands, and wrist. Not every kid likes every activity, but I have to add that no child I have seen play this one has ever complained. It makes for a great last minute opportunity for getting kids active, as the supplies are ones that may already be on hand.