Exercise Benefits During Pregnancy
Once a woman has become pregnant for the first time, she is constantly bombarded with advice, opinions, and ridiculous old wive’s tales from everyone around her. Past generations often perceive pregnancy as a time that women should become inactive and sedentary, with the attitude that exercise is something harmful to a fetus. However, we now know that exercise during pregnancy serves as quite the contrary. In today’s society people are becoming aware that remaining physically active is very important to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Those who become or remain sedentary during pregnancy are more likely to feel sluggish and moody, gain an excessive amount of weight, and are more likely to develop gestational diabetes. Preventing gestational diabetes is very important for mothers and their babies, and should be taken very seriously. Consequently, women who exercise during pregnancy tend to have more strength and energy during labor. On the other hand, women who have been physically active throughout their pregnancy tend to have an easier time losing the baby weight postpartum. Not only do these benefits apply to mothers, but the baby also benefits tremendously in growth and development by an improvement in blood flow during and after exercise.
What kind of exercises are most beneficial?
A woman’s exercise capabilities will depend on how physically active she was prior to becoming pregnant. For women who were physically active prior to becoming pregnant, it is ok to continue the close to the same exercise routine. If resistance training is part of your regime, it is important to decrease in weight while increasing in repetitions. For women who did not exercise prior to pregnancy, walking and water aerobics are a great way to get moving. 20-30 minutes of continuous exercise a day has shown to be the most beneficial in pregnant women. Even though exercise is important during pregnancy, precautions should still be considered. For instance, abdominal work and exercises that require you to lay flat on your back should be avoided to prevent back strain and impede blood flow. Also, do not start activities that would risk causing a fall or contact to the stomach area. Contact sports should also be avoided.
Overall, exercise during pregnancy has shown great benefits for women and their infants. Do what’s best for you and your baby and stay moving during your pregnancy!
Pomerance Bell, R. (2013, November 28). Yes, You Can-and Should- Exercise During Pregnancy. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/11/28/yes-you-can--and-should--exercise-during-pregnancy?page=1
Suzanne, S. (n.d.). 18 Bazillion Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://www.fitpregnancy.com/exercise/prenatal-workouts/18-billion-benefits-exercise-during-pregnancy
I totally agree. It is an extreme when pregnant women tend to load up on unhealthy foods and just remain sedentary for entire term of their pregnancy. On the other hand, active expecting mothers who care about the nutrition and the environment their unborn is experiencing is a huge inspiration. It is a critical time for the baby, and should not be taken lightly.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a personal trainer, I had a couple of expecting mothers and we just did some research then communicated with their physicians. Afterwards, we planned out their program and we had a very successful program mapped out, which included heavy lifting while avoiding certain angles keep the spine stable and the baby safe. The two biggest selling points for them were 1) health of the child & 2) increase of recovery for the mothers post birth.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that women who remain physically active during pregnancy find it easier to loose the baby weight. Obviously pregnancy presents issue and a woman has to slow down to some degree and are restricted to certain activities. But I think it is great to see the benefits of remaining physically active!
ReplyDelete