Exercising Through Your Pregnancy
The Benefits and Safety Guidelines

Women who continue or begin an exercise program during their pregnancies will have a general feeling of well being that will improve all aspects of pregnancy, delivery and post partum.  Research evidence continues to document the benefits of exercise during pregnancy without the risk to mom or baby.

Exercising throughout your pregnancy will provide an improved body image and enhanced self-esteem.  This may lead to fewer incidences of postpartum depression. Women who exercise during their pregnancies also experience less tension, anxiety and fatigue than their non-exercising counterparts.

The Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy

• Increased energy and work capacity are achieved by maintaining or increasing cardiovascular fitness. This also results in improved stamina and endurance— definite pluses during pregnancy, labor and delivery.
• Increased muscular strength can decrease the risk of joint and ligament injury due to the “loosening” effects of relaxin and progesterone.  Strengthening the upper body prepares mom for the “tasks of mothering” (i.e., lifting your baby, the car seat, diaper bag, etc.) and helps with posture.  Strong abdominal and back muscles (in conjunction with proper posture) takes the strain off the lower back and pelvic floor.  This may help minimize or prevent permanent postural deviations.
• Increased muscular endurance is beneficial during labor and delivery.  This “increased muscle efficiency” provides mom with more stamina and the increased ability to use the correct muscles with the right amount of force.
• Improved balance and coordination can improve mom’s “kinesthetic awareness” (where her body is in space).  This is especially important during the later months of pregnancy when mom feels awkward.
• Improved posture looks better, lessens back and neck pain and makes breathing easier.
• Improved support of pelvic organs via pelvic floor strength helps minimize or prevent urinary incontinence, bladder or uterine prolapse, etc.
• A decrease in the minor discomforts of pregnancy (varicose veins, back pain, leg cramps, swelling, constipation, etc.) are experienced by women who start or continue an exercise program during pregnancy, when compared to non-exercising pregnancy.
• Improved body composition of fit pregnant exercises over non-exercising controls has been documented.  Continuing exercise throughout pregnancy has a marked influence on weight gain, fat deposition, and fat reduction.  This effect is most pronounced after the twentieth week of pregnancy.  Overall, weight gain has been found to be approximately seven pounds less in exercisers, but still within the normal range.  Continuing regular exercise was also found to decrease subcutaneous fat deposition during pregnancy.
• Shorter and less complicated labors with a marked decrease in the need for medical intervention tend to be associated with fit women who continue weight-bearing exercise throughout their pregnancies. This includes the need for pain relief, labor induction or stimulation, intervention for fetal heart rate abnormalities, episiotomy, and certain operative interventions such as forceps delivery.  Time in active labor has been shown to be decreased by a third.
• Faster recovery after delivery and more energy during pregnancy tend to be experienced by women who start or continue to exercise throughout their pregnancies than non-exercisers.
• A return to pre-pregnancy weight sooner tends to be experienced by women who start or continue to exercise throughout their pregnancies than non-exercisers.

Guidelines for Exercise During Pregnancy

• Regular moderate intensity and duration exercise sessions are preferable.
• Avoid jerky, bouncy, and wide range of movements and exercises that involve straining, jumping, or sudden changes in direction.
• Do not exercise lying on your back after the fourth month
• Five-minute periods of warm up and cool down stretching are recommended, but do not stretch to the point of maximal resistance.
• Women with sedentary lifestyles should begin with short-duration, low intensity activity and increase gradually.
• Stop exercise when fatigued. Stop and consult physician if any unusual symptoms occur.
• Drink fluids before, during and after exercise.
• Avoid environments with excessive heat and humidity when you exercise.

See your doctor before beginning any exercise program

Editorial provided by Lisa Reed, owner of Lisa Reed Fitness, a team of personal trainers serving Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. 

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