Active Lifestyles

Get your pregnant self off the couch

Galter LifeCenter offers many pre- and postnatal fitness courses.

Your list of “to-dos” will get pretty long when you learn you are expecting. But before you bury your nose in pregnancy books, shop for tiny onesies and create a blueprint for your nursery, don’t forget an essential first step: developing a daily exercise routine.

Staying active during your pregnancy can help keep you and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

“You should always talk to your doctor before beginning or continuing your exercise routine while pregnant, but as long as there are no medical concerns, it’s both safe and beneficial for women to exercise throughout their pregnancies,” said Dr. Kristin Dziadosz Jones, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Swedish Covenant Hospital.

Benefits for mom & baby

Dr. Dziadosz Jones explained that consistent exercise during pregnancy is a great way to condition your body for labor, help you heal faster after your delivery and work off the “baby weight” faster.

“Having a healthy fitness level also decreases your chances for post-partum depression and helps you have the strength to care for your newborn,” Dr. Dziadosz Jones said.

She added that exercise can ease or ward off common medical conditions that crop up during pregnancy including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, swelling, backaches, constipation and bloating.

Despite these benefits, many women get side-tracked from exercise routines because the extra weight of the baby seems to contribute to greater exhaustion.

“Fatigue is a concern for many of my patients,” Dr. Dziadosz Jones said. “However, exercise has actually been proven to combat fatigue and can even decrease it if done on a regular basis. Exercise increases circulation, which brings nutrients and oxygen to tissues and decreases fatigue.”

In addition to the benefits for moms, new research indicates that pre-natal exercise has lasting benefits for babies.

One recent study, profiled by the New York Times Well blog, found that when expectant moms exercise, their growing babies may also experience cardiovascular strengthening and have stronger hearts throughout life as a result.

What exercises are best?

While some women choose to run marathons during pregnancy, you do not need to go to that extreme to reap the benefits of exercise.

The American College of Gynecology and the American College of Sports Medicine simply recommends that pregnant women engage in 30 minutes of exercise daily.

“This doesn’t mean women must grab their running shoes and hit the trail for 30 minutes a day,” Dr. Dziadosz Jones said. “The time can accumulate over the course of a day through light-to-moderate activities like walking or climbing stairs.

If you are looking for formal exercise, Dr. Dziadosz Jones recommends swimming and walking, but any exercise that holds your interest is likely fine. “If you had an exercise routine before pregnancy, you can stick with it as long as you are careful not to overdo it. If you were a runner before becoming pregnant, you can keep running,” she said. “Just be sure you can carry on a conversation while exercising — if you can’t, then the activity level is too much.”

She notes that some activities such as contact sports and scuba diving should be avoided.Galter LifeCenter offers a variety of prenatal course that are designed to provide a fun, safe, social and effective fitness experience for expectant moms. (They also offer many classes for new moms.)

Once you have established a routine, Dr. Dziadosz Jones advises patients (especially those who did not exercise regularly prior to pregnancy) to eat light meals, stay hydrated, keep exercise in the low-to-moderate range and stop if you feel dizzy or experience abnormal pain.

For more information about the benefits of exercise as well as recommendations on specific activities and American College of Gynecology guidelines, read Exercise during pregnancy and Getting in shape after your baby is born.

Do you have an exercise routine or any tips to share that worked for you during your pregnancy? Please share in the comments below.

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