Exercise and pregnancy may be one of my favorite topics. The reason I love this topic is because of everything we know about prenatal exercise that we did not know until the last few years. There are numerous long standing myths about pregnancy and exercise. For a long time, like forever, it was thought that a pregnant woman should be treated like a delicate flower. Pregnancy was thought to put a woman in a vulnerable state. But the last decade of research on this has proven that pregnant women are as tough as nails – in most cases.
There are, of course, pregnancies that are very challenging and high risk. If you fall into that category, please know that everything I’m talking about here pertains to LOW RISK pregnancies. Please consult your doctor before starting any sort of exercise program regardless of how low risk or high risk your pregnancy is.
Ok, disclaimer over. So, like I was saying, you are tough as nails. Even though you may feel as weak as a wilted dandelion on a stormy day for parts of your pregnancy. Because you are a rock star, you can and should exercise during your pregnancy to stay strong and healthy and, perhaps most importantly protect your pregnancy and your baby’s health.
I know you’re thinking that breaking a sweat in between morning sickness, backaches, ice cream runs, exhaustion (and it’s evil fraternal twin insomnia) exercise just doesn’t seem feasible. This is where you are dead wrong. Now, I’m not saying it’s always going to sound appealing, but I am saying that it is just what your body needs. There may be days where it’s lower intensity due to your symptoms. That is totally fine. Always better to do something than nothing!
On those days where anything, heck, EVERYTHING, sounds better than exercise, remember this:
1. Prenatal exercise helps control and minimize weight gain in pregnancy.
2. Moms who exercise while pregnant are more likely to deliver on time – rather than 1-2 weeks late. I’ve recently been getting emails from women who are 15-18 days overdue. BLESS THESE MAMAS!!! You do not want to be one of them.
3. Moms who exercise while pregnant lose their pregnancy weight more quickly. I’ve had moms lose up to 23 pounds in the first WEEK after birth.
4. Moms who exercise while pregnant have faster (up to 1/3 faster) and easier deliveries.
5. Moms who exercise while pregnant have leaner (but not low birth weight) babies who tend to still be leaner when entering kindergarten. On the flipside, researchers are finding an increased correlation between moms who gain excessive weight (over 40 lbs) and end up having children who are overweight or obese by school age.
6. Prenatal exercise can reduce aches and pains, especially back pain.
7. Prenatal exercise can relieve postpartum back pain & injury by keeping your core strong and conditioned.
8. Prenatal exercise will give you energy on those days when you feel like you may face-plant into a nap at any given moment.
9. Prenatal exercise will help you rest and sleep better at night.
10. Exercising while pregnant will help you cope with stress. This is tremendously important for you and your baby. A stressed out mama is way more likely to have a higher risk pregnancy.
11. Prenatal exercise is safe for all low risk pregnancies – even if you were NOT an exerciser before you got pregnant. (If you have risk factors, talk to your doc before exercising, to determine what’s appropriate and safe for you.)
12. Moderate intensity exercise is safe during pregnancy. You do not need to limit yourself to light walking and gentle stretching. If you are new to exercise that is a great starting place. If you have already been exercising, you may continue your regular exercise regimen, with your doctor’s approval.
These reasons are pretty big. I hope this gives you a lot of motivation to get your sweat on. I completely understand there will be days where it may seem impossible. On those days give yourself an out. Tell yourself you will at least get started. Commit to 5 minutes. If you feel miserable at the end of 5 minutes, stop. Don’t feel guilty. There’s always tomorrow. Chances are, once you’ve put on your sweat clothes and gotten through 5 minutes of a workout, you will be able to a willing (maybe even with a half smile on your face) to keep going. GO WITH THAT. Sweat it out!
There are so many ways to empower yourself as a mom and a women. We live in a time where we are (FINALLY) encouraged to be strong and powerful. Take advantage of that. Make this pregnancy something that strengthens you from the inside out. Don’t sit and let it pass you by.
I work with numerous moms who are so frustrated because they let pregnancy happen to them. By that I mean they ate whatever they wanted. They stopped exercising all together. They thought of pregnancy as “the only time in my life I don’t have to worry about food and the gym”. Every single one of these moms comes crawling to me frustrated and desperate, regretting the decision to let themselves go for 10 months. Every mom in this position tells me she wishes she ate less and moved more. She wishes she took better care of herself so she didn’t have to suffer with a postpartum body that seemed unrecognizable to her for years in many cases.
You can have it better. Get in regular prenatal exercise sessions. Exercise and pregnancy should go hand in hand. It is not a negotiable. There should be no question, “Hmmmm, should I exercise while pregnant or not?” The ONLY answer to this is YES. You should move regulary. You can exercise while pregnant up to 6 days a week. That doesn’t mean everyday needs to be hardcore. But some movement most days is best. If you can’t commit to 6 days, you can still get great benefits from just 2-3 days a week. Find a prenatal exercise schedule you can commit to and then stick with it. Aside from the food your put in your mouth, prenatal exercise is the best things you can do for your health and your baby’s health.
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