Exercise is Essential during Pregnancy

1
EXERCISE IS ESSENTIAL DURING PREGNANCY
http//www.virtualphysicaltherapists.com/
2
Exercise is essential during pregnancy, not only
for the mother but for the baby as well! For far
too long, exercise has been discouraged during
pregnancy. New mothers-to-be receive a laundry
list of things to avoid from foods to toxins and
even exercise. But contrary to this long-held
belief, vigorous exercise is not only safe it is
beneficial to the developing baby. Research has
shown the positive effects on the mother,
including reduced weight gain, improved mood,
better sleep, increased muscle tone/strength,
reduced incidences of diabetes, preeclampsia, and
reduced risk of delivery complications.
3
Expectant mothers who do at least 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity per week,
are healthier, happier, stronger, and develop
fewer complications. Mothers that exercise tend
to have shorter labors, which often leads to
higher Apgar scores and a reduction in
Caesareans. New research has also found that
maternal exercise improves heart strength, motor
coordination, IQ and the babys ability to
self-calm!
4
In 2011, Dr. May and her colleagues compared the
heart function of babies born to sedentary
mothers to those that worked out during
pregnancy. They found that infants whose mothers
exercised had slower pulses and developed
stronger, more athletic hearts even before birth!
They speculated that the babies hearts most
likely had sped up and synchronized with their
mothers during exercise, allowing the infants to
enjoy the same heart benefits.
5
Just recently, Dr. May went on to assess the
effect of maternal exercise on an infants motor
development and coordination. The moms-to-be
performed 50 minutes of supervised training,
three times a week at moderate exertion until
they gave birth (jogged, walked briskly, rode
stationary bikes, or took part in aerobic
classes). Babies whose mothers had exercised
performed better on almost all of the physical
testing, suggesting that their motor skills were
more advanced. The differences were only slight,
but infants whose moms exercised were ahead in
their ability to grip, jostle, and ability to
roll. It was proposed that the exercised infants
receive more blood, oxygen, and nutrients, thus
improving their brain and nervous system
development, or another theory was that a release
of growth hormones/biochemicals sped up the
development of their motor cortexes.
6
Pregnancy is an ideal time to start an exercise
program even if youve never really exercised
before. Exercise Guidelines for expectant
mothers 150 min. of moderate exercise per week
or 20 30 min. every day. You should also be
able to talk when exercising during pregnancy and
make sure you are always well-hydrated and use
good judgment.
7

• First, always consult with your physician.
  Caution should be taken with any of the
  following
• Preterm Labor or ruptured membranes (water
  broken)
• Certain types of lung and heart disease
• Cervical insufficiency (premature dilation)
• Multiples after 27th week
• Persistent bleeding in the second or third
  trimester
• Placenta previa after 26 weeks
• Preeclampsia
• Eating disorders

8

• Exercise Intensity
• Light to moderate exercise Walking, swimming,
  and using an exercise bike are all activities
  that could be considered moderate intensity.
  During light exercise, you will have no
  difficulty having a full conversation. During
  moderate exercise, you will begin to notice a
  little strain but can still carry on a full
  conversation.
• Vigorous is exercising at an intensity where you
  struggle to maintain a conversation but can still
  manage a sentence. Activities such as jogging,
  circuit-based resistance training, or interval
  training on a stationary bike, where you reach
  70-90 of your maximum heart rate (where maximum
  heart rate is about 220 beats per minute minus
  your age). It is harder to achieve
  vigorous-intensity activity when you are pregnant
  because of changes to the heart and blood that
  occur during pregnancy.

9

• High-intensity and high-impact exercise Exercise
  at greater than 90 of maximum heart rate is
  considered high-intensity exercise. This is
  where you cant even complete a full sentence.
  Caution should be taken with high-impact exercise
  in the third trimester (running, jumping or
  lifting heavy weights). These activities are not
  likely to affect the baby, but its still not
  known whether they may weaken the mothers pelvic
  floor muscles, which may contribute to
  incontinence.

10
Most women may find getting around a bit more
difficult in the third trimester, let alone
exercise vigorously. So, if youre pleased doing
lighter exercise, such as regular walks, you can
feel confident in the benefits youre providing
both you and your baby. So, keep moving for not
only your health, but your babys as well!
11
Virtual physical therapists

• info.virtualphysicaltherapists_at_gmail.com

• http//www.virtualphysicaltherapists.com/