More about Fitness4Mum

During pregnancy, women often experience numerous discomforts all of which can have a detrimental affect on their everyday life, affecting work, social and family commitments. Pre-natal discomforts can range from constipation to extreme fatigue or even joint and muscular problems, each often making the simplest task seem increasingly difficult. Research has shown that women who participate in regular weight bearing exercise can experience:

• reduction in swollen extremities
• reduction in leg cramps
• reduction in varicose veins
• decreased feelings of nausea
• decreased fatigue
• decreased back pain
• decreased joint problems
• decreased muscular problems
• increased circulation
• better sleep patterns

Over the course of a normal, healthy pregnancy a woman an average total of 25 to 35 pounds. Here, it cannot be stressed enough that weight gain is a normal part of a healthy pregnancy and women shouldn't view this in a negative way, the point which wants more attention is the management of it.  Research has found that:

• women who exercised during pregnancy experienced fewer incidence of excessive weight gain, staying in the range quoted within guidelines
• women who did not manage their weight, nor lose their pregnancy weight within the first 6-9 months experienced post partum and long term weight gain 

There is a strong relationship between the women who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancy and those who had uncomplicated births, it has been found that there was a:

• 35% decrease in the need for pain relief
• 75% decrease in the incidence of maternal exhaustion
• 50% decrease in the need to artificially rupture the membranes
• 50% decrease in the need to intervene due to abnormalities in foetal heart rate
• 55% decrease in the need for an episiotomy
• 30% reduction in the actual length of labour in women who exercised regularly

Women undergo a lot changes both physically and psychologically during pregnancy, which can bring with them a lot negative emotions, women have regularly reported feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Research however has found that exercise during and after pregnancy can:

• increase confidence
• increase energy levels
• increase well-being
• decrease feelings of apprehension
• decrease stress
• enhance body image
• be a great way to get some quality time for themselves
• be an excellent way of meeting new mums
• aid emotional recovery

Post natal exercise programs become vital when it is taken into account the magnitude of changes that a woman undergoes during the 9 months leading up to the expected delivery date. Combined with all the lifting, feeding and carrying positions to which a new mum has to very quickly be accustomed to day afterward, motherhood could almost be assumed as a sport in itself. Research has shown that women who regularly exercised in the pre and post natal stages experienced:

• decreased lower back pain
• decreased pain of the thoracic pain
• decreased long term muscular imbalances
• decreased rounding of the shoulders
• increased strength of lumbar spine
• increased stability of the hips
• improved breathing
• improved walking patterns
• an overall improved posture

Although women can't exercise as vigorously as they may want to during pregnancy, performing regular exercise does still bring with it the usual benefits associated. Improvements in circulation, reduction in resting heart rate, improvements in respiratory functions, increased strength and regulation of temperature are but a few of the positives. This combined with the other various outlined benefits above shows that women who exercise during pregnancy really do put themselves and their baby in a very healthy position.

Although the benefits of exercise are clear, undertaking exercise can still be a confusing time for a pre/post natal woman as many questions may still remain, such as how often should I exercise? For how long should I exercise? Should I breastfeed before or after exercise? Hopefully the below list of do's and don'ts will go some way in educating you on how to perform exercise safely, effectively and confidently.

Do's:

• Exercise on most, if not all days of the week. Consistency is important.
• Perform both weight bearing and non weight bearing activities, with non weight bearing sometimes proving more comfortable during the latter stages of pregnancy
• Strengthen muscles that have been weakened by pregnancy, and stretch muscles that have been tightened by pregnancy
• Drink approximately 6-8 ounces of water for every 15 minutes you exercise
• Try to exercise in a cool environment
• Wear loose, breathable fabrics when exercising
• Wear appropriate footwear that adequately supports your feet and ankles
• Take sufficient rest periods
• Wear a supportive bra
• Consume enough calories for the baby, yourself and to perform any desired exercise. You should eat to appetite
• Breastfeed before exercise
• Listen to your body, this is one of the most important guidelines- if it doesn't feel right- stop!

Don't's:

• Perform any ballistic exercises, or exercises which involve sudden changes of direction or speed
• Perform any exercise where there is a risk of falling (climbing, skiing, mountain biking, gymnastics, horse riding etc) or contact (rugby, hockey, football, boxing etc)
• Start exercising until the second trimester if you didn't exercise prior to becoming pregnant
• Perform any stretches or exercises that stretch you past pre-pregnancy ranges, stay within a comfortable range
• Perform any isometric exercises
• Perform any exercises in a supine position (laying on your back) after the first trimester
• Hold your breath when exercising, make sure you breath properly and efficiently throughout
• Exercise to exhaustion, use the talk test and a rating scale. You should be able to hold a conversation during any exercise as the level of exertion should never exceed 3-5 on a rating scale of 10

If you experience any of the following you should stop exercising immediately and seek medical advice:

• Dizziness
• Vaginal Bleeding
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Calf pain or swelling
• Amniotic fluid leakage
• Preterm Labour
• Muscle weakness
• Decreased fetal movement