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A fit and healthy pregnancy - Exercise and fitness

Many years ago, pregnant women were “in confinement;” they were advised to take to their beds wherever possible, minimise all physical activity and rest for much of their pregnancy.

But in recent years, researchers have shown that for healthy pregnant women who have no complications in their pregnancy, there are many benefits to both mother and baby from regular, appropriate exercise during pregnancy.

Most women find that there are times during their pregnancy when they struggle just to drag themselves out of bed – and the thought of exercise is just beyond them.

But while it might be hard to get started, gentle exercise can be just the ticket to getting rid of some of the worst of those pregnancy side-effects, helping you feel much better throughout your pregnancy, improving your baby’s health by increasing oxygen flow and placental function – and it will also help you to be better prepared for labour.

Before you start an exercise program in pregnancy, discuss it with your midwife or doctor to make sure that you don’t have any complications that would restrict the type or amount of exercise you should be doing.

Some conditions that may preclude many forms of exercise include a previous history of premature birth, very high blood pressure, incompetent cervix, placenta praevia (or low-lying placenta) and heart disease.

Benefits of exercise and fitness to pregnant mother

There’s plenty of research supporting a link between regular exercise and good mental health – and in pregnancy, when hormones can trigger wild mood swings and you’re facing a fairly momentous life change, exercise can be calming and incredibly satisfying.

Many of the more uncomfortable pregnancy side-effects – like cramps, constipation, aches and pains, insomnia and even headaches, respond well to gentle exercise.

Lack of exercise can leave you feeling flabby and unhealthy, which makes it hard to get into shape again after your baby arrives.

Regular exercise that lifts your heart rate slightly can also reduce your blood pressure; and it will certainly give you more energy.

And the final – and most important – benefit of exercise in pregnancy is a big one; it will improve your ability to handle labour. After nine months of pregnancy, your body has a really big job to do.

Labour is well-named; it is often hard physical work that goes on, usually, for many hours. Walking and remaining upright through most of your labour can shorten the duration of labour and improve birth outcomes, so it’s worth getting your body ready for this really important job.

If you have exercised throughout your pregnancy, your body will recover from childbirth more readily – and you will also find it easier to get back in shape after your baby arrives.

Benefits to your new baby

Even gentle exercise, when done appropriately, will raise the level of oxygen in your bloodstream – and that will lift the oxygen levels in your baby’s blood, too.

At a time when your baby is growing all those important organs and limbs and developing nerve and brain cells, extra oxygen is a great way to encourage healthy development.

The natural ‘happy hormones,’ called endorphins, that your body generates while exercising will also pass to your baby, along with the pleasurable, calming effect they create.

And research results suggest that babies whose mothers exercise while pregnant will cope better through labour.

Exercise to avoid when pregnant

Not all exercise is good exercise and no matter how fit you were before you became pregnant, everything changes once you have a baby on board.

In pregnancy, your softened ligaments increase your risk of some injuries, like spraining joints; towards the end of pregnancy, you will have gained an average 10 to 15 kilograms of baby-weight, you may be retaining fluid and as the baby’s head drops into your pelvis and your belly pushes outwards, your balance and posture will be affected.

It’s really important that the exercise you do is “appropriate;” in most cases, that means you should avoid contact sports or other activities that carry a risk of impact or falls (like surfing or trampolining).

You’re also advised to avoid any activities involving heavy lifting, strong stretching, jumping, jarring or possible overheating.

From about four months onwards, you should not lie on your back while exercising as this may restrict the blood flow to your baby.

Safety tips for exercising during pregnancy

Talk to your doctor or midwife before you start your exercise program.

Before you begin a session, make sure that the instructor knows that you are pregnant – and let them know if you have any existing injuries or weak areas.

Wear supportive well-fitting shoes, comfortable clothing and a supportive bra.

Exercise should be at moderate intensity or below. Your resting heart rate usually lifts in pregnancy so check with your doctor to find out your maximum target heart rate so that you can be sure you are not overdoing it.

Never get overheated during exercise as this may harm your baby; and avoid saunas or hot spas during pregnancy.

Don’t forget about those soft ligaments – in pregnancy it’s really important to warm up at the beginning of your session and cool down at the end.

Make sure you have water nearby – and that you drink plenty of fluids before and after.

Never hold your breath, or exercise so hard that you become breathless as this will affect the flow of oxygen to your baby.

And don’t change positions quickly as you may cause strain or become dizzy.

What type of exercise is suitable when pregnant?

Brisk walking for no more than an hour is great exercise, as long as you wear supportive shoes – and if you have trouble with varicose veins, perhaps wear some snug, leg-supporting tights as well.

Many maternity hospitals offer – or know about - specialised exercise classes for pregnant women. Often a physiotherapist will run these classes; Pilates instructors may also offer a tailored class for pregnant women.

There are a few advantages in attending specialist pregnancy classes – meeting other pregnant mums can be really enjoyable; you may also get some useful tips for labour and birth from your instructor.

Yoga supervised by a trained instructor giving a tailored program for pregnant women is a fantastic pregnancy exercise – and often includes useful labour positions, breathing and meditation techniques which will prepare you for labour.

I attended a yoga in pregnancy class until I was 39 weeks pregnant with twins and every week, walking out of that class, I felt fabulous. I believe it made a big difference to all of my pregnancies and really helped with the labour and birth of my babies. I also made some lifelong friends.

Exercise in water – whether swimming, aqua-aerobics or walking in water - is usually very suitable in pregnancy, particularly towards the end when the water supports the growing weight of your body. Just be sure if you are doing a class that the instructor is qualified and aware that you are pregnant.

By Fran Molloy – journalist and mum of 4

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