Exercise throughout pregnancy is important for keeping your body strong and healthy. As the hormone relaxin increases in the body, the result is an increase in laxity of your ligaments. Therefore, it is important to know how to modify exercise for these changes to reduce discomfort through your pregnancy. Exercise is also important for recovery as well, research shows that the stronger you are, the better your recovery is and the sooner you can get back into activity postpartum.
As some of you are already aware the challenges with becoming a mother don’t stop once you’ve had a baby; carrying, breastfeeding and changed sleeping patterns can take their toll on your body. You’ll want to be in the best shape possible!
According to the Sports Medicine Australia guidelines exercise through pregnancy also reduces your risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
It also includes other benefits such as:
- Improved muscular strength and endurance
- Improved cardiovascular function and physical fitness.
- Reduced back and pelvic pain
- Reduced fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression
- Fewer delivery complications in women who are active during pregnancy
- Prevention and management of urinary incontinence
As you embark on your journey through pregnancy your body will undergo changes that may challenge the way you exercise. Having help along the way is important as you modify techniques to suit any stage of your pregnancy.
If you are pregnant, planning on getting pregnant or getting back into exercise after your baby, speak to your health care practitioner. We can support you by conducting a thorough physical assessment, outlining your health and pregnancy goals and creating a bespoke training plan which will allow you to build up the confidence to exercise safely pre-, during pregnancy and post-partum.
References:
- SMA Position Statement Exercise in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period updated 19/07/16, www.sma.org.au
- Nascimento SL1, Surita FG, Cecatti JG, 2012, Physical exercise during Pregnancy: a systematic review, Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol.
- Mudd LM1, Owe KM, Mottola MF, Pivarnik JM, 2013, Health benefits of physical activity during pregnancy: an international perspective, Med Sci Sports Exerc.
- Barakat R1, Perales M1, Garatachea N2, Ruiz JR3, Lucia A4, 2015, Exercise during pregnancy. A narrative review asking: what do we know?, Br J Sports Med.
