Exercise during Pregnancy & Post-birth - 14/06/2010

Everyone knows how passionate I am about keeping fit and today I want to talk about a topic very dear to my heart - the benefits of exercising during and after pregnancy. There is much supported evidence confirming that exercise is beneficial to the pregnant woman and her unborn child. The benefits of a participating in a prenatal exercise regime includes – improved aerobic capacity, muscular strength, maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight, increased energy levels, and faster recovery from labour.  

It is well documented that during pregnancy women can participate in regular, mild to moderate levels of exercise.  It is advisable that you discuss your own personal situation with your treating health practitioner before commencing any type of exercise program. When I was pregnant with my twin boys, I was advised my by obstetrician against participating in moderate intensity exercise due to being classed as a ‘high risk’ pregnancy. I was however able to continue walking and swimming on a regular basis. Mind you by my 3^rd trimester I was finding walking difficult and preferred swimming, as it took the load off my body.  

With my 2^nd pregnancy I had a singleton and of course I could participate in any type of exercise I liked, but within normal considerations (i.e. avoid high impact, lying on back, swimming in ‘hot’ indoor pools etc). I chose to participate in Pilates as during my first pregnancy I experienced a lot of sacroiliac joint and back pain. I also found this a great relaxing exercise class that also assisted in improving my pelvic floor muscles, which seem to get quite weak after birth. 

There are many types of exercise that women can participate in during pregnancy and after giving birth.  These include aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling and swimming.  Many women also choose low-level exercise classes like yoga and Pilates, which focus on breathing and strengthening the pelvic region. If you are interested in keeping well ‘toned’ during pregnancy and want to regain your pre-pregnancy body shape after birth, resistance exercise is another type of exercise you can try. It is recommended that you have a qualified professional, like an Exercise Physiologist prescribe your program to ensure it is tailored to your individual needs and special considerations made for pregnancy or post-birth.  

There are also a few things you need to be aware of when exercising during pregnancy;

• drink plenty of fluids while exercising,
• don’t overheat your body,
• keep you heart rate below 140bpm (to avoid overheating or causing cardiac distress to the foetus),
• avoid contact sports and exercises that cause jarring to the joints and body (e.g. jogging),
• if you have any bleeding or pain whilst exercising, stop immediately and seek medical attention.

If you are interested in regaining your pre-pregnancy body shape and weight after having your baby, I suggest you wait until you have had your 6 week obstetrics review and discuss your intentions with your treating health practitioner before starting any exercise regime. If you are looking to start exercising whilst pregnant, I would suggest waiting until you are at least 14 weeks gestation, obtain medical consent and start slowly.  

If you want to ensure you get correct information and an exercise program designed specifically for you, then I suggest you speak with an Accredited Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist. To find out more about exercise classes specifically designed for pregnancy and post natal I suggest you visit our website (http://www.merendi.com.au/fitness-classes) and look at the variety of classes we offer. 

Article by Merendi Leverett-Bowler

Accredited Exercise Physiologist

GradDipHSc(ExRehab), BHMSc, AEP, MAAESS

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