The Real, Real Truth About Prenatal Exercise
Yesterday we talked about how bodyweight impacts pregnancy. Today, let’s talk about how exercise affects pregnancy.
You don’t need doctors, researchers and statisticians to tell you what you know instinctively: When you exercise you feel better. That’s a basic fact of life. When you’re pregnant, exercise provides so many benefits to most mothers it’s almost too good to be true. But just in case you’re the one woman out there who’s not familiar with the benefits of exercise during pregnancy, here’s what the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has to say:
Becoming active and exercising at least 30 minutes on most if not all days of the week can benefit your health during pregnancy in the following ways:
- Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling
- May help or treat gestational diabetes
- Increases your energy
- Improves your mood
- Improves your posture
- Promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance
- Helps you sleep better
Regular activity also helps keep you fit during pregnancy and may improve your ability to cope with labor. This will make it easier for you to get back in shape after the baby is born.
That all sounds just peachy, right? But when you’re the one who’s actually pregnant and all you really want to do is plop on the couch with a bucket of chicken, you’re going to need a bit more motivation. I spoke with OB-GYN, Dr. Desiree Bley of Portland, OR, who always has a way of telling it like it is. Go Girl:
I’ve been telling patients for years to exercise because it absolutely makes you feel better. A few patients ask if it’s OK to exercise. They’ll say, “I’m a runner or marathoner” and the answer is “yes! Yes it is!” I tell them, you don’t have to train for a marathon, I don’t expect that, but for Lord’s sake do something!
Here’s the bottom line: Exercise builds better blood vessels in early placentas. It increases oxygenation. We’re all worried about oxygen delivery to the baby and clearing out the waste products. That’s what the placenta does and it’s all based on how good a placenta you build. Micro vascular disease does affect the placenta and exercise combats that. During early pregnancy when you’re feeling your most fatigued is the best time to get out there and really shake it. That’s when the placenta is making good connections to the uterus, which benefits your baby throughout prenatal development, but will especially pay off during labor. You’ll be able to deliver oxygen to your baby during those really tough contractions and over those long hours of exhaustion and hard work.
We’ve all seen those sad little placentas that come out and we’re like, “How the hell did that baby even get to 5 pounds with this wimpy little thing?” It’s dangerous and pitiful.
People who don’t exercise have bigger risks, just like people who smoke have bigger risks. I think it ultimately increases the C-section rate just like obesity does. If you don’t exercise and the placenta can’t deliver the oxygen, we will see fetal heart rate tracing abnormalities and you’re more likely to get a C-section. If you don’t grow a healthy placenta, you’re going to get cut.” There you go. That’s the straight up truth from my buddy Desiree Bley — the OB-GYN with no filter.
So, instead of thinking about exercise as your ticket to fitness after baby, think of it as your investment in your baby’s health and maybe even your grandchildren’s. Dr. Bley says studies are now showing that your mother’s nutrition, health and wellbeing affect your grandchildren. Bley says, “So much is in the genetic code. The minute you’re positive on your pregnancy test you have to get moving. It’s not enough to just give up coffee, alcohol and cigarettes. All your good habits pay off for the next generations.”
How do you start?
First, get your doctor or midwife’s OK to exercise and let her know what activities you plan on doing. While most forms of exercise are perfectly safe for most women, there are some women who need to take it easy.
Then, evaluate how much physical activity you already get in an average day. If you already walk a few miles, work a physical job and climb up and down hills and stairs, you might be doing enough. If you’re an average sedentary American, however, you need to put in some effort.
- Start with taking a daily walk or going for a swim for about 30 minutes at a moderate pace.
- Next, Google “prenatal exercise” and “prenatal yoga” classes in your area.
- Sign up and go.
- For extra points, sign up for the CharityMiles app, that tracks your miles and makes a donation to EMC for every mile you log.
- Purchase Tracy Anderson’s The Pregnancy Project DVD series and stay in shape the whole nine months. Tracy makes a $5 donation to EMC for every sale worldwide.
If you’re already a fitness buff, chances are, you can continue doing what you already do, at least through the second trimester. After that, it depends on how you feel, how big you are and how your pregnancy is progressing, but as long as you’re healthy, chances are, you can stay active right up to your delivery day.
