Exercise during Pregnancy.......... Is it safe?


It will please most ladies to know that, excepting certain conditions, doctors do not now expect you to spend the entire nine months of your pregnancy resting, with little physical activity and absolutely no exertion. The truth is that those who are up to date with the current research should be positively encouraging you to exercise throughout the whole period.

Old myths that stated ‘the jarring of aerobics or running could hurt baby’ or ‘exercise may cause miscarriage or early labour’ have proved unfounded. It is now known that in the absence of contraindications, there are some very good reasons for you to continue. Research by Dr. James F Clapp (2000) states that women who performed 45 minutes of weight bearing, aerobic type exercise on 5 or more days of the week throughout their pregnancy experienced improved well being, reduced constipation, reduced leg cramps and a quicker return to their pre-pregnancy weight than their non-exercising counterparts. There was also a reduced risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy induced hypertension. Added to this, babies of exercising mums have been shown to have less body fat at birth and be less cranky, with a reduction in the instances of colic, and greater neurodevelopment in language and motor skills by the age of 5.

While this is a pretty convincing argument for continuing or even starting an exercise programme during pregnancy, there is even more good news for the mum to be. Another study by Dr Clapp showed that in exercising mothers labour was shortened by around a third, with 65% of those women delivering in four hours or less. The possibility of cutting a few hours from your labour must surely be a powerful incentive to get exercising!

Of course it’s not as simple as just going down the gym and getting on with it. There are certain guidelines that need to be adhered to during pregnancy, and certain activities that must be avoided. It’s very important that you consult your doctor before starting an ante natal exercise programme to see if any of the contra-indications to exercise apply to you. A full list of the relative and absolute contra-indications written by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) can be found here.

Presuming you are given the all clear to exercise, your routines should be geared toward maintaining your fitness level rather than increasing it. Hormonal changes and your shifting centre of gravity can also make you susceptible to injury, so it’s advisable to exercise under the watchful eye of a trained professional. Fitness pro’s specialising in ante and postnatal exercise can be found through the find an expert section of http://www.newbornfitness.co.uk/ or http://www.lifestylexperts.com/.

Mark Hibbitts is Director of Newborn Fitness, the postnatal exercise specialists, and a full member of The Guild of Pregnancy and Postnatal Exercise Teachers. For tips and advice on exercising during and after pregnancy, visit the Ask the Experts section of http://www.lifestylexperts.com/ or keep an eye out for Marks regular blog.