Provided you have the permission of the specialist doctor, the practice of exercise during pregnancy is a very healthy recommendation for the fetus and the pregnant woman due to the many benefits it can provide both physically and emotionally.
We should not treat the pregnant woman as a convalescent patient and advise against making any effort. There is sufficient scientific evidence on the safety, suitability and benefits that physical exercise can bring, not only for the pregnant woman, but also for the fetus.
Exercising with moderate intensity and duration is safe for healthy future moms without medical complications. This exercise must be adapted according to the gestation trimester and the activity prior to pregnancy, and it has to be well planned so that there is a balanced combination of both aerobic and strength exercise, both beneficial and necessary for health and fitness. well-being of mother and baby.
What are the benefits of physical exercise for pregnant women?
- Increase the feeling of well-being during labor.
- Increase energy for the day to day, trying to reduce the exhausting fatigue that occurs in some pregnant women.
- Improve the quality and habits of sleep.
- Control excessive weight gain during pregnancy and prevent subsequent retention of it during postpartum.
- Decrease and prevent lower back pain.
- Prevent gestational diabetes, particularly in obese women.
- Improve or maintain strength and endurance levels.
- Avoid pre-eclampsia: hypertension and high levels of protein in the urine.
- Improve tolerance to anxiety and depression.
- Improve the concept of body image.
What are the benefits of physical exercise for the baby?
Not all are benefits for the health of the pregnant woman, the little ones are also affected in a positive way by the mother doing physical activity during pregnancy, mainly due to the potential reductions in complications.
Women with good physical condition and who continue to maintain their activity during the pregnancy, there is evidence that the psychomotor development of the fetus is higher, with better nervous growth. Benefits have also been observed in the mood profiles of babies whose mothers exercise compared to sedentary mothers: they respond better to environmental stimuli and light stimuli, and have a better motor organization rating according to the Brazelton mood scale. In addition, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in adults is much lower.
As we have seen, well-prescribed physical exercise in the appropriate dose contributes to improving the physical and emotional well-being of the mother and the baby, but it must be taken into account that there are certain activities that should be avoided.
What are the physical activities that should be avoided during pregnancy?
The activities that are recommended to avoid during pregnancy are obvious and logical, but nevertheless it is not bad to remember them in case some adventurous mother has not thought about them: horseback riding, alpine skiing, ice hockey, high intensity cycling, avoid crunching and twisting abdominal muscles, acrobatic gymnastics and anything using an inverted position in general, as these have a higher risk of falling and could endanger the fetus. Others such as diving are discouraged due to hyperbaric stress or martial arts due to possible blows to the abdomen. Also avoid doing activities at high altitudes due to possible “altitude sickness”.
How can we help at EMS fitness?
At EMS Fitness we believe in taking a holistic approach, treating each client as an individual with their own experience of exercise and levels of ability. We listen to and work with you to design a bespoke programme for you which will help improve your fitness and overall wellbeing. This can be before pregnancy, during and after.