Tag: exercise while pregnant

In light of my about face regarding exercising while pregnant, here are seven great benefits of exercising while pregnant (I found them on BabyCenter’s website – a great resource if you haven’t found it already!):

1. Boost your energy: It seems antithetical, but truly it works. I’m living proof. Apparently, it strengthens your cardiovascular system, circulating oxygen through your body which is both good for you and the baby.

2. Sleep better: Let’s hope this is true. God willing, I’ll sleep through the night again consistently!

3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort: Well, I’m not so sure that’s at all possible, since being pregnant is extremely uncomfortable. But, it does help your muscles get stronger and more able to cope; it also improves circulation, so there’s that. Plus, stretching can only help with those pesky leg cramps. Those really suck.

4. Prepare for Childbirth: Yeah, yeah, yeah, can anything really prepare you? But again, if you’re in for a long haul birth (which, of course, you’ll never know till you get there) then having stamina and strength is nothing but good.

5. Reduces stress and lifts your spirits: Ahh, endorphins! Definitely a blessing when things get you down. I’ve found endorphins are the only real counter measure to all those raging hormones that make me feel crazy. Also, exercise boosts your serotonin levels, a chemical in your brain linked to mood.

6. Improves your self image: Not that you’ll be actually losing weight, but exercising may make you feel better in your expanding body – almost as if it allows you to regain some sense of ownership over your body.

7. Gets your body back faster after childbirth: To be fair, I’m not sure if pre-childbirth exercise has anything to do with post-childbirth weight loss, so I’m skeptical on this point. However, if you’re already in the habit of working out, then picking it back up after giving birth is, in fact, less of a big deal.

Of course, always check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen! And, don’t push yourself. Be very kind to your body because you’ll need it to perform with the time comes.

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

I’ve heard so many people and books talk about the importance of exercising while pregnant and I’ve just ignored them this time around. Yes, it’s supposed to ward off fatigue, help you sleep better, burn calories and in general help you cope with all the challenges of pregnancy. But, c’mon, who has the energy to work out when your body is already working overtime to create another human?!?

I hate to admit it, but I’m seeing the error of my ways. Because my husband dragged me to the gym after enrolling our daughter in to their child care program, I worked out last week. Yes, I was DOG tired at the beginning, thinking “what the hell am I doing, I’d much rather be sleeping!”

Oddly, by the end of my 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, I felt energized. I even lifted (very light) weights. For less than 5 minutes, but still. Of course, I checked with my OBGYN before doing anything.

And, today – swimming! I have to say swimming is far better than anything else, though I tend to sink deeper in the water than I used to, so it requires more kicking, But, joy of joys, my body is no longer heavy while I’m in the pool. It’s such a relief.

Now, here’s the kicker (ha ha)…just to backtrack, last night I was up for hours for no good reason except that my body has decided to not sleep when all conditions are perfect for sleeping. HUGE BUMMER. So again I was dragging, but the swimming has enabled me to get through the day with more energy than I started with. Really. And, hopefully it will help me sleep through the night. We’ll see.

Overall, I’m a convert. Plus, now I can enjoy that extra large bowl of ice cream even more because, dammit, I earned it! Keep your eye out for a future post on a list of benefits of exercising while pregnant!

photo credit: baicai9527