Fitness Tips for Mothers-to-Be By Celeste Turner
Women often worry that exercise can be harmful during pregnancy, but obstetricians agree that it can work wonders for a mother and her baby. During pregnancy, exercise can help mothers stay in shape, as well as prepare for labor and delivery.
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”The benefits of exercising in each trimester of pregnancy is significant,” Stephen Champlin, MD, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at the East Jefferson Women’s Center in Metairie, said. “Exercise throughout pregnancy tends to speed up the labor process and slightly lowers the risk of cesarean section deliveries. Exercise throughout pregnancy helps regulate insulin levels and lessened or lowers the effects of diabetes.” Expecting mothers can minimize the common symptoms of pregnancy, like bloating, swelling, back aches, and leg pain, with the recommended 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise almost every day. “I have always been someone who needs to exercise to sleep well and feel my best, so I typically start out my pregnancies trying to exercise four to five days a week,'' Elizabeth C. Perez, D.D.S., who is currently more than 23 weeks pregnant, said. ”However, I get very sick for the first 18 weeks of my pregnancies, so it is usually hard to do anything rigorous like a HIIT workout. I have found that even the slightest bit of exercise helps to quell the nausea in the beginning. When I felt most sick, a 15-minute walk could help reset me.” Perez, a native of New Orleans, is awaiting the arrival of her third child. She and her husband, Paul, jointly own a dental practice in New Orleans while raising their two boys, ages 3 and 5. “I try to do two strength training days, two cardio days, and one HIIT day a week,” Perez said. “Although most of these workouts are only 20 minutes, I feel so much better after I am done. I have worked out through all my three pregnancies.” Before beginning an exercise program, it is important to check with your healthcare provider. Depending on your fitness level, you should be aware of your limitations and pace yourself. According to Dr. Champlin, certain exercises should be avoided at the 20-week mark during pregnancy. “Before 20 weeks, patients are free to do sit ups, crunches, and other ab workouts without restraint,” Dr. Champlin said. “However, after 20 weeks, we asked patients not to do any abdominal exercises, which would require more than a 30-degree bend at the waist.” Dr. Champlin also indicated that “most exercises are safe as long as patients have the proper form and do not attempt to do any exercises with a heavy strain on their body while lifting.” “Running and jogging are safe throughout pregnancy,” Dr. Champlin said. “However, we ask patients not to do any exercise which would take the heart rate above 160 bpm for longer than 20 minutes.” While doing cardiovascular exercise, Perez admitted that breathing can be difficult during pregnancy. “The one thing that always catches me off guard is how labored my breathing gets during the course of my pregnancy. Your diaphragm and lungs do not have the room to expand like they normally do. I have to remind myself that this does not mean I am out of breath because I am not fit, but because my body is going through amazing physiological changes,” Perez stated.
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