There are many benefits of prenatal and postnatal exercise. We all know exercise is important in our everyday lives. It can become even more important while you are pregnant. The added strain on your body physically and mentally during pregnancy can be like preparing your bodies for a marathon. And, of course you would train for a marathon, right?!?! (unless you are like my partner who thought he’d just wing it, let’s just say there was a lot of walking involved that day).
Check out these tremendous benefits for your amazing body AND for your new bundle of joy.
Ok most obviously exercise will assist in controlling weight gain, which – in addition to physical benefits – enhances body image, confidence, and self-awareness. This can also help to prevent or manage gestational diabetes.
Improves sleep (I don’t think it’s a big secret, sleep becomes very important while pregnant and when you begin parenting).
Reduces stress and anxiety (Research has confirmed that a healthy and happy pregnancy is more likely to lead to a healthy and happy baby.) Possibly lowering risk for postpartum depression.
Can help decrease some of the not so fun symptoms that come along with pregnancy like lower back pain, nausea, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, headaches and shortness of breath.
When you stretch and tone muscles, you can help blood circulate throughout the body in a healthy way. The deep breathing involved in exercising can bring much-needed oxygen to your baby and to your own muscles. More efficiently delivering blood and oxygen to the heart and brain, enhances concentration and energy levels. much needed for childbirth. This can also increases the cardiovascular capacity of the baby and make for a larger placenta. Increasing the capacity of your placenta allows for better exchange of oxygen and CO2, as well as other vital nutrients and waste products.
Increase the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth. Which can possibly lead to:
Easier adaptation to the lower-intensity endurance activity of early labor. Shorter first and second stages of labor. Enhanced pain tolerance. Increased stamina for labor and delivery, with less perceived exertion during labor. Good pelvic muscle tone resulting in lower chance of an episiotomy or tearing. Aids in quicker postpartum recovery. (Based on specific research these last two are focused on prenatal yoga)
Specific prenatal yoga poses may also help optimize the baby’s position for birth, allowing the pelvic bones and ligaments to open and move apart from each other. As you come closer to delivery, this can makes room for the baby’s head to fit properly in the pelvis (Prenatal yoga, hatha yoga and restorative yoga are the best choices for pregnant women.)
A 2005 study conducted in India and published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that women who regularly practiced yoga during pregnancy were less likely to have preterm labor or to deliver a low-birth weight baby.
One easy way to get more exercise is to join prenatal exercise classes. There are so many benefits from taking part in group exercise classes.
Classes during pregnancy and postpartum periods allow time for you to meet and bond others going through this very exciting time. Through these relationships you can share, vent and learn from each other, find future play dates or create parenting circles for support.
We have many recommended prenatal classes and gyms in the Chicago area. Have fun while staying strong!
