Pregnancy Exercises

Regular aerobic exercise during pregnancy appears to improve (or maintain) physical fitness. Physical exercise during pregnancy does appear to decrease the risk of C-section.

The Clinical Practice Obstetrics Committee of Canada recommends that "All women without contraindications should be encouraged to participate in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises as part of a healthy lifestyle during their pregnancy". Although an upper level of safe exercise intensity has not been established, women who were regular exercisers before pregnancy and who have uncomplicated pregnancies should be able to engage in high intensity exercise programs. In general, participation in a wide range of recreational activities appears to be safe, with the avoidance of those with a high risk of falling such as horseback riding or skiing or those that carry a risk of abdominal trauma, such as soccer or hockey.

Many women’s main concern when they become pregnant is the weight gain. Numerous expecting mothers are dissatisfied because they put on significant amount of weight during their pregnancy and fear that they will be unable to loose it post delivery. A study was conducted to learn about seventy one pregnant women’s body image satisfaction. Forty of these women were high exercisers and thirty one were low exercisers. In the end, the high exercisers demonstrated significantly higher levels of body image satisfaction. This is because women who exercise during pregnancy may respond in a favorable manner to changes in their body during early pregnancy in comparison to woman who remains sedentary (Boscaglia, Skouteris, Wertheim, 2003).

**Disclaimer: Of course, your doctor’s permission for exercise is essential as there can be contraindications to exercise during pregnancy. Additionally, the most important thing you can do is tune in to your body and give yourself some grace. Be aware of what your body is telling you - does that exercise feel good? Keep it up. Doesn’t feel so good? Probably best to stop and adjust.