The Baby Corner: Pregnant and Fit

The ideal amount of weight to gain during pregnancy varies from person to person. However, the recommended range for a woman of normal weight is 25 to 35 pounds, which takes into account the weight of the baby, the placenta, the amniotic fluid, and increased breast size. Any weight gained in excess of 35 pounds is probably just extra fat weight which you'll need to deal with after the baby is born. By exercising throughout your pregnancy, you'll be better able to control your weight gain, making it easier to fit into your regular clothing once baby arrives.

Staying fit throughout your pregnancy has many advantages. First of all, you'll feel better. The endorphins that your body produces during exercise make you feel happy. Regular exercise will give you energy during the day and help you sleep better at night. Further, when you exercise, you regain a sense of control over your expanding body, which is a huge psychological boost.

Secondly, you'll be better prepared for labor. The process of giving birth is physically grueling. It requires stamina and strength. By participating in a prenatal exercise program, you can get your body ready for Labor Day. You'll build up your cardiovascular endurance and strengthen the muscles you'll use during labor, such as your pelvic floor and quadriceps. You wouldn't think of showing up to run a marathon without having trained for it; the same should go for labor.

Thirdly, you'll regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly. Studies have shown that women who continued to exercise vigorously throughout pregnancy gained less fat weight than women who did not. Also, these women had babies on the smaller end of the healthy range which made for a quicker recovery. The sooner you feel better post-partum, the sooner you can return to your exercise program to tone up the muscles stretched beyond recognition by your pregnancy.

With any type of exercise during pregnancy, there are some ground rules that you need to follow. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a set of guidelines in 1994 for pregnant women who want to stay in shape. ACOG says that regular exercise (at least three times per week) is better than working out less often. You should avoid exercise in the supine (back-lying) position after the first trimester so that blood flow is not diverted away from your baby. Be aware of your decreased oxygen availability: pay close attention to your body's signals and stop exercising when you become fatigued. Also, be aware of your changing center of gravity and decreased sense of balance. Avoid exercises that require sudden changes of direction and that involve risk of abdominal injury. Remember that pregnancy requires an additional 300 calories per day in order to grow a healthy baby; be sure to increase your calorie intake accordingly to compensate for calories burned during exercise. Finally, ACOG reminds us that many of the physical changes that take place during pregnancy remain for 4-6 weeks postpartum, so pre-pregnancy exercise routines should be resumed gradually.

go to the infertility special section