AND
PRE-NATAL FITNESS
AND
AQUAFITNESS
WATER, AN IDEAL
PLACE FOR PRE NATAL FITNESS
Recreation Plus congratulates you on the very important first step you have just taken, by requesting information about exercising while you are pregnant.
I hope that this information package will provide you with the answers to the questions you may have concerning pregnancy and exercise. If after reading through this brochure, you have any questions, please consult your physician as each pregnancy has its own peculiarities, as does each pregnant woman.
Although you may not have been to a class yet, you have already taken a step closer to having a healthier pregnancy. Please discuss your intentions to do any kind of exercise with your physician before you embark on any exercise program.
If you have been active before your pregnancy, there should be no problems with you continuing to exercise. Please keep in mind however, that pregnancy is not the time to try and get yourself into shape. The exercise program you participate in should concentrate on maintenance of your present fitness level, and focus on targeting specific muscle groups which will be important to you throughout your pregnancy, labour and recovery. These muscle groups would be: chest, shoulders, upper and lower back, hips and pelvic floor muscles.
Any exercise program you embark upon should be fun, otherwise it may become difficult to motivate yourself to participate. Try to do a form of exercise which you enjoy, and will be able to do safely. It can be even more beneficial if a partner can participate with you. You must also remember to work at your own pace. Your pace is going to vary from day to day, and from week to week, depending upon how you are feeling on any given day, and also based on how far along you are in your pregnancy.
Do not monitor yourself with the Heart Rate Target Charts. They are not meant to include pregnant women. Your heart rate is going to increase throughout your pregnancy due to increased blood volume and added weight. You may find that once you have changed and left the change room, you have already reached your target zone. Base your intensity on how you are feeling. You should be breathing comfortably, and be able to answer a question with a few words. This is called the talk test. If you cannot speak a 3-4 word phrase, you are exercising too hard. If you can recount the whole story line of the movie you watched last night, you could probably work a bit harder.
Water is the ideal place for exercising during pregnancy for the following reasons:
the water is very cooling,
especially in the middle of the summer. the buoyancy provides a lot of support
to your changing body and allows you to float around, lay on your back and
basically feel comfortable all over.
the water pressure is a gift.
It helps increase the blood circulation, and decrease any swelling
you may have in your hands and feet.
the resistance offered by the
water is incredible. It doesn't feel as though you are exercising very
hard, and it gains strength in your arms, shoulders and back.
the fluidity of the water slows
down your moves and protects you if you lose your balance. You may
slip but you certainly don't hurt yourself by falling in the water.
it is enjoyable to have the
company of other pregnant and post natal ladies. A lot of information
and stories are shared, and the occasional is proudly displayed.
The following are the Recommendations for Exercise in Pregnancy and Postpartum, from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Technical Bulletin Number 189, February, 1994. These are the most recent guidelines available.
There are no data in humans to indicate that pregnant women should limit exercise intensity and lower target heart rates because of potential adverse effects. For women who do not have any additional risk factors for adverse maternal of perinatal outcomes, the following recommendations may be made:
During pregnancy, women can continue to exercise and derive health benefits even from mild to moderate exercise routines. Regular exercise (at least three times per week) is preferable to intermittent activity.
Women should avoid exercise in the supine position (lying on the back) after the first trimester. Such a position is associated with decreased cardiac output in most pregnant women, because the remaining cardiac output will be preferentially distributed away from splanchnic beds (the gut area)(including the uterus) during vigorous exercise, such regimens are best avoided during pregnancy. Prolonged periods of motionless standing should also be avoided.
Women should be aware of the decreased oxygen available for aerobic exercise during pregnancy. They should be encouraged to modify the intensity of their exercise according to maternal symptoms. Pregnant women should stop exercising when fatigued and not exercise to exhaustion. Weight-bearing exercises may under some circumstances be continued at intensities similar to those prior to pregnancy throughout pregnancy. Non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming will minimize the risk of injury and facilitate the continuation of exercise during pregnancy.
Morphologic changes in pregnancy (a woman's changing size, shape and weight) should serve as a relative contraindication to types of exercise in which loss of balance could be detrimental to maternal or fetal well-being, especially in the third trimester. Further, any type of exercise involving the potential for even mild abdominal trauma should be avoided.
Pregnancy requires an additional 300 calories a day in order to maintain metabolic homeostasis (stable body functioning). This, women who exercise during pregnancy should be particularly careful to ensure an adequate diet.
Pregnant women who exercise in the first trimester should augment her dissipation by ensuring adequate hydration (drink water), appropriate clothing, and optimal environmental surroundings during exercise.
Many of the physiologic and morphologic changes of pregnancy persist four to six weeks postpartum. Thus pregnancy exercise routines should be resumed gradually based on a woman's physical capability.
The aforementioned recommendations are intended for women who do not have any additional risk factors for adverse maternal or perinatal outcome. A number of medical of obstetric conditions may lead the obstetrician to recommend modifications of these principles. The following conditions should be considered contraindications to exercise during pregnancy:
pregnancy induced
hypertension
preterm rupture of the
membranes
preterm labour during
the prior or current pregnancy or both
incompetent cervix/cerclage
(a surgical procedure to close the cervix to keep the fetus intact
in utero)
persistent second or
third trimester bleeding
intrauterine growth
retardation
In addition, women with certain other medical or obstetric conditions, including chronic hypertension or active thyroid, cardiac, vascular or pulmonary disease, should be evaluated carefully in order to determine whether an exercise program is appropriate.
You may resume doing kegel exercises and walking any time after a vaginal delivery. Please give your body the time it needs to recuperate before you resume or begin an exercise program. Usually six weeks is the recommended time frame if you have had a vaginal delivery. If there were complications, or lots of stitches, you may have to wait longer. If you feel ready to resume exercise before six weeks have passed, please discuss this with your doctor.
In the case of caesarean sections, the wait will have to be longer. It may be up to 2-3 months. Please keep an open line with your doctor on your progress and your readiness to resume exercise.
If resuming exercise means returning to the water, once again, speak with your doctor. Stitches or tears may not have fully healed. Pool water has chemicals and bacteria.
If after your birthing experience you are feeling sad, depressed, lonely, isolated or confused, please reach out to someone. The support of a caring friend or family member can be very reassuring and very helpful. If no one is available to you, once again, call your doctor.
I hope you have a very rewarding and pleasurable experience throughout your pregnancy and birthing. Enjoy your changing body and marvel at its innate capabilities.
