Exercise during Pregnancy Belfast

By  Meg Wilson Supernanny Expert 08/01/2007

Announcing your pregnancy seems to give everyone else the license to make personal comments about the shape of your body.

People who would usually comment on the weather can now announce they had noticed the shape of your bottom changing or your clothes getting tighter. While some of us might enjoy basking in compliments of 'glowing beauty’ and ‘pictures of health’, for the rest of us it is a time of red-faced self-consciousness as our body expands out of our control.

The pressures on pregnant women to work, look after the kids and enjoy a social life while maintaining an aura of blissful health are stronger than ever.

Exercise is a really good way to build confidence about your body during pregnancy, and remaining active has now been medically-proven to have benefits for your baby, delivery and post natal recovery.

In the past, doctors and midwives encouraged women to rest for during pregnancy for fear of disturbing the baby and stressing the mother. Extensive research has now completely changed our advice and has highlighted the numerous health benefits of exercising during pregnancy. Studies have shown that active women have less minor ailments such as tiredness, varicose veins and swelling.

Exercise can help your mental wellbeing by reducing stress, insomnia and depression. It has been shown that you can reduce your risk of delivery complications and there is less chance of your baby becoming distressed during this time. There is evidence that weight-bearing exercise can reduce the length of your labour, and anyone who has delivered a baby before will know that it is called ‘labour’ for a reason!

Whichever end of the spectrum you fall, from ‘couch potato’ to ‘gym bunny’, here is some advice about sensible exercise for your pregnancy.

‘I would like to start exercising’

Being pregnant may be the time that you start to concentrate more on your health than you have done in the past. As well as maintaining a healthy diet, an exercise program is also a great idea.

Start with 15 minutes of continuous exercise three times each week, including a warm-up or cool-down period. There is no recommendation as to the best form of exercise but water exercise such as ‘aquanatal’ classes are very popular and may be offered at your local swimming pool. Exercising in a pool can be more comfortable because the water can support the extra weight of your tummy and joining a class can also be sociable.

There are a range of pregnancy exercise videos available if you prefer the privacy of your own living room. Less formal activities could include a brisk walk to the shops or to pick the children up from school. Look for something you enjoy and can timetable into your life so you’re more likely to keep it up as your pregnancy progresses. After a few weeks, gradually increase your exercise time to 30 minute sessions four times each week and then aim for a session each day.

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