There are benefits to exercising during pregnancy
Thanks to a viral picture of a pregnant woman lifting weights during the last two weeks of her pregnancy the subject of pregnancy and exercise has been a hot one. Many woman feel that this woman went too far, but this woman thinks she did nothing wrong and that more woman need to start exercising during pregnancy. No matter where you stand on the matter, it has been proven that there are plenty of benefits to exercising while you are pregnant.
Here is a quick look at the top five benefits to exercising during your pregnancy.
Better energy levels
One thing that pregnant women need is energy. It seems like the minute you find out that you are pregnant you have no energy. In fact, for many women it is the lack of energy that often signals to them that they may be pregnant. One of the best ways to get the energy you need, whether it is just enough to make it through a normal or a hectic day, is to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in a day. Regular exercise has been shown to strengthen the cardiovascular system, which helps prevent you from getting tired after just going to the grocery store.
Better night’s sleep
As many pregnant women know being tired is a major part of pregnancy. No matter what happens, you tend to feel like you never get a good night’s sleep. Many women, myself included, blame it on your body preparing you for the first few months of your new life with baby, but that is not really true. Most women find that the good night’s sleep is so elusive because you can’t get comfortable, and the further out your belly gets the harder it is. Exercise helps because it helps you burn off energy, which helps tire you out and gives you a good night’s sleep.
Reduce discomfort associated with your pregnancy
One of the perks to regular exercise is how your muscles are getting stronger. What this means for you is that they are better able to handle the discomfort of pregnancy, such as the backaches from dealing with the extra weight. The best kinds of exercises to help your body cope are stretches, walking, and swimming. These are also low impact exercises so they are safe to do throughout your entire pregnancy.
Prepares you for childbirth
If you have never gone through childbirth before you are not aware that it is quite similar to running a marathon, there is no telling how long or short your labor will last so you need to be prepared ahead of time. I know I was personally in labor for 25 hours with my first-born and it was the longest 25 hours of my life. However, I was in pretty good physical shape as I exercised regularly throughout my pregnancy so my body was well equipped to deal with the long labor. Exercising helps to build up your stamina, but it also makes your body stronger.
Return to your pre-baby body faster
This is probably the biggest reason why women maintain a regular exercise program during their pregnancy because nobody wants to look “pregnant” forever. It has been shown that keeping your muscle tone throughout your pregnancy allows your body to bounce back to its pre-baby shape faster than if your muscles are weak. Not to mention regular exercise means you gain less weight, so you won’t have as much to lose.
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