Introducing: Maternity Mondays !

It's Mommy Monday!!
Every monday, the topic at hand will be related to all things maternal for all the mommys or mommy's-to-be out there.

Take a look at the list of all the GOOD exercise can do for yourself and your baby as well as some myths that should be banished!

Prenatal Benefits

· improves your fertility
· reduces the unpleasant effects of the biomechanical changes in your body
· eliminates or reduces pregnancy-related discomforts
· prevents and treats pregnancy-induced diabetes
· improves calcium absorption, preventing hypertension, preeclampsia, and future osteoporosis
· relieves tension, stress, and possible depression
· increases your general strength, improving your ability to carry your larger belly
· reduces the strain on your upper back
· reduces the strain and pressure on your lower back and sciatic nerve
· prevents “rounded shoulders” and improper posture
· increases energy, particularly in the last trimester
· improves your immunity
· less excess weight gain
· a better looking pregnant body
· increases your self-esteem and improves your self-image
· gives you a more positive outlook on your pregnancy and motherhood
· strengthens, tones, and gives you better control of your pelvic floor muscles during labor
· improves your endurance, fitness level, and muscle control, for a faster, easier, and less painful labor
· prevents or reduces the risk of labor complications
· reduces your chance of needing a C-section
· reduces the chance of birth defects
· increases the chance of delivering a child with higher Apgar scores (tests taken at one and five minutes after birth-low scores usually indicate a problem with the baby’s health)

Postpartum benefits

· minimizes stretch marks
· minimizes postpartum blues or depression
· minimizes present and future incontinence (urinary leaking) and organ prolapse problems
· allows faster recovery from pregnancy and labor
· helps you get back into shape easier, faster, and more safely
· reduces back strain from carrying and nursing your newborn
· increases energy and allows you to keep up with your baby
· gives you time for yourself
· improves your child’s health
· keeps your child calmer
· minimizes your child’s chances of having a weight problem
· improves your child’s neurological, mental, and physical development


Myths – things regular exercise during pregnancy was thought to cause:

· miscarriage
· hormonal imbalance
· overstressing of the joints, increasing risk of injury
· redirecting blood flow away from the fetus to the muscles, reducing oxygen and nutrient supply for the fetus
· overheating the fetus in the womb
· uterine bleeding
· displacement or rupture of the placenta (the placenta moving to cover the opening of the cervix, preventing the baby from coming out during labor)
· entangled umbilical cord (the cord wrapping around the baby, causing fetal distress)
· breech position (baby’s fee or buttocks presenting instead of the head)
· increased risk of a C-section, or use of medical instruments to help get the baby out
· hypertension or high blood pressure
· abnormal genes in the baby
· growth retardation
· meconium-stained amniotic fluid (if the fetus excretes feces or stool before it is born, it could inhale it from the amniotic fluid, blocking its airways and damaging its lungs)
· premature labour
· prolonged labour
· fetal distress
· stillbirth
· low birth weight
· low Apgar scores
· difficulties for the baby after birth
· difficult maternal recovery after birth

Old fashioned way of thinking had pregnant women limiting their workout sessions to 15 minutes and keeping their heart rates under 140 bpm (beats per minute). Being pregnant already increases your resting heart rate by about 10-20 bpm, so just walking around could bring it up that high. Most research during those times were backed up by testings done on animals so it is no surprise to discover that those findings do not quite correlate to human pregnancies.

Dr. Clapp, professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Metro Health and Medical Center in Cleveland, states, “Pregnancy is a normal physiological state, not a disease, and the benefits of exercise appear to be substantial for both the woman and the pregnancy.”

A few important things to keep in mind though:

Be consistent! Irregular workouts can do more harm than good. It can cause injuries and muscle fatigue, regularity is the key word. A good program will consist of at least 3 weekly workouts, each last a minimum of 20 minutes. Unless you are extremely fit, it is wise to limit aerobic activity to 45 mins at a time, listen to your body!

Individualized programs for your specific circumstances! You may be a high-risk pregnancy, so it is best to have a professional plan out the workouts catered to your fitness level and also there to supervise the exercises proposed.

MODIFY MODIFY MODIFY! If you are used to a high intense workout, you may be able to maintain that for a little while, but you do want to stay away from the ‘no pain, no gain’ motto. This is not the time to grunt through pain or focus on building muscle mass. It is all about maintaining your health, strength, flexibility and endurance to ensure a easier delivery and quick rebound back to your prior fitness levels.

Until next week, stay active all you mommy's out there, YOU are the role model for your children (whether you want to be or not!)

Health respect & happiness,
Beki