Prenatal Exercise Advice

THE BENEFITS OF PRENATAL EXERCISE
2009-03-15

The Benefits of exercising for YOU during pregnancy

• Improves your stamina to get through labour.

• Improves the efficiency of your circulation which becomes more sluggish during pregnancy.

• Improves muscular balance to cope with the progressive pregnancy changes and helps to reduce aches and pains caused by poor posture.

• During pregnancy you gain “baby fat” to protect and help develop your growing baby but exercising can help to control this additional weight gain.

• Exercise induced “Endorphins” will give you a sense of well-being and a natural high which will make you feel good and may help you to cope with the pain of labour.

• Increases body awareness to help you get through the challenge of labour and delivery and stay in control.

• Quicker postnatal recovery

Benefits for Baby
• Exercise early in pregnancy stimulates placental growth. Exercise in late pregnancy may improve placental function.

• Babies from active mums tend to be leaner, with strong muscles. They often can hold their own head up at an early age! Bigger babies may be at higher risk of developing asthma & other allergic conditions.

• Sound and vibratory stimuli before birth may accelerate the development of the baby’s brain.