Exercising While Pregnant

What’s safe and what’s not...

Just how active can you be while pregnant? Well, women have run marathons and then went on to give birth in the same day. But is that healthy? Ultimately, no one really knows. What doctors and researchers do agree on, however, is that being an active carrying mother has many benefits – you just need to find out what’s best for you.

Several recent studies – the results backed by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – have shown that exercise helps keep excess pregnancy weight down; it reduces aches, pains and bloating; it increases your mood and energy, helps you sleep better, and can even ease with labor and recovery.
Knowing how far you can push it, however, isn’t widely understood. Researchers can’t exactly force a test group of pregnant moms into intense exercise regimens – and remain moral – to see what happens. It’s best to play it safe. Most experts suggest focusing on low-impact exercises like stationary bikes, lap swimming, and yoga. The ACOG suggests a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most, if not all, days. Before you begin, of course, make sure you get approval from your doctor.

Can you run a marathon the day of delivery? Some have, after all, but it’s not recommended. The upside, however, is that yes, you can – and should – stay in shape. Pregnancy isn’t the green light on eating whatever you want and staying stationary, which for many active women, is good news.