Nine Reasons to Stay Active During Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, everyone always seems to be telling you to lie down and “put your feet up.” (And you should – growing a baby is hard work!) But finding a way to be physically active, in a way that makes your changing body feel good, has many wonderful benefits for both you and your baby.

Here are nine reasons why staying active during pregnancy can help you both physically and mentally:

1. Gain strength and stamina for labor - There’s a reason it’s called “labor” - it’s hard work! Exercising builds your cardiovascular system and muscles making labor easier and more comfortable. During labor, squatting is a great way to stretch the pelvic muscles and use gravity to help the downward movement of your baby. So strengthening those muscles before you get to the delivery room can be very helpful. Pelvic floor exercises can help you mobilize muscles that will ultimately help you when it comes to pushing. Prenatal yoga and prenatal Pilates are great resources for specialized support in these areas.
2. Be more comfortable - There are times throughout your pregnancy when you may feel very uncomfortable with all the changes in your body. Exercise has been known to reduce backaches, constipation and bloating. Exercises that stretch your body help with aches and pains, and general movement supports the passage of gas through your digestive system.
3. Improve your mental state - You’ve no doubt heard about how feel-good endorphins are released when you exercise. Well, they can be especially helpful during pregnancy! Exercise-induced endorphins can boost your energy, help with mood swings and lower stress and anxiety.
4. Get more ZZZs - Even if you aren’t pregnant, daytime movement has been proven to help people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer. There are many reasons why sleep might be challenging throughout your pregnancy - especially towards the end - so exercise could be a big help to get the rest you need. Just be sure you don’t exercise too close to bedtime as you want to make sure those endorphins we talked about calm down a bit before you try to sleep.
5. Reduce the risk of some complications - Rates of certain pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia have been shown to be lowered in women who exercise. Complications like these can really restrict you in your pregnancy, so why not exercise your freedom to make this proactive healthy choice.
6. Support a healthy baby - Studies have shown that healthy moms = healthy babies! Pregnant people who exercise during pregnancy may have babies with healthier birth weights, lower fat masses and lower heart rates (a sign of a healthy heart.) Some studies even showed babies having better motor skills many months after birth. Look at you - already taking care of your baby!
7. Combat morning sickness - Guess what we are going to talk about again? Yup - endorphins! This heavenly hormone can also work wonders to counteract the nausea some people feel during pregnancy. If your morning sickness is making you just want to stay in bed, try and get even a short, low-intensity workout in during the time of day you feel the least sick. Some fresh air and movement can make a big difference.
8. Feel more in control of your body - So many things can seem out of your control when you are pregnant. A new person is growing inside you! By exercising, many women feel they can be more in tune with their changing body and understand what care and attention it needs from you.
9. Maintain a healthy weight - This is the obvious one, right? It’s hard to keep extra pounds off when you are craving peanut butter chocolate ice cream around the clock. Exercise can help you stay within a healthy weight gain range and supports your overall wellbeing.

Exercise is universally recognized by doctors as being beneficial to pregnant people and their growing babies. Of course, you should consult your provider before starting a new prenatal exercise routine. If you explore guided or group classes such as yoga or Pilates, be sure to sign up for a prenatal-specific series so that the instructor knows how to support you best. Be sure to drink lots of water and listen to your body - if things don’t feel right, take it a bit easier with simply walking or exploring other ways to get moving.

Supporting health, wellness and community in pregnancy and parenthood.

 For more learning and coaching from our experts at VHC Health™, we recommend VHC OB Journey which is chock full of information and resources:

• Download the app
  • Track your baby’s growth and count their kicks
  • Learn other mom’s birth stories
  • Watch helpful laboring and breastfeeding techniques
  • Learn everything you need to know about having a baby at VHC Health™
  • Log your baby’s feeding schedule
• Take classes such as our Advanced Comfort for Unmedicated Birth
• Attend free weekly Zoom sessions from our childbirth education team sharing important information about your stay
• Review our checklist for expectant parents
• Take a virtual labor and delivery tour
• Understand our labor and delivery visitor policy