How does physical activity during pregnancy affect the mother and child
Any parent, of course, wants to raise not just a smart and healthy child, but also a physically developed one. To do this, many people begin to instill a love for a healthy lifestyle and sports almost from birth. But even this is not yet a chapel-now doctors advise to engage in small physical activities even during pregnancy. This, according to them, not only helps to survive childbirth better, but also to instill in the child a love of sports even before birth.
These words are confirmed by a 2012 study, in which women with a pregnancy period of 12-14 weeks were divided into two groups, one of which began to exercise (and did it up to 36 weeks), and the other did not. The sessions lasted approximately 45 minutes, which included walking, step fitness, cardio, and light weight training. The result was not only a faster recovery after childbirth, but also a significant reduction in cases of cesarean section: 2 vs. 10 in the group without physical activity.
From a biological point of view, during pregnancy, women's blood circulation increases, because a new circle appears — the placental circle. This leads to additional cardiac stress. Exercise, as we all know, helps to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system and strengthen the heart muscle. And in the second half of pregnancy, the uterus, enlarged, begins to press on the diaphragm, which makes it difficult to breathe and the body may experience oxygen deficiency. Therefore, cardio training and breathing exercises will help you cope with childbirth more easily.
However, the first thing you need to do is to consult your doctor, as only he can know for sure whether you can train and what exercises you should do. Even if there are no contraindications, then you need to start training carefully — from 20 minutes gradually increase to 45 minutes 3 times a week. You should not even think about such sports where there is a high risk of injury: football, basketball, cycling, diving, etc.But simply too much stress, for example, long walking, is unacceptable, because it can cause oxygen starvation in a child. Starting from the 7th month of pregnancy, try to avoid exercises where you put your hands up.
Among the positive physical activities, you should pay attention to: aerobics, relaxation exercises, exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles, walking and swimming. But you should avoid exercises related to the press (this can lead to a miscarriage), jumping and running. Keep an eye on the heat regime (do not overheat) and drink more water.
As a uniform here, you should abandon the traditional synthetic tight T-shirts and pants, give preference to cotton wide clothing that will not restrict you in your movements. After week 19, you will need a bandage for training. Also, at this time, exclude exercises with a back load from your program. Put your feet in sneakers or soft slippers and do not exercise in the gym or on the street if the temperature there is above 20 degrees. Try to monitor your heart rate, which should be 70% of the highest indicator. This is calculated using the formula (220-age)*0.7.
We remind you once again that pregnant women, before starting to engage in fitness, need to undergo a comprehensive examination and consult with specialists. It is also advisable to study not alone or with a girlfriend, but with the careful supervision of a special trainer.
