Regular exercise during pregnancy can have many benefits for both the mother and the child, including:
• Better weight control: Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain and promote healthy weight gain.
• Improved mood: Exercise can boost energy levels and help manage discomfort.
• Reduced risk of complications: Exercise can help reduce the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and cesarean birth.
• Improved fitness: Exercise can strengthen the heart and blood vessels.
• Better for the baby: Exercise can create a healthy environment in utero, and studies show that children of women who exercise regularly have better body composition and neurodevelopment.
Exercise can also help with recovery after birth. Some studies show that prenatal pelvic floor muscle training can reduce the risk of urinary incontinence by about 50% before birth and 35% after birth.
If you weren't active before pregnancy, you can start slowly with your practitioner's approval. You can start with five minutes of activity a day, like a brisk walk, and add five minutes each week until you can stay active for 30 minutes.
