‘Pregnant Goddess in red skirt top
with red veil’
P
regnancy, labor, and childbirth are a sacred
time that can have a positive or negative af-
fect on a child’s growth and development for a
Diana O at her Blessingway/Baby lifetime. We now know that moderate impact
shower facilitated by Michelle.
exercise benefit both mother and baby during
and after pregnancy, labor, and birth. Exercise
Photographer: Michelle Maniaci
during pregnancy has a positive impact on your
baby’s brain. James Clapp MD, Author of Ex-
ercising Through Your Pregnancy has found
that children of women who exercise during
pregnancy have a higher IQ and score higher in
oral language skills. In his book entitled Spark,
John Ratey MD, explains that staying physically
active during pregnancy improves the nutritive
support for the baby’s brain cells that optimizes
learning, memory, and overall state of mind for
the baby and mother. He reports that babies
born to unhappy mothers are fussier, less re-
sponsive, harder to soothe, and have unpredict-
able sleep patterns.
According to the American College Of Obstet-
rics and Gynecology, the documented benefits
of exercise during pregnancy are as follows:
• Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloat-
ing, and swelling
• May help prevent or treat gestational diabe-
tes
• Increases your energy
• Improves your mood, especially beneficial
post-partum.
• Improves your posture
• Promotes muscle tone, strength, and endur-
ance
• Helps you sleep better
• Reduces perception of pain during labor and
shortens duration of labor.
• Lowers maternal blood pressure.
• Prevents depression, anxiety, and improves
attention.
• Enhances the brain’s capacity to learn.
If women want to maintain cardiovascular fit-
Belly Dance Based Movements:
ness during pregnancy, a sustained duration
for at least 30 minutes of exercise at least 5
During Pregnancy and Labor
times per week, and at a rate of 5-8/10 on a
rate of perceived exertion scale (RPE) is rec-
ommended. The RPE scale is a scale ranging
By: Michelle Maniaci, Licensed Physical Therapist, Integrative Yoga Ther- from 1 to 10 depicting how hard you think you
apist, Dance Teacher, Pre/Post Natal Movement Specialist
37
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