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PREGNANTAND


month 4 FIT


BY TRACEY HAWTHORNE There are


countless benefits to keeping fit during pregnancy, not only for you as a mom, but also for your baby


t’s been conclusively proven that moderate exercise during pregnancy is good for the developing foetus, and a recent study showed that mothers who work out while they’re pregnant may even have smarter babies. The study, carried out at the University of Montreal, assigned 10 pregnant women to an exercise group and eight to an inactive group at the start of their second trimester. The active group engaged in at least 20 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise three times a week.


I


When the babies were eight to 12 days old, their brain activity was measured and the babies whose mothers had done some exercise showed a


84 YOUR PREGNANCY slight advantage.


Another recent study showed the health benefits of exercise in pregnancy could carry through into the babies’ adult lives. Researchers from California State University San Marcos in the USA and Universitätsmedizin Greifswald in Germany demonstrated that exercise can program a baby’s arteries to resist heart problems, and that those positive effects and benefits could continue into their adulthood.


But keeping fit in pregnancy isn’t only good for the developing baby. “Exercise in pregnancy has many benefits, not only for the mom but for the whole growing family,” says Dr Etti Barsky, training director at Preggi Bellies.


“It decreases the risks of pregnancy related aches and pains, improves recovery post delivery and helps control weight gain,” she explains. “It also results in a calm, healthy baby who’s able to cope with the physiological demands of labour. And exercise is a great stress reliever, and can help moderate those hormonal mood swings of pregnancy.”


HOW MUCH IS JUST ENOUGH? Obviously, you need to be sensible about what exercise you do when you’re pregnant. Moderate intensity exercise is physical activity that, if you had to give yourself a score out of 20 for effort, you would get anything between 12 and 14. “There’s also the talk test, where you should be able to


SHOULDEXPECT WHATYOU


For most women this is the golden time of pregnancy. The fatigue and morning sickness


of the first trimester usually


subsides, mood swings level out and, as energy returns and different hormones come into play, you may feel full, healthy and even sexy. While your bump is beginning to show and you may begin to feel the first fluttering of movement, it’s not yet big enough to slow you down.


YOUR BODY AND BABY


RYCO NAPPY BAG R659.99 Baby Boom, Baby City


Be ready


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