Active for Life

Studies have shown that exercise before during and after pregnancy has many benefits. Apart from making you feel good at this sometimes delicate time continuation of exercise is good for the mother and baby.

Some of the benefits of training during pregnancy:

•  reduced perceived pain in childbirth                                
  
•  easier, shorter and less complicated labours
•  maintain better self image
•  reduced swellings
•  strengthened abdominal muscles
•  enhanced muscular balance (relieving back pain etc)
•  improved circulation (reducing risk of varicose veins)  
• reduced maternal weight gain and fat accumulation

The list goes on ...

Women who exercise regularly through exercise seem to maintain a better self image and generally feel more positive about themselves.

There are also benefits for the baby, exercise seems to improve the baby's ability to deal with intermittent disturbances during pregnancy, there seems to be some evidence that babies of women who exercise have less problems with the transition to life outside the uterus, this may be linked to evidence that sound and vibratory stimuli accelerate  the development of the baby's brain. Babies very often are born with less body fat too.

Post natal mums are usually ready to get back to their exercise regime after 6 - 8 weeks if there have been no complications. Mum is much busier now and exercise may not be her first priority, however the benefits are huge:

• improved posture
• increased muscle endurance
• increased stamina
• increased energy
• increased weight loss and improved body image
• increased self confidence
• reduced anxiety