In the old days, pregnancy was thought of much the same way as a disease. So pregnant women were given the same sort of advice we’d give someone who was ill: Take it easy. Rest. Don’t exert yourself. Luckily, we know better today. We know that regular exercise actually benefits a pregnant mother tremendously. It also has serious benefits for the development of the fetus!
Why you should workout during pregnancy
1. Healthier hearts
Your resting heart rate says a lot about you. The lower it is, the fitter you are. Says Dr Suzanne Steinbaum, director of the women’s heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital:
“That’s [that a resting heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute] the old standard. Many doctors think it should be lower. About 50-70 beats per minute is ideal…”
Researchers have found that the foetuses of preggie moms who work out regularly have lower resting heart rates than those of moms who don’t. This indicates that these babies are indeed fitter than the “inactive” babies.
The fit foetuses become fit newborns. They’re less likely to suffer from heart disease thanks to that fitness. If they continue to be active toddlers (and then pre-schoolers, etc), then these kids will quite likely be fit throughout their lives (read: Less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, etc).
2. Less puppyfat
We know that pregnant moms who exercise gain less weight than their peers who don’t exercise. And doctors find that the babies born to these moms follow the trend.
The babies born to active mothers are born with better muscle tone and less fat than those born to inactive mothers.
But here’s the real kicker: These babies carry these traits well into their childhood years. Meaning that the babies of active mothers enjoy a healthier weight throughout their childhood. The babies of inactive mothers are more likely to become overweight or obese.
And we know that obese toddlers turn into adults who are more likely to battle with weight issues than toddlers of a healthy weight.
3. Smarter brains
Scientists have found that the brains of babies born from active mommies develop more rapidly than those of babies born to inactive mommies. These scientists believe that this more rapid development allows these babies to develop language and motor skills more quickly and easily than the “inactive” babies.
You don’t need any more proof that staying active during your pregnancy is a powerful way to give your child a head-start on the road to a healthy, intelligent life.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
And if you’re passionate about healthy pregnancies, and think you have what it takes to be a specialist personal trainer, enrol with Trifocus Fitness Academy for a Comprehensive Certification in Exercise during Pregnancy.
