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Pregnancy and The Importance of Exercise
Health | April 14, 2015
A really interesting study just came out in the journal Nature that seems to show just how much of an effect exercise can have on a developing child. More specifically the study showed that when an expectant mother consistently exercises it may dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease in her children.
The human heart is the first thing to develop after conception. Unfortunately, this means that congenital (present at birth) heart conditions are not only hard to detect but also hard to fix. Dr. Patrick Jay, a pediatrics professor at Washington University in St. Louis, recently told the New York Times that heart damage usually occurs before it can even be detected in babies.
The inability to detect or correct heart defects at birth has lead scientists and researchers to look for preventative measures to limit the risks. One huge factor that often affects the heart health of a child is the age of the mother. The older a woman conceives the greater the chances of heart complications in the child.
However, what the scientists in this study discovered was that if older women consistently exercise the chances of their children developing a heart condition lessens a great deal. Potentially, older women – near or around menopause – who consistently exercise have the same risk of conceiving a child with heart problems as younger women half their age. That’s freaking amazing! And not just because I’m getting old 🙂
Another interested aspect of the study was that diet did not play an important role though the scientists thought it would. They thought that a slower metabolism due to age might have more negative consequences, but it did not. Dr. Jay does seem to think that metabolic changes caused by exercise may have a lot of positive effects on the health of the uterus and, therefore, the developing child.
Now some of you might be saying, “But Z! All these studies were done on mice!” Sure, but that’s how most research works. A lot of it makes sense though. I’m curious to see more studies on this subject.
Any pregnant warriorz out there? Any warriorz able to find time and to workout while being pregnant? I have expressed my opinion about working out while pregnant in my latest coffee talk, so I wonder what you guys think.
Private Member |
I wish I knew Zuzka back when I was having kids in my 20’s. I’m in better shape now in my 30’s with a 13, 11 and 9 year old! I’m not going to lose sleep over it, but I really really wish I understood the importance of exercising 10 years ago.
There is no perfect time to have kids, each of us has different paths that we take. I was lucky enough to marry young and have kids young, but there are disadvantages to that too. I didn’t do college/career, I chose a family, and I will eventually have to choose something once my kids are out of the house, and starting school scares me to death!
Private Member |
I had a wonderful doctor when I was pregnant. She said, continue with the activities you have been doing so far as long as it feels good for you. Also she encouraged me to trust my body. It will tell what feels good and whats not. So I continued as before and felt really good! When my belly grow bigger I did some modifications, eg. I could not lay down on my belly so I did those exercises on all four. Also my movement became slower so I took down the pace. The last month only thing i could do was swimming and water running. That was awesome, because I felt so heavy with that 10kg extra and so released by the weightless experience floating in water (normally I hate swimming).
One important thing to consider tough. You dont need abs to deliver the baby. Abs should move away from the middle of the stomach towards the sides leaving space for the baby. Well, I was doing abs because it felt good to do it, and I regret it deeply! My ab muscles was too strong and made pushing really awkward. Because all time I pushed, my abs contracted moving the baby in the opposite direction. So the pushing episode took me one and half hour and ended up with episiotomy. Which was not nice. I still got scars from that an can use only boxer kind of underwear… So if I ever get pregnant again I’m sure I will do NO ABS WHATSOEVER!!!! 🙂
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astoria, or, usa
Hi Zuzka, I am currently pregnant, and just creeping into my 2nd trimester today! Finding the time to workout is not difficult, as nothing has really changed yet to occupy my time (ie. baby); however, finding the energy is another story! As many are aware, a common side-effect of pregnancy is fatigue. I’m not much of a runner, but every once in a while I like to jog this 3 mile loop just to prove to myself that I still CAN! But I remember the day I found out I was pregnant, I was 1/2 way into this run and was so exhausted that my legs literally stopped moving on their own! I have since been following your workout schedule for the most part; however, given the 2-a-day schedule, I have more options to choose from that fit my energy level and ability. So if there’s a choice between a body weight workout and a kettlebell workout, even if the KB is the actual one scheduled, I may opt for the easier body weight workout (I’m just not sure how much weight is too much). So far I’m able to do all the exercises still but am listening to my body and take it at my own pace. One thing I’ve figured out is that nausea and fatigue are no excuse not to exercise (for me anyways). My nausea would only come at one or two times a day and same with the fatigue. So I just choose better times for myself to workout and have even half-assed some workouts when I’ve been really tired for an energy boost. I’m definitely breathing for two though and even your Beginner Cardio workouts are leaving me out of breath, but I’m really enjoying them for those sleepy days 😉
Private Member |
I really loved this post. It gives me a good idea what to expect from my future with having children. I also thought it should be mentioned that exercise while you’re pregnant (as long as its not too strenuous), is definitely beneficial for when you go into labor and delivery!
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bad oldesloe, schleswig holstein, germany
I think exercises on regular bases is always good but all studys tested on animals are not reproducible on human beings!!! We are too different and a lot of Drugs and other things tested on different animals, that works perfect on them, caused a lot of damage to humans and other way round.
Private Member |
I am 19 weeks pregnant right now and have been working out with Zuzka since the beginning. I am also a doctor and know first hand the great benefits of staying active throughout pregnancy. It is not just heart disease but a lot of other complications that you can prevent by staying fit during pregnancy. The one important thing is to check with your doctor! Or midwife. Not every pregnant woman is fit to exercise unfortunately. In my first trimester I had bleeding and had to stop working out for 3 weeks. It was horrible to sit still but if I had continued to workout, the effects might have been detrimental. So, it is very personal. Also, depends on your pre-pregnancy activity level, if you were one of the warriorZ before getting pregnant, by all means, try and keep it up at the pace that your body lets you! Just be careful not to overheat in the first 3 months and don’t jump in the last 3! Also, as above modify your program to not focus on 6-packs.
As for me, I can’t keep up with any of the JR or other hard core exercise routines with jumping in it. I am probably 50% of what I was before, I can’t do a ton of HIIT so I do repetition based stuff. Mostly squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, etc. What I LOVE are the power yoga workouts. They are simply the BEST for me right now!
I wanted to thank you Zuzka for all the years I’ve been working out with you. I was definitely in my best shape before my pregnancy and just when the time came that I thought I could no longer follow you, here you are with power yoga! You’re awesome.
Private Member |
Hi, I’m 32 and 15 weeks pregnant for the first time. I’ve been walking my dog lots and doing your workouts. just been tired more, so I’m not doing as many workouts a week as I use too. Love yoga and can’t get enough pickles lol.
Private Member |
Actually I followed most of your workouts, jump rope made me pee, until I was 8 months pregnant and ran. Althougheverything was slower and certainly more careful with the stretching of ligaments and tendons but as my second pregancy I found it easier to get back into pre-preg shape afterward. Also incorperating my little bundle in post birth workouts was a sweet bonding experience.