Exercise is an extremely important factor in having a healthy pregnancy, so you might be surprised that three out of four pregnant women in the U.S. don’t get enough exercise! Preventative Medicine reports that as few as 14% of women are meeting the minimum recommendations for physical activity, which could partly explain why so many moms struggle with their health, weight, and body image.
To help keep you motivated, here are 5 reasons you should get active at any stage of your pregnancy!
- Prenatal activity helps lower your heart rate, but more amazingly, studies show activity can positively affect your baby’s heart functions up to six years of age.
- Active mothers a less likely to suffer from gestational diabetes (1.8% vs 8.3%).
- 1 in 3 moms in the U.S. are giving birth via cesarean and 38% of women who did not do pelvic floor exercises had a prolonged second stage of labor (a common reason c-sections are performed)– not surprisingly, inactive moms are twice as likely to need a cesarean.
- Women are 58% less likely to deliver an excessively large baby when exercising regularly.
- Just 55 minutes of exercise, three days a week during pregnancy can make you 34% less likely to require an emergency c-section.
The key to these tips is that results happen when you make taking care of yourself through exercise a priority and a habit. Exercising regularly can be hard to fit in some days, but a simple and effective 10 minute workout is the difference between doing it, and not doing it!
Stay motivated, mamas– & have a happy, healthy pregnancy, birth, & beyond.
Julianna
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Other Related Knocked-Up Fitness and Wellness Posts:
- Fitness Fusion Workout {Video}
- Exercising During Pregnancy Can Help Prepare You for Life as a Mom! {Video}
- Prenatal Exercise & Postpartum Rewards
- 3 Reasons You Should Be Swimming!
Sources:
WebMD
Preventative Medicine
Journal of Science Medicine
National Center for Biotechnology Information
HealthyWomen.org
British Journal of Sports and Medicine
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