Congrats to all the new moms out there and to the ones expecting!

It’s definitely an exciting time, and definitely one with a lot of worry especially as a first time parent. There are new changes happening in the body, also aches and pain that come along with it and certainly some physical constraints.

Many women worry that exercising during their pregnancy will negatively affect their baby so they abandon the idea of working out altogether but new research and experience from other women – including those without a history of being physically active before getting pregnant actually prove that working out is far better for you and your baby than not working out.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology encourage women to continue or start an exercise routine during pregnancy, one that includes strength training, cardio, and flexibility -the are numerous benefits, check out some of the major ones below:

• Strength training helps put on lean muscle which increases your metabolism and you end up burning more calories even when at rest.
• Women who exercise regularly have increased energy and the quality of deep sleep is improved.
• Strength training and stretching during pregnancy reduces lower back pain, and when core training is emphasized, posture is improved and the chance of getting diastasis recti is reduced.
• Women who keep a healthy body weight during pregnancy reduce the chance of having overweight and unhealthy babies.
• It’s easier for women to bounce back to the body they’ve had before getting pregnant if they’ve included working out on a regular basis as opposed to being sedentary.
• A recent study shows that regular exercise may help prevent and even treat symptoms of gestational diabetes.
• Women who stay active during pregnancy experience less pelvic pain.
• Women are less likely to need a Cesarean and have better bladder control after delivery with strength training being a priority during their pregnancy.

During pregnancy women have the opportunity to create the best habits, because they aren’t just looking after themselves, they’re preparing themselves mentally and physically to become a mom and looking after a growing baby. It’s important to be strong for the added responsibilities ahead and just as important to fuel with the best nutrition.

The healthy habits women adopt during pregnancy like regularly working out and eating more nutritiously can develop into long term habits and a lifestyle that their kids will learn from and follow as well, and that’s the best part.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology  strongly recommends that moms-to-be aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity training per week:

A 50 minute workout 3 x per week or spread out 5 days a week for 30 minutes.

Working out during pregnancy can not only maintain or improve your physical fitness, but it can also help ensure healthy pregnancy weight gain, lower the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and c-section delivery and shorten your postpartum recovery time.