(Originally posted on November 24, 2015)
Many women keep an active lifestyle during pregnancy, only slowing down as needed to compensate for their size and level of energy. Other women still perceive pregnancy as a tender state that calls for sedentary, protective inactivity because of fear of harming the developing fetus, or cultural/religious codes, or ‘old wives tales.’
History shows us that, through the ages, women carried out their daily routines during pregnancy, never having the luxury of the easy lifestyle available today. They tended to their household, and worked at home or in the fields, they walked miles on end — they proved that pregnancy is a healthy state.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) just released the most recent guidelines by Dr. Nathan Fox titled, Dos and Don’ts in Pregnancy – Truths and Myths. It is easy to read and includes a handy chart for a quick study.
Prior published guidelines titled, Ob-Gyns Continue to Fight Obesity Epidemic, Promote Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period, encouraged women to maintain or adopt a healthy lifestyle before, during and after pregnancy. The guidelines include a list of safe physical activities during pregnancy, such as modified yoga and Pilates, strength training, and running or jogging, and emphasize that “Pregnancy should not be looked at as a state of confinement.”
We urge you to read these articles and defer any questions to your attending clinician.
Here is to your health, and to the health of your soon-to-arrive baby!
