Walking during pregnancy: dismantling myths
Many articles written about the benefits of walking during pregnancy. In fact, when a woman asks the specialist about what sport is recommended during pregnancy, it is common to recommend walking. However, I often meet women in the consultation or in childbirth classes, who tell me that walking does
Many articles written about the benefits of walking during pregnancy. In fact, when a woman asks the specialist about what sport is recommended during pregnancy, it is common to recommend walking.
However, I often meet women in the consultation or in childbirth classes, who tell me that walking does not feel very good, or that they have pubic pains, their lower back is bothersome, who have sciatica; and still they continue walking a lot, because they have recommended it, or they have read it. There are even women, who are really 'touched' and can not walk and feel guilty.
Benefits of exercise during pregnancy
The benefits of physical exercise are well known, and of course walking enters them, since it is a low impact exercise on the joints and pelvic floor, and it is also aerobic. The advantages we will find are many:
- Increase self-esteem by minimizing depression and anxiety.
- Helps maintain an adequate rate of weight gain.
- Improves cardiovascular and muscular condition.
- Favors postural correction.
- Reduces digestive discomfort.
- Reduces discomfort related to pregnancy: weight and volume increase, less coordination, apathy.
- Increases psychological well-being.
- Recovery after delivery is faster.
- Recovery of pre-pregnancy weight is accelerated.
- Increase your energy and well-being levels.
- Improves the quality of sleep.
- It serves as training for childbirth.
To notice its benefits we usually recommend to practice it with a frequency of 3-4 times per week about 40-60 minutes; this way we will achieve an increase in resistance, cardiovascular and respiratory capacity; but they do not work specifically on the changes of the pregnant woman's body. In other words, these exercises are good for everyone, and not only during pregnancy.
When walking is not the best sport during pregnancy
We have to understand that although pregnancy is not a disease, the woman's body will change drastically in just 9 months:
- High weight gain ( 9-12 kg recommended, some more).
- Change of the center of gravity due to the increase of the abdomen.
- Increased lumbar lordosis (lower back).
- Decreased respiratory capacity, anemia in some cases.
- Joint instability, relaxin (hormone that impregnates the joints so that the day of delivery the pelvis can have a greater range of mobility) impregnates all the joints of the woman; making it prone to diastasis of the symphysis pubis, which is much worse if we walk.
All these changes make walking not the best exercise during pregnancy; and if the slightest discomfort appears, change to other aerobic exercises that provide the same benefits as: swimming, elliptical, stationary bicycle.
Exercises beneficial for the pregnant woman
In recent times, exercises have been incorporated that specifically work the pelvic floor, making the woman aware of the muscles that compose her, teach her how to move, maintain her posture. These new disciplines incorporated in the prenatal period, will try to alleviate the secondary inconveniences to the body changes of the pregnant woman (lumbago, constipation, insomnia, joint pain ...), that is, it is a much more global and more specific work; which can be combined with the aerobic exercise mentioned above.
I am referring to prenatal Pilates, yoga for pregnant women, belly dancing, aqua-gym, always coordinated by a midwife; or qualified professional to handle the changes and peculiarities of a pregnant woman, quarter by quarter.
