During pregnancy it is necessary to exercise for the well-being of the future mother and the baby. The pool can be a great ally of the pregnant woman, since it offers the possibility of a very healthy physical activity.
The great changes that the woman's body experiences during pregnancy need it to stay in shape to cope with them: weight gain, difficult blood circulation, muscular heaviness ...
Swimming helps women to keep many discomforts and ailments at bay during pregnancy, since this exercise helps to eliminate fluids, prevents overweight and prepares the muscles for changes during pregnancy and for childbirth.
In addition, being a medium in which the woman does not notice her weight, it is ideal to practice it until the moment of delivery (we repeat, if there are no risks, we are well and the specialist considers it appropriate), since the large increase in Volume and weight hardly influence the exercise we can do in the pool.
In Babies and more Heat and pregnancy: how to sleep well without air conditioning on summer nightsIf to all this we add that it is about a refreshing medium, ideal to dive into it and mitigate the heats of summer ... what else can we ask for?
Exercise during pregnancy in the pool
There are several possibilities of exercise in the pool: swimming, aquarerobic or underwater training. All are adequate thanks to the ability to float and weightlessness that water provides by favoring freedom of movement, so that the future mother can adopt positions unthinkable on the mainland.
However, we remember that it is the doctor who should assess the suitability or not of this type of exercise, according to the history of the future mother and the pregnancy she is carrying.
In the liquid element the spine and joints are distended and the weight is relieved during pregnancy, avoiding muscle overload. Flexibility is also increased given the decrease in the effect of the force of gravity.
On the other hand, water pressure reduces the risk of injury to both the mother and the baby due to trauma or sudden movements, and hydrodynamic resistance allows toning the muscles that suffer most during pregnancy and those who are involved in "train" childbirth.
Sustained and aerobic exercises favor cardiorespiratory resistance, blood circulation is activated and water exerts a massage effect that helps prevent the appearance of varicose veins, swelling ...
Swimming is the most frequent exercise in the pool. Except the butterfly style that is not recommended because it forces the arms and has more impact, the rest of the styles go to the woman's taste. The breaststroke style is highly recommended when starting many muscles, also back especially for the end of the exercise relax the spine, the croll ... Of course, all at a pace that does not fatigue us.
In addition, there are other practices such as the “aquaerobic”, more suitable during pregnancy than aerobics "dry", which is much more violent for the body (muscles, joints ...).
Training in water for pregnant women can influence specific areas, and if this is specifically aimed at pregnant women, water exercise will allow the most important muscles to work during pregnancy and childbirth. Above all, it will focus on the flexibilization and toning of the dorsolumbar, abdominal and perineal muscles.
Soon we will return with more tips for swimming during pregnancy, to enjoy this activity to the fullest and without risks. And we talk about "enjoy."
Because all the physical benefits we have mentioned for each modality of exercise in the pool during pregnancy are added mental benefits.
And is that the woman is going to find more relaxed and happy after physical activity, more agile and active, occupying time in a healthy way, probably in contact with other future moms, reasons for more consider the pool an ally of the pregnant.
Photos | iStockphoto and Julien Harer on Flickr-CC
In Babies and more | Exercise in pregnancy: swimming, Recommendations for a safe swimming in the pool with children
