Studies have shown that pregnant women with higher activity levels are more likely to have a “natural” birth without medical intervention. Being active can prevent you from gaining too much weight during pregnancy, which can help you have a child with a healthy birth weight.
- Active before pregnancy? Carry on with your usual exercise regime (after checking with your healthcare provider).
- If you weren’t active before you conceived, talk to your healthcare provider about starting gently with a goal. For instance, asking them about 30 minutes of low-impact activity five days a week. Walking counts, so consider getting off the bus a couple of stops early or swap short drives for walks.
- Continue to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to provide your child with the nutrition he needs. This can help you to gain the right amount of weight while you’re pregnant.
Sources
Jiang H, Qian X, Lynn H, Fan Y, Jiang H, He F, He G. Can physical activity reduce excessive gestational weight gain? Findings from a Chinese urban pregnant women cohort study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2012; 9:12. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-9-12.
Morgan KL, Rahman MA, Hill RA et al. Physical activity and excess weight gain in pregnancy have independent and unique effects on delivery and prenatal outcomes. PLoS One 2014; 9(4):e94532. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094532
Stuebe A, Oken E, Gillman MW. Associations of diet and physical activity during pregnancy with risk for excessive gestational weight gain. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009; 201(1):58.e1-8.doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.02.025
Last revised: August, 2016
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