Exercise is good for pregnant women!

 

In addition to the regular benefits of exercise, pregnant women who exercise are likely to return to their pre-pregnancy shapes sooner, feel increased energy, and fend of stress more readily. According to James F. Clapp, M.D., author of Exercising Through Your Pregnancy women can exercise before, during, after their pregnancies. “Some women fear that exercise will increase the risk of miscarriage, malformations, pre-term labor, brain damage to the baby, or material injury, but this is not the case.”
 
However, according to Dr. Clapp’s research, women who exercise feel better, perform better, and have babies that are be stronger physiologically and perhaps better developed neurologically.” Among the questions he answers:
  
·  How does exercise benefit the mother?
·  How does exercise affect growth of the fetus?
·  What is the effect of exercise on milk production?
·  Does exercise limit weight gain during pregnancy?
·  What is the right amount of exercise?
·  What are the dos and don’ts of exercising when pregnant?
·  When should exercise be avoided?
·  How late into pregnancy can you exercise?
·  What should be the exercise regimen after giving birth?

Dr. Clapp provides guidelines for exercise plans that safely fulfill a mother’s needs during different phases of pregnancy.

 

Common Myths About Exercising and Pregnancy

 

1. Pregnant women should keep their heart rates under 140 beats per minute.
2. Exercise during lactation makes the milk taste sour.
3. Women should avoid abdominal exercises in mid and late pregnancy.
4. Pregnant women should not lift weights.
5. The bouncing and jarring which occur during running and high-impact aerobics increase the risk for the baby getting tangled up in the umbilical cord.
6.  Exercise causes premature labor.
7.  Exercise will cause the fetus to detach from the wall of the womb.
8.  Exercise right after a pregnancy will cause hernias and loss of vaginal and pelvic support.

Average Customer Review: ( 54 customer reviews )
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With my first pregnancy, I got so frustrated following the ACOG recommendations for exercise that I stopped working out. It was just too boring to go for a "brisk" walk.

This book helped me to realize that its o.k. to continue running throughout my pregnancy (which I'm still doing at 26 weeks). Dr. Clapp has references to many women who are very active throughout their pregnancies, with *postive* effects on their pregnancy: less weight gain (but still a healthy amount) and giving birth earlier but still full term (37 to 42 weeks is considered term - exercisers tend to be closer to the 37/38 week mark in his studies).

Enough motivation in this book to keep you sweating right up until the day you deliever!

44 of 44 found the following review helpful:

Best/most detailed book on exercise in pregnancy I have readMar 26, 1999

I have ordered several books on exercising during pregnancy and most are a dissappointment if you are already active at all. This book explains in detail (and with scientific, medical studies) exactly what you are feeling and why. It explains what effect exercise has on your growing baby and on you,the Mother. The book also includes exercise prescriptions for different types of women, from sedentary to competitive athlete. I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to exercise safely during pregnancy -- but particularly recommend it to those who already are exercising and need much more than the typical beginning books about walking and leg lifts.

80 of 85 found the following review helpful:

The most DETAILED & ENCOURAGING book available on exercisingDec 09, 2002
By Cynthia Hamilton
I have read a lot of books on exercising while pregnant, but most of them are kind of weak. They tell you to be very, very cautious... and they don't tell you much about how it is really affecting you and the fetus/baby.

This book is awesome and I'm a hard critic. It doesn't show you pictures of women doing all the exercises in these modified ways that you never look at again. It focuses on studies of what other women did and the outcomes (babies birth weights, preterm labor, etc). The part I liked best was that the subjects in the studies exercised fairly intensely, not just walking twice a week. It told you how, for example, 25-30 miles of running per week will benefit you and the baby DURING pregnancy.

I just loved it (and I don't know the author!).

And don't be put off by the brightly colored pregnant woman on the front that appears to be walking--this covers intense exercise.

49 of 53 found the following review helpful:

Especially good for the pregnant woman who is already fit.Feb 23, 2000
By Fool For Love
This book contains good science and good sense besides. I liked the information about the physiological effects of pregnancy and exercise, as well as the practical tips on staying comfortable while performing aerobics, etc. The findings of Dr. Clapp and his team were both reassuring and inspiring. Strong evidence that my aerobics routine would not harm me or my pregnancy made this book worthwhile by itself, but it was great to read about the many health benefits they discovered for pregnant women that exercise and for their babies.

25 of 25 found the following review helpful:

My favorite pregnancy book so farJan 18, 2000

I cannot say enough positive things about this book! Dr. Clapp is a leading expert in the field of exercise and pregnancy, and in this book, he painstakingly explains what happens in your body when you exercise during pregnancy. He also makes very detailed recommendations for different types of women (beginners, recreational, competitive), and he has studied the whole thing for about 20 years. And last but not least, it's really obvious from the book that Dr. Clapp is incredibly enthusiastic about women, exercise, and pregnancy.

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