fitness

 

FIT MOMS MAKE FIT BABIES

Expecting Fitness"Physical health is not a commodity to be bargained for. Nor can it be swallowed in form of a drugs and pills. It has to be earned through sweat” – BKS Iyenger

 

At a prenatal fitness conference by Strollerstrides in San Diego CA, James F. Clapp III MD, Emeritus Professor of Reproductive Biology at Case Western Reserve University, and Research Professor of OB/GYN at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, spoke of his research on prenatal fitness. Some still unpublished studies. His conclsuion is that -"Exercise in pregnancy augments the woman's body for fetal and maternal protection." But that exercise volume matters. The more a pregnant woman is able to exercise the better off she and her baby will be in the long term. Higher volume (HV) and intensity exercise ( Cardiovascular and weight training exercise for 3+ workouts a week for 40+ minutes duration) produce more and longer term benefits than low volume (LV) exercise (yoga, swimming,..) and moms who quit exercising half way through a pregnancy will have no benefits and may be worse off weight wise, than if she didn't exercise at all.

Maternal Benefits: HV exercise reduces back aches, depression, weight gain, fat deposting, edema, injuries, obstetrical complications, labor time, medical intervention (forceps/vacume ), C-section rates (by 75%), recovery time, moreso than LV exercise. HV exercise reduces weight gain and fat depositing than non-exercisers, but LV exercise doesn't. There is a substantial reduction in pregnancy depression and postpartum depression for those moms that continue to exercise immediatly post baby. Dr. Clapp found that depression sores from Obstetrical complications, and that exercise reduces obstetrical complications, thus reducing the likelyhood of postpartum depression. @ 1-5 years after baby, the HV exercising moms had much lower bodyfat, rates of incontinence, muscle pain, and no diastasis (abdominal separation) and higher Cardiovascular fitness levels than non exercisers. The LV exercising moms experienced most of these benefits, but retained a much higher body fat percentage. At 18-20 years post baby, the HV exercising moms again fared much better than LV or non-exercising moms.

Baby's Benefits: Fit moms have no increase in misscarriage, ectopic, twin pregnancy, still birth, congenital malformations, or placental abruptions. "Fit Babies" have less fetal distress, meconium, cord entanglements, abnormalities and better Apgar scores at birth. Fit babies are of normal growth, with a leaner body mass (less fat), more relaxed, with better neurological development, environmental orientation and self regulating, This means, a happier, calmer baby that sleeps better at night. A baby's morphometrics can be "molded" with exercise and diet. At 5 years of age, the fit children have normal growth, neurological development, academic and motor skills, blood pressure and body weight, but increased IQ and verbal skills. At 17-19 years, the fit children have average to super academic performance, are super athletes, with normal growth, insuline levels, low body fat and blood pressure. In addition, even though pregnant women may not lie still on your back, it is fine to exercise on your back during pregnancy, and exercise should be resumed no later than 2-3 weeks postpartum. Nov. 6, 2006

exercise guidELINES - ACOG

(Please read these first, then proceed to exercises)
 Pregnant Exercise
  1. There are no reasons why a pregnant woman should limit her exercise intensity and lower her target heart rate, unless she has any risk factors that could compromise her pregnancy. She should have a health assessment and an individualized exercise program.

  2. A pregnant woman can continue to exercise at mild-to-moderate intensities. Regular exercise (at least three times a week) is better than sporadic exercise.

  3. A pregnant woman should avoid exercising in the supine position (on your back) after the first trimester if you feel dizzy.

  4. A pregnant woman should be aware that she has less oxygen available to do aerobic exercise with, and needs to modify the intensity accordingly. A pregnant woman should stop exercising if fatigued and not exercise to exhaustion.

  5. Weight-bearing exercises (walking, running, using your whole body) may be continued throughout pregnancy at similar levels to before pregnancy with caution. Non-weight-bearing exercises like cycling and swimming (your body is supported), minimize the risk of injury, and can be started and continued throughout pregnancy.

  6. A pregnant woman should avoid exercises and activities that could compromise her balance, because of pregnancy related bodily changes, especially in the third trimester. And avoid exercises that have the potential of any abdominal trauma (falling or getting hit accidentally).

  7. Pregnant women who exercise should make sure that they eat enough food. Preferably more than the 300 extra calories a day that pregnancy needs (500-800 extra calories a day if you exercise).

  8. Pregnant women who exercise in the first trimester should make sure to stay as cool as possible, by drinking a lot of water, wearing clothes that breathe, and avoiding hot and humid weather when exercising.

  9. If you are a beginner, start slowly and increase gradually and remember that pregnancy is only a time to maintain fitness and strength, not to break a personal record.

  10. Do toning or weight training exercises at least twice a week, strengthening every body part.

  11. Stretch every muscle group except your abdominals every workout.

  12. Do your Kegels every day.

  13. Avoid accidents by using proper posture, alignment, movement transition, muscle control, speed, and avoid quick changes in movement or direction. Make sure that your exercise equipment is in good condition, and in proper working order.

  14. Move your legs or walk around in between every exercise, do not sit or stand still for a long time.

  15. Do not exercise in hot or humid weather. Go indoors in an air-conditioned room.

  16. Water, water, water! Drink lots before, during and after your workout!

  17. Wear comfortable and appropriate clothing for the activity, and for the weather. Wear a well-supporting sport bra. If it is cold, wear several layers that can be removed. If it is warm, wear loose cotton or Supplex fabrics to stay cool and dry.

  18. Never hyperextend your back during a pregnancy

  19. Use the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to determine how hard you are working. A good pace is between 50-80% of your capacity, depending on your fitness level.


  20. Think and feel on a scale of 1-10 how hard you are working.

    1    Sleeping
    2    Watching TV
    3    Cooking/Working on your computer
    4    Shopping
    5 - 6   Moderate intensity exercise
    7 - 8   High intensity exercise
    9    Very high intensity
    10  Extreme intensity (you're running for your life)

    1.Modify your workout as you see fit, by being aware of your body. Listen to your body. Slow down if you are tired or not feeling well. If you feel terrific, and full of energy, take a advantage of it, stay active and have a good workout. Cool down properly, for at least 5-10 minutes. Avoid lying down, or positioning your head under your heart level, right after any aerobic activity. Your equilibrium may get out of balance, making you dizzy. Make sure to get a complete physical before you join any exercise class or start your own program, and get you and your exercise program evaluated periodically by your physician and/or trainer. Your program may need to be modified, or discontinued because of advancing stages in your pregnancy or a previously unknown risk factor. You must get written permission from your doctor or midwife to exercise, if you are planning to take a group organized aerobic, or prenatal class, or hire a personal trainer. The class organizer, health club, or instructor will also make you sign a waiver. Eat a light snack about half an hour before you workout, to prevent low blood sugar; preferably some fruit, juice, or other high carbohydrate food.

    2.Most of the physical changes caused by pregnancy stay around for about 12 weeks postpartum, but it can vary from woman to woman and may last up to 6 months. This means exercise routines should be started slowly, and should be gradually built back up again, depending on her condition. It’s up to you and your caregiver to choose a suitable and appropriate exercise program for you.

    3. ABDOMINALCONTRACTIONS Keeping your abs strong and fit during a pregnancy will help stabilize your trunk to minimize and prevent postural and back problems, help during labor contraction, minimize stretchmarks and help you get your stomach flat again faster postpartum.If you experience the condition of Diastasis Recti, you must modify your abdominal exercise.

     

    1. Modify your workout as you see fit, by being aware of your body. Listen to your body. Slow down if you are tired or not feeling well. If you feel terrific, and full of energy, take a advantage of it, stay active and have a good workout.

      Cool down properly, for at least 5-10 minutes. Avoid lying down, or positioning your head under your heart level, right after any aerobic activity. Your equilibrium may get out of balance, making you dizzy.

      Make sure to get a complete physical before you join any exercise class or start your own program, and get you and your exercise program evaluated periodically by your physician and/or trainer. Your program may need to be modified, or discontinued because of advancing stages in your pregnancy or a previously unknown risk factor.

      You must get written permission from your doctor or midwife to exercise, if you are planning to take a group organized aerobic, or prenatal class, or hire a personal trainer. The class organizer, health club, or instructor will also make you sign a waiver.

      Eat a light snack about half an hour before you workout, to prevent low blood sugar; preferably some fruit, juice, or other high carbohydrate food.

    2. Most of the physical changes caused by pregnancy stay around for about 12 weeks postpartum, but it can vary from woman to woman and may last up to 6 months. This means exercise routines should be started slowly, and should be gradually built back up again, depending on her condition.

    It's up to you and your caregiver to choose a suitable and appropriate exercise program for you.

    Essential Exercises for Every Pregnant Woman

    Whether you're an active or inactive pregnant woman, whether your pregnancy is normal and healthy or you're in a "high risk" category, there are 3 exercises you need to do:1. KEGEL'S Invented by Dr. Kegel in the 50's, this exercise is essential to prevent episiotomies, urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse whether you have a vaginal delivery or a C-section. The pelvic floor muscle acts as a supportive sling between the coccyx and pubic bone. They hold everything up, but as pregnancy weakens them, Kegel's become necessary.You may need to practice Kegel's a while before you get the hang of it. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles and try to pull them up, as if to hold tight before you go to the bathroom. Let go without bearing down. Practice several times every day whenever you think about it -- in the car, at dinner, at the movies -- nobody will know.2. PELVIC TILTPelvic tilt for lower back stretching. Pelvic Tilt is an important exercise that stretches your lower back and strengthens your abs and glutes. This exercise can help relieve pregnancy related discomforts and postural problems in the lower back and hips and it tightens the buttocks.In the first trimester and postpartum, you can lie on your back, but during the second and third trimester, you can do it seated, standing, on all fours or lying on your side.Either way, tighten your buttocks, pull in the abs and tilt your pelvis forward and upward as you exhale. Release and inhale. Repeat for 2 x 15 repetitions.   

    3. ABDOMINALCONTRACTIONS Keeping your abs strong and fit during a pregnancy will help stabilize your trunk to minimize and prevent postural and back problems, help during labor contraction, minimize stretchmarks and help you get your stomach flat again faster postpartum.If you experience the condition of Diastasis Recti, you must modify your abdominal exercise.

    The PLANK is an excellent exercise performed either on you knees or toes depending on your personal strength. Hold your abs in to supprt your back. perform for 30-60 seconds. For 2 sets. if you are feeling strong, do the PLANK on your toes. Your body should be in a straight line from knees (or toes) to your shoulders. .

    exerciasde

    Either way, gently pull in the abs and contract them by shortening the distance between your shoulders and hips. You should feel the abs get harder. Exhale as you contract and inhale when you release. Repeat for 2 x 15 repetitions.

    Abdominal contraction.

    Birgitta Lauren and nike

 

high-risk

Modified exercise is important for "high-risk" pregnancy. Contrary to popular belief, being a "high risk" pregnancy does not mean that you're disabled or incapable of contracting your muscles, even if you've been ordered on bed rest. Pregnancy can be quite traumatic in itself, and immobility or inactivity would only make you feel worse. Therefore, it's even more important to do some kind of exercise, however small in amount that might be, to help your self-esteem, and body-image by staying as strong and healthy as possible. As well as keeping pregnancy discomforts at a minimum and preparing you for childbirth.Bed rest exerciseSo long as a pregnant woman is monitored, and only doing special "bed rest exercises," she can exercise safely, without jeopardizing her baby. These exercises should be designed in conjunction with your doctor and a qualified instructor on an individual basis and not performed without supervision.*So, what exactly is a "high risk" pregnancy? This broad category includes just about anything that is not perfectly healthy and normal, ranging from mild to severe problems.

3 or more miscarriages

bleeding

seizure disorder

placenta previa

growth retardation

sedentary/overweight

twins or more

breech position

underweight

water has broken

hypertension

disease

preeclampsia

diabetes

over 35 years old

weak cervix

 

 
All "bed rest" exercises must be performed in a seated and/or lying down position. All muscles can be worked, and most muscles can be stretched, but your priority would be pelvic floor, abdominal and lower back exercises.

* No Exercises besides Kegel's should ever be performed by any pregnant woman without the permission of your doctor, and the care of an instructor.

 


EXERCISE myths

There has through the years been a lot of myths and misconceptions about pregnancy and exercise as to what it would do and what a pregnant woman should be allowed to do. Exercise was thought to cause all kinds of fetal and pregnancy problems; all of which has now been not just proven incorrect, but that exercise actually helps prevent the same problems it was once said to cause.It's not just a matter of exercise being OK for pregnant women, it's actually necessary to prevent a lot of problems associated with pregnancy, as well as help the mother stay healthy and make a healthier baby.

 

MOMS BENEFITS FROM PRENATAL EXERCISE

  • Improves fertility
  • Reduces effects of biomechanical changes to your body such as upper and lower back strain, sciatica, and knee pain by maintaining strength and proper spinal alignment for better posture.
  • Eliminates or reduces discomforts of water retention, tension, stress, depression, and excessive weight gain.
  • Prevents and treats pregnancy induced diabetes.
  • Improves calcium absorption to prevent hypertension, preeclampsia and future osteoporosis.
  • Minimizes stretch-marks, varicose veins, abdominal separation and hyperventilation.
  • Improves self-esteem and well-being.
  • Increases energy, stamina, fitness levels and muscle control for an easier pregnancy and a faster and less painful delivery.
prenatal fitness, prenatal exercise, postnatal fitness, postnatal exercise preganacy fitness, preganacy exercise, maternal fitness, maternal exercise, healthy pregnancy, fit pregnancy, pregnancy, baby, healthy baby, Birgitta Lauren, high risk pregnancy exercises, smarter babies, prenatal yoga, kickboxing while pregnantprenatal fitness, prenatal exercise, postnatal fitness, postnatal exercise preganacy fitness, preganacy exercise, maternal fitness, maternal exercise, healthy pregnancy, fit pregnancy, pregnancy, baby, healthy baby, Birgitta Lauren, high risk pregnancy exercises, smarter babies, prenatal yoga, kickboxing while pregnantprenatal fitness, prenatal exercise, postnatal fitness, postnatal exercise preganacy fitness, preganacy exercise, maternal fitness, maternal exercise, healthy pregnancy, fit pregnancy, pregnancy, baby, healthy baby, Birgitta Lauren, high risk pregnancy exercises, smarter babies, prenatal yoga, kickboxing while pregnant


sample workout

coming soon

The Lauren Rotation®

Preventing Low Back Pain & Waddling in Pregnancy

How to prevent lower back pain and "waddling" during and after pregnancy. Explaining the Lauren Rotation™pending by: Birgitta Lauren Demonstration of the Lauren Rotation™pending

By Birgitta Lauren, www.expecitngfitness.com May 8th 2008
70% of Pregnant women are prone to get (mechanical) back pain, with some cases going on to become recurring and chronic (more serious).
 Since the predominant source of Low Back Pain in pregnant women is of lumbar posterior facet origin, most of the same basic assumptions and practices can also be applied to this group, much as it is in other patients with PFS (Posterior Facet Syndrome). 

Dr. David Sibley MD-FAAOS of the Physicians Spine Institute in Beverly Hills,
Consultant, United States Davis Cup Tennis Team, Mercedes Benz Cup and
Diplomat of American Board of Orthopedic Surgery etc… has proven conventional medicine wrong with his research, that with dynamic movement one can improve and rebuild connective tissue and cartilage between the facets of the spine. The Lauren Rotation does exactly that. This exercise reduces low back pain in individuals suffering from PFS by “cushioning” the facets by rebuilding the connective tissue, as well as improving posture, muscu-skeletal strength, flexibility, range of motion (ROM) and gait in the lower lumbar, pelvic and hip region in pregnant women.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTION
The exercise is performed by placing one’s hands on a table, a sofa back, bench or tree, bending at the hip (90 degree angle). The back should be flat and horizontal, abdominals pulled for support. Especially when pregnant.  The Right leg is then lifted or extended back and rotated in as large of circle as is possible (by opening the hip joint ) around the side, forward and back down in a very controlled movement. Do not allow momentom to swing leg around. This rotation should be repeated 10-15 times in one direction. And then repeating the same with the Left leg, after which the Right and Left leg will perform the rotation in the opposite direction.  This exercise can be performed for 1 – 2 sets of each leg going in both directions first without any additional resistance. Anyone unaccustomed to this movement, may find that the leg can be heavy enough to start. When the exercise gets easier to perform, ankle weights can be added and made incrementally heavier. 
This exercise, if performed 2-3 times a week can not only prevent low back pain, but it will also strengthen and firm gluteus, outer & inner thighs, oblique’s, abdominals, and low back muscles. Because of the work by the “gait controlling” gluteus medius during this exercise, a “new-mom-to-be” can also prevent or minimize the infamous “pregnancy waddle” in her last tri-mester by doing the “Lauren Rotation”. Waddling is due to slack gluteus medius muscles and can have serious effects on a woman’s back and alignment for years after pregnancy.

Lauren Rotation

Lauren Rotation

Start by holding on to a tree, table or sofa. Bend forward at the hip and raise your leg back.

Lauren Rotation             Lauren Rotation
Open your hip and start rotating your leg around in as large of a circle as possible.
Lauren Rotation
Do 15 continuous dynamic rotations on one leg, repeat with other leg and then rotate each leg in the opposite direction.