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| MICHELLE HOFFMAN / Scroll |
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| Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to exercise regularly fo help reduce fatigue and increase energy throughout the day. |
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Seven months ago Natalie Gardner wasn’t exercising much outside of her demanding job as a registered nurse.
Now, as she approaches her third trimester, Gardner, from Taylorsville, Utah, works out 3-4 days a week. “My favorite thing to do is swim. My neighbor, who is also pregnant, and I go swimming [three days a week] for about an hour,” Gardner said.
Pregnancy commonly discourages young mothers-to-be from hitting the cardio machines, when many health professionals recommend regular exercise.
“My doctor told me that if you can’t hold a conversation while you are exercising then you are exercising too hard,” Gardner said.
This has been a good rule of thumb for Gardner and makes it easier for her to stay at a level of activity that she can maintain.
“Women who are pregnant can do almost anything they did before they were pregnant. Just avoid anything that could hurt your abdomen,” said Helene Reusser, a certified nurse midwife from Rexburg.
However, Reusser said that pregnant women shouldn’t start a new program during pregnancy. “Walking is fantastic, and swimming or biking as long as your balance is good.”
Reusser recommends doing something for 30 minutes a day. Also drink eight glasses of water though you may need to increase it. Under-hydrating can cause contractions, Reusser said.
Reusser said she tell s her clients to get three servings of calcium and three servings of protein (for building the baby) and to avoid processed sugar. Her basic guidelines for being healthy while pregnant are, “Stay fit. Get plenty sleep and drink, and stay away from medications you don’t need.”
“I feel better about myself after exercising because I just feel better physically,” Gardner said. “When I get lazy and don’t feel like exercising I just lay around all day with big circles under my eyes and I look horrible.”
These feelings of tiredness, or of wanting to lie around all day are common during pregnancy. This is because a woman’s body starts to produce progesterone, a sleep-inducing hormone. This calls for frequent napping.
“Pregnant women are always tired, as in, if you slept for eight hours you may now need nine or 10 and a nap,” Reusser said.
This puts a stronger lethargic tone to each day. Going for a walk can help alleviate some of the tiredness and give you more energy throughout your day.
“Just getting my blood circulating makes the whole ‘motherly glow’ come out more,” Gardner said.
Michelle Moss, author of Pregnancy Without Pounds, is a source of inspiration for women who feel restless in their ever-changing body.
“Pregnancy does not need to be a struggle — you don’t need to feel fat, unattractive and uncomfortable,” Moss said.
Moss guides swollen-bellied ladies through the trying aspects of pregnancy, discussing topics like cravings, toning and cardio exercises and stretch mark prevention.
“Pregnant women are beautiful,” Gardner said. “They are carrying one of Heavenly Father’s precious children and they really do radiate that spirit — especially when they take care of themselves.”
