Prenatal Personal Trainer Toronto
Congrats to all you moms and dads to be out there and to those that are adding another baby burrito to the family! It’s definitely an exciting time but it’s not always easy being a mom in waiting, with its aches, pains, and physical constraints. Not to mention how nerve racking it can be for first-time parents. The thought of making the trek out to the gym (especially in the winter) and the worries that go along with how exercise could affect the baby are enough to abandon the idea of working out altogether. The Busy Bee Fitness Experts get a lot of questions about the safety of strength training and what types of training to do during pregnancy. We believe it’s vitally important for women to be active in strength, cardio, and flexibility training during pregnancy.
Is exercise safe during pregnancy?
If it was safe for you to exercise before pregnancy then in most cases it will be safe during as well. Of course, during pregnancy, you’ll need more time to recover. We don’t recommend extreme forms of exercise and always consult with your doctor about a light to moderate exercise program. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada encourage women to continuously exercise while pregnant, including in the third trimester, although intensity levels should be carefully considered. Being sedentary is considered to be much riskier to your pregnancy than being moderately active, both for you and the baby.
Women who gain and keep excessive weight during pregnancy can also pass it along to their newborn babies. Strength training can also play a crucial role in the birth itself. Those who remain active experience fewer aches and are less likely to need a Cesarean or have poor bladder control, according to consensus among obstetricians.
The benefits of prenatal fitness in terms of weight loss and being active during pregnancy don’t just end there. Strength training increases your metabolism and will help with weight loss after your pregnancy is over. The more muscle you put on, the more calories you burn while sedentary. Pelvic floor and core training exercises can also greatly reduce or eliminate pelvic floor dysfunction and the pain associated with it. Many physio therapists and personal trainers that specialize in the pelvic floor health also provide training exercises for women to perform during birth to help ease the pain and for a smoother delivery.
Other benefits include:
May help prevent or treat symptoms of gestational diabetes. A recent study shows it may lower the risk by 27 percent. Gestational diabetes is a relatively common condition in which a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during her pregnancy. Having this condition increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, depression, and requiring a Caesarean section.
Your labor may be shorter than average – approx 30 percent according to one study. A landmark study showed that among well-conditioned women who delivered vaginally, those who had continued training throughout their pregnancy experienced active labor for 4 hours and 24 minutes. This compared with 6 hours and 22 minutes for those who were sedentary. Over 2 hours less – obviously of major significance when in active labor.
Increases energy and improves the quality of deep sleep.
It helps to prevent back pain. Nearly two-thirds of women during pregnancy experience back pain. Core training will also help with posture and may help prevent diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), which is a rather painful condition. Excessive inner-abdominal pressure while giving birth can stretch out your abdomen and result in diastasis recti. Maintaining an active lifestyle, practicing safe and effective abdominal and pelvic floor strengthening, and working on good posture has shown to be beneficial in reducing the incidence of it occuring.
Increases digestion, lessens acid reflux disease and may lessen bouts of nausea.
Improves overall mood and may help lessen the effects of postpartum depression. PPD is a mild to severe form of depression that can last for several weeks or months after pregnancy. Some doctors that take a more holistic approach to alleviate postpartum depression, recommend fitness and diet modifications as the number one priority to aid in managing it. Continue on with a postnatal personal trainer Toronto as an extra step to helping maintain proper hormone balance and lessen the effects of postpartum depression.
What A Prenatal Personal Trainer Can Offer
We do our best to make it as easy as possible for busy moms to be to stay active. In-home personal training is a great option, especially in the later stages of pregnancy when going to the gym isn’t always convenient or safe. Try two sessions with a Busy Bee Fitness Expert prenatal personal trainer Toronto for only $90! Start with requesting a complimentary assessment and mini workout. Take a look at our rates page for more information on personal training packages. Personal training areas include Toronto, personal trainer Mississauga, and personal trainer Etobicoke.
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