Читать книгу Child Development From Infancy to Adolescence - Laura E. Levine - Страница 227

Pregnant women benefit from an appropriate level and type of exercise. It can help relieve some of the normal discomforts associated with a pregnancy, such as backaches or fatigue, and improves mood and sleep quality (American Pregnancy Association, 2016b; Mayo Clinic, 2015b). It also helps prevent excessive weight gain and strengthens and prepares the woman’s body for labor.

A woman should consult her physician about her particular situation, but women who were physically active before they became pregnant can usually continue moderate levels of the same activity while pregnant, although some adjustments will need to be made. Pregnancy hormones make joints and muscles more flexible, a woman’s center of gravity shifts as her belly gets bigger, and, of course, she weighs more (American Pregnancy Association, 2016b), so exercise needs to be modified to accommodate these physical changes. For women who have not been physically active before, low-impact activities, such as yoga and walking, are better choices than ones that involve a chance of falling or too much bouncing or jumping.

Yoga while pregnant. Moderate exercise while a woman is pregnant can be beneficial to her health and the health of her baby. It relieves some of the discomforts of being pregnant, while keeping the mother fit and strong. It also helps to prepare her body for labor and delivery.

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