Professionals insist on the importance of staying active throughout pregnancy , as studies have shown that there are countless benefits that exercise brings to both the mother and the baby.
However, there are still many false myths about the physical activity practiced at this stage, as can be seen from the Infinity Women study led by Chicco and carried out on a representative sample of 1,000 women from all over Spain.
Not in vain, almost 40% of pregnant women admit not to practice sports for fear of causing harm to the baby , while 13% do not know what sport they can practice safely.
One in two pregnant women do not play sports for fear of harming themselves or the baby
With few exceptions, specialists advise the frequent practice of exercise during pregnancy , always taking the necessary precautions for the correct development of pregnancy.
And it is that sport brings great benefits to the pregnant woman and the baby, in addition to having a positive impact on childbirth, and even afterwards also on breastfeeding.
However, the practice of physical exercise drops considerably when we become pregnant , especially in the case of first-time mothers.
Thus, four out of 10 respondents say they do not practice sports for fear of causing harm to the baby , while 13% fear suffering an injury if they exercise. For their part, 14% of women are not sure what sport they can practice safely during pregnancy, and in 19% of cases the problem lies in lack of time.
The trend changes when we talk about women who already have more children, since there is a greater awareness about the importance of playing sports during pregnancy. Not in vain, six out of 10 affirm that they already practice sport in their new pregnancy or that they would practice it if they were to become pregnant again.
But sport is not only important during pregnancy , but throughout our lives and especially after we become mothers. Exercising not only contributes to maintaining our physical shape, but also has a positive impact on our emotional health , helping us to connect with ourselves and relax the tension and stress that parenting and other daily responsibilities entail.
But unfortunately, once the baby is born, sport is one of the first practices that women are forced to give up due to lack of time, along with leisure activities or personal care.
This resignation is observed in one out of every two mothers , highlighting the serious problems of conciliation and the lack of support that many women face after their babies are born.
The benefits of playing sports during pregnancy
The main benefits of exercising during pregnancy not only fall on the pregnant woman, but also at the time of delivery, the future baby and even breast milk.
– Helps prevent pathologies typical of pregnancy such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or hypertension, among others.
– Contributes (along with a good diet), to optimal and not excessive weight gain .
– Exercising during pregnancy also favors concentration and breathing, two fundamental exercises to maintain control in the face of childbirth. Likewise, it has been shown that physical exercise reduces the rate of caesarean sections, shortens the duration of labor and helps to avoid complications.-
– Physical exercise reduces the chances that the baby will be born macrosomic, with the risks associated with being overweight at birth.
– It has also been shown that babies born to sports mothers in pregnancy have better brain development, better memory and more learning capacity .
– Regarding the benefits in breastfeeding, recent studies have shown that exercising during pregnancy can help improve the quality of breast milk, increasing its benefits and thereby impacting the baby’s health in the short and long term.
Photos | iStock
Via | Studio Infinity Women
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