FAMILY MEDICAL CARE: EXERCISE IN PREGNANCY

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009 | 6:23 am

The recommendation is to act normally. If you are a keen follower of participation sport, then continue with this by all means. There is absolutely no need to mollycoddle yourself as if you were suffering from some debilitating internal illness. You are healthy, fit and well. So, get with whatever you normally enjoy in the exercising or sporting area. This applies to fairly vigorous activities as well as those requiring less effort.

If you are a keen tennis player, play on. If you follow squash, vigoro, skating or whatever, so much the better. There is no reason why activity need be curtailed.

Just to be on the safe side, some doctors suggest a slight curtailment of vigorous activity on the occasion when the first four menstrual periods would normally take place. This can be simply calculated and borne in mind. But others do not think it is important. If there is a tendency to previous miscarriages, then the rule might be applied a little more seriously.

Swimming and surfing likewise may be followed in a normal, natural manner. Many women, particularly on the Australian and New Zealand scene, are very enthusiastic on these sports. Swimming activates nearly every muscle in the system, and is good, wholesome activity.

Surfing has similar advantages, as well as the added value of acting as an external massager of the entire body. It is a fine activity, and does much to keep the body in tip-top tone and physical condition.

Walking, running, jogging and similar activities can also be followed as in the pre-pregnant days. However, many other women are not attracted to vigorous sporting activities. Then, there is no need to start energetically to engage in such enterprises. There is no great benefit to be derived from a sudden increase of physical exertion if this is not what the system is usually accustomed to do.

Becoming a sudden fanatic for exercise for the sake of exercise (or for the sake of the baby, as some will declare) is foolish. At the same time, there is no point in becoming a physical cabbage. A sensible in-between level can readily be followed.

*70/76/5*