“Pregnancy in Motion” – a win-win for both mother and child

The traditional view is that during pregnancy there should be a quiet environment, rest and minimal activity to be careful not to move the fetus. Some pregnant women even carry a big belly all day long, stumbling around, eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating, carefully taking care of the fetus in the belly. In fact, this understanding is one-sided and not entirely correct. Although pregnancy is a normal physiological process, but in order to meet the needs of the fetal growth and development, the body systems of pregnant women will appear a series of adaptive changes, the result makes their physiological load increased, serious discomfort will occur. Exercise can increase the functional reserve of organs, accelerate blood circulation, promote the excretion of metabolic wastes, as well as regulate mood, increase appetite and other effects. Specifically to the mother and fetus, the benefits of exercise are: 1, exercise can improve cardiorespiratory function: when people exercise, the lung tidal volume and the heart’s output per beat will increase, both of which are conducive to the exchange of oxygen, thereby reducing the metabolic process of acidosis waste, which is very helpful to eliminate pregnancy fatigue and relieve pregnancy pain. Moreover, the enhanced cardiopulmonary function of pregnant women can ensure the supply of sufficient oxygen to the fetus, which is beneficial to the development of the fetus. At the same time can regulate the function of the nervous system, enhance the function of internal organs, help digestion, promote blood circulation, help reduce back pain, swelling of the lower limbs, panic, shortness of breath, inhalation difficulties and other symptoms. 2, exercise can increase muscle strength: exercise can accelerate blood circulation, thus providing sufficient oxygen and nutrients for the metabolism of muscle cells, so that its reserve strength is strengthened, especially the strength of the heart muscle, whistling muscle, abdominal muscle and pelvic muscle, for pregnancy and childbirth are extremely important. For example, abdominal wall relaxation can cause fetal malposition and obstructed labor, pelvic muscle strength will cause birth injuries, postpartum urinary incontinence, uterine prolapse, and sexual sensory impairment and other complications. 3, exercise can strengthen the muscles and bones: exercise can stimulate the body’s osteoblast activity, slow down bone loss, improve bone calcium content and bone density, while exercise also makes the bone trabeculae undergo subtle structural changes, so that the bones can cope with the stress in all directions, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Exercise also strengthens the ligaments around the joints, increasing their stability and preventing them from being damaged. At the same time, pregnant women in outdoor activities, both to breathe fresh air, but also by the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, to promote the body’s absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus, which will help the fetal bone development and prevent the occurrence of osteochondrosis in pregnant women. 4, exercise has a sedative-hypnotic effect: exercise is very necessary to maintain normal nervous system function, the latter’s functional state is directly related to people’s mood and sleep conditions. Excessive mood swings and lack of sleep are extremely detrimental to pregnant women and fetuses. 5, exercise can prevent huge children: after pregnancy, in order to give the baby in the belly to increase nutrition, many pregnant mothers do not care about image, every day big fish and meat, and little exercise. As a result, the body gets fatter day by day, which will not only increase the burden on the body, but also increase the probability of complications such as obesity during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, macrosomia, thus affecting their own health and that of the fetus. Pregnant women through appropriate exercise helps to consume excess energy and prevent the occurrence of large children in order to facilitate smooth delivery. 6, exercise can prevent obstructed labor: do appropriate physical exercise can increase the elasticity and contraction strength of the abdominal muscles and pelvic muscles to prevent abdominal wall relaxation caused by fetal malposition and obstructed labor, which can shorten the labor process and reduce postpartum bleeding. It can also increase the elasticity and stretching of the ligaments and joints in the pelvis and perineum to prevent obstructed labor. In addition, exercise can enhance the body’s ability to resist disease, promote gastrointestinal motility, prevent indigestion, hemorrhoids, constipation and other effects, so pregnant women should participate in appropriate exercise to avoid rest. Pregnant women not only can exercise, but also should exercise, so that it is conducive to maternal and child health and eugenics. For pregnant women, aerobic exercise is most suitable such as walking, aerobics, etc., of which walking can be the first choice and regular exercise for pregnant women, but the location should be chosen in the fresh air, secluded parks or forests, preferably accompanied by someone. The requirements for exercise are different in different stages of pregnancy, early pregnancy, that is, between 1 and 3 months, the embryo is not firmly rooted in the uterus, the amount of exercise should be small, as long as it can play the role of limbs and exercise the body muscles and bones, it is best to use a safer way such as walking, 30 to 40 minutes a day to adhere to the walk. In the middle of pregnancy, that is, about 4-7 months, daily brisk walking can speed up the rhythm, you can also insist on climbing a certain height of stairs every day, or playing tai chi, these activities are safe and also conducive to the late delivery. In the second trimester, that is, from about 8 months to the eve of delivery, the fitness exercise in this stage should be short and of low intensity, and it is also better to adopt the form of walking, insisting on walking for 30 minutes every day in the company of family members. The amount of exercise for pregnant women should be limited to a heart rate of no more than 130 beats per minute during the activity, and can return to the heart rate before the exercise within 10 minutes after the exercise. However, pregnant women with a history of habitual abortion should exercise with caution, or exercise under the guidance of a doctor.