Pregnancy and exercise are not mutually exclusive. Exercise can help offset some of the more incapacitating physical symptoms of pregnancy, namely fatigue. The objectives of water exercising during pregnancy are to maintain your current fitness level, minimize weight gain and give yourself an energy boost in a way that will diminish the stress on your joints -- all without harming your baby.
Joint Safety
During pregnancy, the ligaments that support your joints loosen under the influence of pregnancy hormones, such as relaxin. This effect is meant to ease delivery, but joint instability may be a consequence. Water's buoyancy bears the weight of the body, greatly reducing the stress on weight-bearing structures, such as the hips, knees and spine. For pregnant women, water exercises offer a low-impact means to stay active and maintain their fitness level.
Weight Management
Water exercising helps women to control the amount of weight gained over the course of the pregnancy. Aquafit classes and pool running burn the equivalent amount of calories to physical activities performed on land, but water exercise offers an added bonus. According to Vennie Jones, aquatic coordinator for the Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center in Dallas, water provides 12 times more resistance than air, so water exercising while pregnant will build and maintain muscle strength and endurance.
Energy
Countering fatigue is a major challenge to pregnant women. Performing water exercises during pregnancy boosts energy. A 2008 study conducted by Brazilian researchers and published in "Reproductive Health" found that pregnant women who exercised in water not only increased their cardiac output but reduced their blood pressure. A more efficient heart muscle leads to an energized feeling overall.
Community
Water exercising during pregnancy helps women with building a sense of community. Pregnancy is an unparalleled experience -- one that can be difficult to explain to anyone who has not lived through it. Water-exercising classes that cater to pregnant women offer an opportunity for expectant mothers to share stories and feelings amongst like-minded peers, with the added benefit of keeping fit.
