5 reasons why you should exercise during pregnancy

5 reasons why you should exercise during pregnancy
by Daniel Thompson

Wouldn't it be great if during your pregnancy...
You were able to maintain your fitness, your health and (most of all) your figure without piling on unnecessary pounds and losing your motivation to peel yourself off of the sofa? During pregnancy your body experiences dramatic physiological changes that require a carefully designed exercise program. But why should you exercise during pregnancy?
Reason 1: Women who exercise have shorter and easier births at the 'pushing stage'
There is some research that shows that women who exercise have a shorter second stage of labour (pushing stage). However labour is very individual and can last for 1hour up to 2 days. Fitter women cope better with the labour they are given.
Reason 2: Women who exercise reportedly feel more positive and have more energy after the birth. Are you ready to have the healthiest pregnancy possible?
Women who have exercised with us tell us constantly that their labours were so manageable thanks to our Pregnancy Exercise Plan. We love to hear this but also know that it their ability to cope that is improved by exercise so that even a hard labour feels easier when you are fit and strong. Women who exercise do have healthier pregnancies- they gain less weight, suffer less back and pelvic pain, sleep better and eat better. They are happier, less likely to suffer depression and all round healthier.
Reason 3: A strong pelvic floor can assist your birth
If the muscle tone is strong and like a piece of new elastic they will have the ability to stretch to allow a baby to pass through during childbirth and return to normal afterwards. If they are not exercised they may become over stretched and weak; and their ability to contract strongly and quickly reduced or lost. During pregnancy the relaxin hormone will affect the pelvic floor to enable it to stretch adequately during childbirth. After childbirth the pelvic floor muscles are stretched, weakened and bruised, so pelvic floor exercise are important to help tone the muscles to prevent greater damage.
Reason 4: You can benefit from exercising even if you are new to starting a exercise program or if you have exercised very little prior to becoming pregnant.
Provided there are no medical reasons non exercisers may begin our program during pregnancy. The majority of women who exercise in pregnancy are doing so for the first time because they make the decision to begin a healthier life habit now that they are pregnant. Always exercise with a program that is run by correctly qualified trainers who know how to ease you into a new program.
Reason 5: After birth, the babies of women who exercised were slightly leaner than those who did not
A lot of hype in the media has made claims that women who exercise have smaller babies. Is a bigger baby better if it only has more fat? In addition babies born of women who exercise do not differ in their organ size or bone lengths. Studies of the babies (born to women who exercised during their pregnancies) at 1 and five years of age showed at one year of age exercisers babies scored higher on standardised intelligence tests than children of mothers who did not exercise. Their mental and physical performance scored higher as well. At age five children of exercises were less fat and scored much higher on tests of general intelligence and oral language skills than the children born to non-exercisers. Further studies have shown that children born to exercising mothers are less likely to be obese.
What better reason to start exercising than for a better start to life for your child and yourself.

About the Author
Dan Thompson is author of the Pregnancy Exercise Plan and a leading personal trainer in the UK. For a FREE Report about the importance of pelvic floor exercises & Why you shouldn't do abdominal exercises go to http://www.selectworkout.co.uk/program-pages/Pregnancy/pre_natal.html

Maternity Swimwear For Your Pregnancy

Maternity Swimwear For Your Pregnancy
by Amy Jarman

The approach to finding the perfect maternity swimwear for your ever changing pregnant shape is a whole different game than shopping for a pre-pregnancy swimsuit. First, the objectives are completely changed: instead of flattening out the belly and minimizing the waist, you are looking for comfort and stretch. Lots of stretch! However, one goal remains unchanged: you want to look your best and you want your suit to flatter your shape!
To best show off your changing shape and accent all the positive - your enhanced bust line and curvier curves, shop for a maternity swimsuit that can comfortably be worn from your 1st trimester through your 3rd trimester. Comfort, ease of fit and bust support are very important factors in choosing your suit. The last thing any expectant mother wants to feel is constricted by her clothes! Trying to fit into your former life pre-pregnancy suits is not only unflattering but may make it hard to breathe.
Prego Maternity is a specialty maternity swimsuit line with a wide variety suits from halter babydolls, tankinis, halterkinis, ring-kinis, one piece performance suits and even maternity bikinis. Prego's swimsuits are made with 80% Nylon and 20% Lycra which allow a lot of stretch to fit women through all trimesters of their pregnancy.
Increasingly, many of the top maternity designers are finding their way into fashionable maternity swimwear such as Maternal America, Olian Maternity and Ripe Maternity. If you are shopping online for a maternity swimsuit, it is important that you find out if the suits contain about 20% Lycra to allow enough stretch. Also, review the store's return policy on swimsuits as you cannot be sure until you try it on if it really fits.
A few tips in choosing your Maternity Swimsuit:
If you are a serious lap swimmer and are looking for a good performance maternity swimsuit, there is no substitute for your basic one piece suit. Prego Maternity's Empire Tank is a good choice and also provides a good amount of bust support.
If you are looking to camouflage the hip and bottom area, go for a skirted style such as the Babydoll. Prego Maternity has a variety of solids and print patterns in the Halter Babydoll and the Babydoll Plus which is a tank style babydoll.
If you want to show a little belly but not bear all in a bikini, the tankini and halterkinis are a fun flirty style. Prego Maternity, Maternal America, Ripe and BellaBumBum make this style is wide variety of prints and solids. Hint: The larger prints are more flattering for bigger bellies!
If you want a little more room in the hip area, go for the side tie bottom 2 piece styles that can be adjusted as your shape changes. You can find these in the Tankini, Hipkini and Halterkini varieties. For bigger bust or more bust support, look for tank style tops with wide adjustable straps. Styles that fit higher on the back usually offer better support. The halter style is typically better for smaller to medium size bust with the exception of the Prego Halter Babydoll that does provide a good amount of support and has a larger cup size. Also, make sure that the suit you choose has ample room and stretch in the bust if you have another trimester or two to go!
Finally if you are one the brave beautiful bellied women who want to flaunt it all at the pool or beach, there's the perfect maternity bikini for you! The advantage of the maternity bikini verses a regular bikini is that it is made with a lot more stretch and more room in the bust. The side tie styles also allow for more room in the hip area.
A maternity swimsuit is one item that every woman should have in their maternity wardrobe.

About the Author
Amy Jarman is the owner of TummyStyle.com. TummyStyle has a wide variety of maternity swimwear and maternity swimsuits.