Zika virus fears have left pregnant women with serious questions about how to avoid contracting the virus, and whether the use of insect repellents will put their fetuses at risk. Zika isn’t the only disease that’s bug borne (ticks also carry diseases such as Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) so avoiding these types of insect borne diseases depends upon…
Traditional abdominal exercises, such as sit-ups, put too much stress on a postpartum tummy and back, and are not recommended for new moms. Instead, I recommend a series of exercises developed by Shirley Sahrmann, a physical therapist who specializes in abdominal rehabilitation.
Pregnancy is a time of many physical changes for a woman, and recent research has shown that maintaining or even starting an exercise program can provide benefits to pregnant women and their babies. The majority of research has focused on cardiovascular exercise, but the importance of strength training during pregnancy is often overlooked.
The interest and need for maternal fitness guidelines is increasing as more woman who are physically active become pregnant. Recent studies have shown that regular exercise at moderate to somewhat hard levels during pregnancy has positive benefits. These benefits include reduced level of fat deposition and retention, shorter and less complicated labors, and a quicker recovery postpartum. In addition, women who exercise during and after pregnancy tend to have greater energy levels, deal better with physiological and psychological stresses and develop fewer physical complaints.