The Pregnancy Workout
When Karen Biedermann of Fort Walton Beach was expecting her second child, she expected to keep working out.
All the way up to two weeks before she had her baby, she taught a Jazzercise class. Two days before going into labor, she was still working out, doing low-impact workouts at home if she had to.
"Just to be able to move was great," Biedermann said. "For the first baby, I wasn't able to Jazzercise, and I could tell a difference. For one thing, labor and delivery was so much easier with the second baby, and for another, I just felt better and I was able to keep moving so much better the second time around. I just had a much smoother pregnancy."
More and more, obstetricians and women's health experts are telling expectant moms to stay moving during the pregnancy, if complications don't limit their activity.
"I recommend that my patients be physically active, nearly daily walking or doing lowimpact aerobics, if they can," said Dr. Chandria Johnson, an obstetrician with OB-GYN Specialists of the Emerald Coast.
"Being physically active helps maintain general good health, and also helps women recover more quickly from delivery."
Most women obstetricians and gynecologists practice what they preach in this regard. A 2003 Gallup poll found that 72 percent of these specialists get regular exercise and keep a healthy weight, pregnant or not.
Johnson pointed out that not all women are fit before they get pregnant, but that should not be a barrier to starting a fitness routine, provided the expectant mother exercise some care.
"There are some high-impact sports to avoid, like those at a high risk for falling or trauma, and you should be aware that your balance is slightly off," Johnson said.
But walking, riding a stationary bike or swimming can all be good alternatives to build strength and endurance.
Betty Armour with the Fort Walton Family YMCA works with members who are starting a family to make sure they make the modifications in their workout routine to keep them safe.
She knows the risks: She once had a miscarriage just after teaching a high-impact step class. But she still believes that fitness is critically important to good health, pregnant or not.
"The number one thing I would recommend is making sure you get your doctor's advice about exercise," she said. "Then, start in a water class or something low impact."
It's just a matter of using common sense to monitor your heart rate, not overstretch or overexert your body, she said.
"Pilates is another good option, but even with that, there are certain things you won't be able to do, especially in the third trimester," she said. "A lot of it is in being able to listen to what your own body is telling you, and paying attention to how you feel."
So far, Kelly Buchanan feels good about her decision to keep working out, good enough to plan to be leading a class at the local Jazzercise center until labor pains slow her down.
Expecting her second, she is still enjoying staying in shape, even if that shape is a tad rounder these days.
"If you've been working out before, you shouldn't stop," she said. "And if you haven't, get busy!"
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