If You're Looking For A Water Workout During Pregnancy, What Are Some Things To Keep In Mind?
Your question
I would like to know of any general health guidelines for prenatal exercise in the water. - Sarah, Modesto
The expert answers
Sarah,
There aren't any guidelines specifically for water exercise during
pregnancy, just the general ACOG guidelines for exercise in pregnancy, which
would also apply here. The main things you need to be aware of are drinking
LOTS of water before, during, and after your workouts (you still sweat and
can become dehydrated, even in the water!), and listening to your body's
signals as to when you've had enough.
Exercising in water is especially wonderful later in pregnancy, when your
additional weight puts pressure on your joints and ligaments. The buoyancy
of the water can be a big relief to an aching back, pelvis, and knees.
If hard-core water aerobics becomes too uncomfortable later in pregnancy, you can switch to water walking (in waist-deep water) or jogging (with flotation devices in deep water). If you find that your belly and breasts are bouncing too much during your workouts, consider wearing an abdominal support like the Reenie belt and a sports bra designed for high-impact activity.
Lisa :)
