Swimming: An Excellent Form of Prenatal Exercise

Pregnant women are expected to pay close attention to their health and lifestyle, and to make changes wherever necessary to keep their babies and themselves safe and healthy throughout pregnancy and birth. Regular exercise is an important factor in this equation, but it does not have to be a complicated or stressful regimen.

Next to walking, swimming is the safest and simplest way to exercise prenatally, and it comes with many benefits. Not only can it be a good opportunity to have some alone time, but you can invite a friend along to keep you motivated and to give you company.

Benefits of swimming in pregnancy include: backache relief, prevention of constipation, prevention of varicose veins, mood booster, less fatigue and better sleep, strengthens muscles in preparation for the work of birth, promotes faster recovery from birth, the feeling of weightlessness, reduces swelling in the legs, very small risk of injury compared to other exercise routines, improves circulation, improves calcium absorption, reduces stress, and minimizes postpartum depression.

One of the most interesting findings, is a 1990 study that found a lower rate of cesarean sections among women who continued their aerobic exercises (including swimming) during pregnancy. These women also had shorter labors, and their babies experienced fewer signs of distress during labor than the women who stopped exercising during pregnancy¹.

Prenatal exercise instructor, Julie Tupler, recommends the breaststroke as an ideal muscle strengthener². Using a snorkel can prevent neck strain while swimming in this position. When you need a rest during exercise, the backstroke is comfortable for many women because it allows you to rest on your back without impeding blood flow.

Although regular exercise (such as 30 minutes at a time, 3 times a week) allows for the most benefits, swimming on a regular basis should be done with caution. It is more difficult to become overheated in the water, but you must still keep yourself hydrated, well-fed, and make sure that your pulse never exceeds 140 beats-per-minute.

If you have any health concerns, speak to your doctor or midwife before swimming on a regular basis, but as a general rule, swimming is an excellent choice of prenatal exercise.

Sources:
1 - "The VBAC Companion" by Diana Korte. Harvard Common Press: Boston (1997). p79.
2 - "Maternal Fitness" by Julie Tupler, R.N. Simon & Schuster: New York (1996).
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