Many women aren’t sure whether or not to exercise when they become pregnant, said Dr. Thomas Stewart, an OBGYN at Columbus Regional.
“Pregnancy is not going to be a reason to not exercise,” said Stewart. “In fact, it’s a reason that probably you should start doing something because you want to control weight gain in pregnancy, you want to go into delivery as fit as you can.”
Still, Stewart added that many women fear physical exertion could cause a miscarriage.
“Miscarriages are going to happen and they happen in about 20 percent of all known pregnancies and there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do about that,” said Stewart. “Your normal activities are not going to affect that.”
However, up until recently, the doctor was unaware of any local group fitness classes that focused solely on expecting mothers.
Enter Jennifer Rodrigues, who has been a group fitness instructor and personal trainer for four years and a yoga instructor for two. She saw a need in the community for pre/postnatal yoga, got certified to teach it and is working on filling that gap.
“What I really thought most of all was the soldiers’ wives,” she said. “The soldier and his family who move here and she’s expecting and he deploys and she’s left all alone. It’s just a way for her to meet with a group of women who are in the same situation as her … to build a support group.”
In addition to the social and emotional support, Rodrigues promotes pre/postnatal yoga because it has many benefits to the mother and the child, including muscle strength and stress reduction. In addition to making childbirth easier and speeding up the healing process, building upper and lower body strength will help the mother adjust to her new responsibilities.
“Think about this: you’re going to be carrying around some extra weight (in your body), but once you have your baby you’re going to be literally carrying around all that extra weight,” said Rodrigues. “You want your arms to be strong so you can hold baby in one arm and talk on the phone with the other or wrangle up your other kids or push your shopping cart.”
The pre/postnatal yoga class also focuses on pelvic floor exercises and breathing techniques.
Rodrigues said a woman’s prenatal exercise practices should mirror her activity level before she became pregnant.
Jessica Taylor, owner/operator of Hot Momma Fitness and mother of seven-month-old Mason, said she was still running until she was about 38 1/2 weeks pregnant, though she said that wouldn’t be advisable for a woman who wasn’t already a runner.
“(Pregnancy) is not a time to start new sports or new athletic endeavors, but it is an opportunity for people to prioritize their health because it’s not only for their health, it’s for the baby’s health,” said the Fort Mitchell-based personal trainer.
Regardless of the type of exercise, pregnant women should seek consent from their doctors. A written note is required before participation in Rodrigues’ yoga class.
Especially with the rate of obesity in the country, Stewart advised women to view pregnancy as an event to train for. If it’s a planned pregnancy, getting in shape should be a top priority. “The healthier the mom, the better the pregnancy’s going to be,” he said.
Katie MccCarthy, 706-571-8515
