Note, this article provides general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
It used to be recommended that women take a pause from exercise when pregnant. Nowadays though it’s generally accepted that gentle exercise like walking, prenatal yoga and swimming is beneficial to overall health and well-being.
Here we look at the benefits of swimming.
Easy on Your Joints
Swimming is a non-weight-bearing form of exercise, which means your body weight is being supported by the water. This buoyancy and feeling of weightlessness results in no excessive stress on the joints, especially the hips, knees and spine.
Aerobic Exercise
Swimming is a cardiovascular exercise that is especially useful for the strength and function of your heart and overall blood flow. It also strengthens your bones, muscles and joints and increases your energy levels.
Improves Core Strength
Even though you feel weightless, water is denser than air and offers more resistance, so your body has to work harder to move through the water. When swimming your entire core is constantly engaged even though it seems like you are just moving your arms and legs. With backstroke your core prevents your lower body from sinking, with freestyle your core helps you stabilise your body in the water and is engaged as you rotate your body to breathe.
Prevents Excessive Weight Gain
The saying is 'eating for two' but that doesn’t mean you should eat twice as much as usual. A clinical study of pregnant women sought to see the influence of regular aquatic activities on weight gain and birth weight. They found that three weekly sessions of aerobic and aquatic activities throughout pregnancy helped to prevent excessive weight gain.
Stress Reduction
Pregnancy can cause quite an upheaval in a woman’s life. All the changes and preparation for childbirth can lead to stress and mental health challenges. It’s been recommended for immersion and relaxation in water as a method for calming and stress reduction. Less stress also means better quality sleep.
Reducing Edema
For those that don’t like to wear compression socks in summer, this small study showed that water aerobics or just being immersed in the water (up to the armpits) for 30 minutes had edema relieving effects.
Treatment of Low Back Pain
For those suffering low back pain, exercising in water was found to reduce the intensity of the back pain.
And compared to exercising on land, those that exercised in water reported less back pain and fewer sick days off work.
Protects Against Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy means there is a risk of less blood flow to the placenta resulting in the fetus receiving less oxygen and fewer nutrients. This can lead to slow growth or premature birth.
A randomised controlled trial of 382 pregnant women in an exercise group and 383 pregnant women in a control group receiving standard care, showed that those who did not exercise were 3 times more likely to develop hypertension, 1.5 times more likely to gain excessive weight, and 2.5 times more likely to have a macrosomic (larger than average) baby.
Helps Prevent Pre-Eclampsia
Preeclampsia affects 5-8% of pregnancies and occurs when high blood pressure (hypertension) develops after 20 weeks. It is associated with signs of damage to organ systems such as the kidneys, liver, blood or brain.
Regularly swimming during pregnancy improves blood circulation, blood pressure control and reduces inflammation in the body, which studies have shown to be effective in preventing preeclampsia.
Decreased Risk of Postpartum Depression
Mental health professionals often recommend exercise for treatment of depression as it can improve overall psychological well-being. A Spanish study found that those women who participated in aquatic aerobic exercise during pregnancy had reduced postpartum depressive symptoms and increased the quality of life of mothers.
Intact Perineum
Another Spanish study found that those who followed a thrice-a-week aquatic exercise program for pregnant women had a greater rate of having an intact perineum after birth.
Remember to Take Care
- Before starting a new exercise regime, check with your doctor that it’s safe for you.
- Around water there is always a risk of drowning so take care.
- Never swim alone.
- At the beach always stay between the flags.
- Pool areas can be slippery so wear non-slip shoes to avoid falls.
- Don’t dive or jump into a pool.
- Avoid water parks or crowded pools.
- Exercise in moderation – over exertion can result in hypoxia where oxygen is diverted away from the fetus to muscle tissue.
- Avoid hot tubs and saunas as these can raise your body temperature leading to maternal hyperthermia which can cause damage to the fetus.
Lastly
Swimming is a low-impact exercise that is generally safe even for those that are somewhat sedentary to participate in.
Don’t like exercising alone? Current evidence supports exercising in groups for positive effects on improving health, well-being and social support.
So, grab some maternity swimwear and make a splash this summer.
