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Workouts To Do With Your Wife
Dear MrDad: My wife is pregnant and I'd
really like to work out with her. Are there any
exercises that are safe for us to do together?
A: If she's already in good shape and her
doctor approves, there's no reason she can't keep
doing pretty much what she's been doing. If she
wasn't a regular exerciser, this isn't the time to
take up rock climbing or start training for a
marathon. At the same time, she shouldn't plan on
spending the entire pregnancy on the sofa. The key
is to start easy and not push her if you see
she’s feeling winded or tired.
Getting sufficient exercise is critical. It will
help improve her circulation, which will ensure
that the baby has an adequate blood supply, and it
will keep her energy level high. Exercising during
pregnancy may also help your partner keep her
weight gain steady and reasonable, help her sleep
better, improve her self-esteem, reduce some of the
normal pregnancy-related discomforts. It'll improve
her strength and endurance, which will be helpful
during labor and delivery, and may even reduce the
chance that she'll deliver prematurely or need a
c-section.
Whatever you do, remember that you and your
partner will get the most benefit and lower your
chance of getting injured if you exercise
regularly—three times a week—rather than
sporadically. Be aware, though, that some health
clubs—out of fear of getting sued—will
ask a pregnant woman to provide a letter from her
doctor.
Here are some sports to do together:
- Speed walking or even running, if she's
already in shape
- Cycling, but avoid those bumpy dirt-bike
rides
- Swimming
- Noncompetitive tennis
- Easy weight lifting
- Golf
- Yoga
- Paddle tennis
On the other hand, here are a few important
workout no-nos:
- High-impact sports or anything where she
could take a hard fall. There’s a lot of
disagreement about whether or not it’s
possible to induce a miscarriage by falling.
Still, just to be safe, most high-impact
activities should be avoided.
- Scuba diving and water skiing. Highly
pressurized water can be squeezed through the
vagina and cervix into the uterus.
- Skiing. Unless she's an expert, and even
then she should take it easy.
- Hot tubs/steam baths/saunas. Raising a
pregnant woman’s body temperature by more
than two degrees could be dangerous to the
fetus. To cool itself, the body moves blood away
from the internal organs—including the
uterus—and toward the skin.
- Anything involving heavy lifting. This can
put unnecessary pressure on internal organs
- Anything too exhausting. If she can't carry
on a normal conversation while exercising, she's
working out too hard
- Anything that could lead to overheating.
Your partner shouldn't overdress and she should
keep her workouts moderate. Remind her to take
plenty of breaks and drink plenty of water
before, during, and after the workout.
Before starting any kind of workout program,
discuss the details with your practitioner and get
his or her approval. If you're doing anything
that'll work up a sweat, be sure to get enough
fluids. Both of you should drink a cup or so an
hour before starting and another 4-8 ounces or so
every fifteen to twenty minutes while you're
working out.
©2009, Armin Brott
* * *
It's clear that most American children suffer
too much mother and too little father. - Gloria
Steinem
A
nationally recognized parenting expert, Armin Brott
is the author of Blueprint
for Men's Health: A guide to a health
lifestyle,
The
Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for
Dads-to-Be;
The
New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First
Year, A
Dad's Guide to the Toddler
Years, Throwaway
Dads, The
Single Father: A Dad's Guide to Parenting without a
Partner and Father for
Life. He has written on parenting and fatherhood
for the New York Times Magazine, The
Washington Post, Newsweek and dozens of
other periodicals. He also hosts “Positive
Parenting”, a nationally distributed, weekly
talk show, and lives with his family in Oakland,
California. Visit Armin at www.mrdad.com
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