Women who were running with consistency before pregnancy are encouraged to continue running as long as they feel comfortable while expecting. For some women, this may be through the second trimester, and for others, this could be up to the day of delivery. It all depends on how a baby is carried, any pain being experienced, and how high risk a pregnancy is that will determine the exact duration of running during pregnancy. But regardless of how long women choose to run while expecting, there are benefits to be had when choosing to participate in running while pregnant.
During pregnancy, according to The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, women should aim to get 150 minutes of "moderate-intensity aerobic activity" every week. For those who enjoy running and are feeling up to it, it is a perfectly safe exercise for mothers-to-be to participate in. Like everything during pregnancy, it requires women to listen to their bodies and to modify or stop running in the event of any complications that arise. But for most women who are avid runners, pregnancy may slow them down but will not stop them from participating in an activity they very much enjoy.
Here are the benefits of running while pregnant.
6 Can Make Delivery Easier
Delivering a baby is very much like an endurance event because the process can take hours and sometimes days to get through in order to finally meet the beloved babies. Not surprisingly, it can be exhausting. But by running during pregnancy, delivery can be made much easier.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, while running and other cardio-related activities will not make the pain of delivery any better, women who participated regularly in them have an easier time getting through delivery because they are not completely exhausted from the process. Instead, as a result of all of the exercise mothers-to-be have had during pregnancy, their endurance is longer and the stamina is greater to get through delivery than those women who did not exercise at all.
Therefore, while all mothers are tired after going through labor, those who have been running and working out regularly will make it through with ease.
5 C-Section Risk Is Lowered
While some women opt to have a c-section to deliver their babies, others want to deliver vaginally. When that choice is taken away as a result of an emergency during delivery, it can be understood why it has to happen but disappointing nonetheless. But by running during pregnancy, the odds of this happening are lessened.
According to WebMD, when women run consistently throughout pregnancy, their bodies are less likely to have circumstances in which emergency C-sections are required. While they still exist, the frequency is less. And because of this, women who want to have a vaginal birth are more likely to get their wish than those women who are not as active.
4 Lowers The Risk Of Complications
Much like the risk of emergency C-sections is lowered, the incidents of having other complications during pregnancy are lowered as well as a result of running while expecting. As a result, according to The Mother Runners, things like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia are less likely to occur in mothers who are runners.
Therefore, the less sedentary life women lead during pregnancy, the better their outcomes will be when it comes times to deliver their babies.
3 Mental Wellbeing Is Boosted
During pregnancy, over 10 percent of women suffer from perinatal depression, according to Wisconsin PRAMS. But because it often goes undiagnosed, women will carry the depression through pregnancy and then likely be diagnosed with postpartum depression. To combat this, taking time during pregnancy to focus on mental wellbeing is necessary. And running helps to combat depression at every turn.
According to Exercise Right, when women are diagnosed with depression during pregnancy, it needs to be helped to be overcome so that postpartum depression does not develop. By running, endorphins are increased and incidents of anxiety and depression are decreased. And while running alone will not fix the status of mental health overnight, it can be a powerful tool in the process of battling depression.
2 Optimal Weight Gain Can Be Achieved
During pregnancy, women should gain between 25 and 35 pounds on average. And by running during pregnancy, it is very easy to remain within the optimal bubble of weight gain for healthy mothers and babies alike.
According to Active.com, because each trimester of pregnancy requires more calories to be eaten to maintain a healthy pregnancy, it is imperative when running to refuel and replace the calories burned with healthy meals and snacks to not inadvertently lose weight while pregnant. As such, eating a balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins at every meal will help to do this while promoting healthy weight gain as well.
1 Baby's Brain Development Boosted
Babies whose mothers were active and running during pregnancy have been proven to have brains that matured more quickly than those whose mothers lives sedentary lives. As such, when women are active during pregnancy, their babies are smarter as a result.
According to Today, when mothers participate in activities like running three times per week, babies' brains were firing on a more sophisticated level than those whose mothers chose not to exercise while expecting. Therefore, to promote brain health and growth in babies, all mothers need to do is get out and run a bit during pregnancy. Their babies' brains and overall health will thank them for it.
Source: The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Pregnancy Association, WebMD, The Mother Runners, Wisconsin PRAMS, Exercise Right, Active.com, Today