Pregnant Women Are Afraid to Exercise - Are You One of Them?

Today we are sharing a post from WebMD.com. After all, it's Pregnancy Awareness Month, and we want our mamas to be aware!   Apparently, despite the research that shows exercise is generally safe and usually beneficial during pregnancy, many women still have fears about it hurting their babies.  Read on to get the facts, and be sure to visit WebMD for the original post, full story including all the great links.  And hey, don't you think their model would look much better in a fun For Two Fitness tank?  

Many Pregnant Women Fear Exercising

Despite Proven Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy, Many Still Think It Will Harm Their Babies

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

May 10, 2012 -- Are you pregnant and afraid to exercise?

Though exercise during pregnancy has proven benefits for healthy women, many still fear it, according to a new study.

"Despite what we have said over the last 10 years, pregnant women are still afraid exercise is going to hurt their child," says researcher Melissa J. Hague, MD, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita.

In her study of 90 women, she found many regular exercisers stopped working out when they became pregnant. Some told her they did not think exercising, even walking, was safe during pregnancy.

"I was really surprised," she tells WebMD.

Hague presented her findings this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in San Diego.

Pregnancy Fitness: Your Best Moves Before Baby Arrives

Exercise During Pregnancy: Expert Opinion

In 2002, ACOG issued an opinion about exercise during pregnancy. Recreational and competitive athletes without pregnancy complications can remain active with their doctor's OK, it says. They should modify their workouts as medically indicated.

Inactive women should consult their doctors before starting a program, it says.

Moderate exercise for 30 minutes or more most or all days of the week appears safe for pregnant women without complications, it says. Activities with a high risk of falling, contact sports, and scuba diving should not be done.

Exercise During Pregnancy: Study Details

Hague cares for pregnant women in her practice. She was curious as to why so many do not exercise.

She and her team did phone interviews with 90 women. They were 16 to 30 weeks pregnant.

Before becoming pregnant, almost half of the women said they exercised moderately at least 90 minutes a week.

After becoming pregnant, less than 27% did. "They said they were afraid they were going to hurt the baby," Hague says.

Safety concerns were more of an issue with those who weren't active, Hague found.

• About 62% of those who exercised during pregnancy thought working out longer than 30 minutes is safe.
• Only 18% of those who did not exercise thought so.

Hague found ethnic differences in attitudes toward exercise during pregnancy:

• Nearly 89% of white women said brisk walking is safe during pregnancy, and 90% said swimming is safe.
• Only 60% of other ethnic groups thought brisk walking is safe, and only 67% thought swimming is.

Myths passed down within the family may trigger women's fears, Hague tells WebMD. "If the moms tell them, 'You are going to hurt the baby,' they are not going to do it," she says of exercise during pregnancy.

Certain women were more likely to exercise during pregnancy, including those who believed they could manage it despite a busy schedule. Those who worked outside the home were more likely to fit in exercise during pregnancy.The study findings may reflect Midwest attitudes, says Raul Artal, MD, chair and professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and women's health at St. Louis University School of Medicine, and an expert on exercise during pregnancy.  He reviewed the study findings.   "The Midwest is experiencing an epidemic of obesity," he says. "If the study were done in Colorado, New York, or L.A., there may be different findings," he tells WebMD.

Doctors must take part of the blame for women not getting the exercise message, he says. "Physicians as a whole don't receive a lot of education about exercise physiology and behavior modification. This includes exercise and diet."

"There is still much ignorance about the fact that pregnancy should not be a state of confinement," Artal says.

Pregnancy, he says, "is a good time to engage in a healthy lifestyle," including exercise, with certain exceptions such as scuba diving, which can put the fetus at risk for decompression sickness.

"For women who have never exercised, walking is a good way to start" after getting a doctor's OK, Artal tell WebMD.

Hague says women should focus on the benefits of exercise during pregnancy. "We know exercise has significant benefits for women, including reducing their risk of depression and their risk of excess weight gain," she says. "Minimizing excess weight gain can reduce the risk of C-section."

Josie Maran and For Two Fitness Partner for Pregnancy Awareness Month!

May is Pregnancy Awareness Month!  

Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have partnered with the gorgeous supermodel and beauty maven Josie Maran for a fitness series on her personal blog Chicological!  Josie is the founder of her amazing eco-friendly, all-natural cosmetics line.

Photo from the Josie Maran Facebook Page

She's also a beautiful mother, and pregnant with her second child now.

Below, we've pasted part of her post.  Be sure to stop by www.chicological.com to see more, including fabulous all-natural beauty products, fashion, recipes, and giveaways.   And keep your eyes here for a Josie Maran Cosmetics giveaway, later this month!

Maternity Fitness Support - Review of the MomBod FITsplint

Our CEO had the opportunity to review the MomBod FITsplint, created by fitness expert Celeste Goodson.  Here's what she thinks:

Like many of you, I enjoy great belly support for a variety of activities.  During my day-to-day, I love a good supportive tank.  During my workouts, I love a great sports-specific support band, and between my last pregnancy and this one (I'm 22 weeks now), I've tried a few!  When Celeste offered to send me a MomBod FITsplint, I was excited.  When I tried it on and took it for a test run, I was delighted!  This product is really fabulous.  Here's why:

1. The MomBod FITsplint is almost invisible under clothes.  Yep, even under the form-fitting For Two Fitness tanks, my summer staple.  It is so light, I forgot I was wearing it, and there was no bulk under my clothes.

Courtesy: MomBod Fitness

2. It is simple!  No crazy contraptions to mess around with, just a super easy, completely adjustable and customizable fit.  You place the wide portion at your back, contract your abs  (as best you can!) and then cross the splint around the front of your belly (over, under, or one of each) and it velcros in place.  Totally smooth, easy to fit, and easy to adjust.

Courtesy: MomBod Fitness

3. It wasn't hot, didn't cause any chaffing, and I found it easy to wear during a workout.  No sliding around, no readjusting, no regrets.  I felt great support during my run, even during my faster intervals and hills.

Courtesy: MomBod Fitness

I have no reservations about recommending this great splint for everyday or fitness support.   Also, Celeste has developed the ReCORE program, a specific core strength regimen. If you're lucky enough to live in Southern California, you can also get personal training from Celeste!  It is well worth a visit to the  MomBod website.

More about Celeste and MomBod Fitness:  Celeste is a Boston Marathon qualifier and understands the desire for women to stay as fit as possible during pregnancy, get their core strength back and return to their exercise of choice injury and symptom free. Celeste Goodson has a B.S. in Fitness and Wellness Management.  In 2005, she became certified through ACE as an Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist, certifying her to personal train Pre/Post Natal women and those with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular and metabolic conditions.  After her 3rd child, Celeste found herself dealing with stress incontinence, prolapse and diastasis recti!  She researched extensively how to best strengthen the stretched out tissue and muscles and within a few months of proper exercises (ReCORE) she was symptom free and still is.  Visit the MomBod Fitness Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter!  

Today, we couldn't resist sharing a piece from the New York Times.  The mommy wars are raging...

The ‘Pregnancy Police’ Are Everywhere (Even in Your Head)

By KJ DELL'ANTONIA

Do pregnant mothers really “risk public scorn” to get their roots touched up?

It has been more than 10 years since I was pregnant for the first time, and six since I was pregnant for the last time (seriously, the last time). I do recall that drinking was discouraged, along with the consumption of coffee, soft cheeses and sushi.

I remember a low rumbling in the background, particularly in my visits to the birthing center in New York City’s West Village where we did those pregnancy classes that one does only when one is pregnant for the first time, suggesting that some (crazy) people might avoid coloring their hair (which I did anyway) and pedicures (ditto). Avoiding antiperspirants and makeup never occurred to me, or, as far as I knew, to anyone around me.

Have things changed so much in just a few years? The journalist Marie C. Baca, writing for Salon, got her roots touched up this week amid, she felt, the “whispers of the other patrons.” She details “My Pregnancy Rebellion” this way:

This is a world where having a baby can feel less like participating in an ancient biological process and more like taking on a high-stakes independent research project. The goal of said project? To produce the most intelligent, healthy and successful offspring possible, preferably one who will attend an Ivy League school. The women in this circle — highly ambitious and well-educated themselves — consume massive amounts of pregnancy and parenting literature long before they conceive, paying particular attention to creating the ideal womb environment for their future prodigies.

It’s a club whose membership comes with an ever-growing list of things to avoid for fear of harming the developing fetus. In addition to the usual suspects — alcohol, caffeine and soft cheeses, to name a few — there are nail salons, antiperspirants and all but the most natural (and expensive) makeup. And, of course, hair dye. The complete list would likely be several hundred items long.

There’s no denying that we live in a world of increasing paranoia, some justified (witness the struggle to figure out which parts of the baby “household chemical purge” are necessary, and which worthy only of mockery) and some not. It’s hard even for professionals and researchers to tease out the impacts of our many individual chemical exposures, and as Ms. Baca writes, “when it comes to their pregnancy, many women take a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach and avoid certain things altogether.”

But “safe,” when it affects the face we present to the world, has its own side effects.

More and more, when I see my peers wearing their sacrifices on their organic cotton sleeves and foundation-free faces, I see how pregnancy can mark the beginning of an identity loss that is never fully recovered. For me, and I suspect many other women as well, the pressure to strip a personal routine down to its barest incarnation seems to come with a parallel pressure to strip one’s concept of self to only one’s role as an expectant mother.

Now that — unlike the pressure to skip the deodorant — is a pressure I can remember feeling. A woman who is pregnant for the first time is omni-aware of the one certain truth of that pregnancy: the result (barring tragedy) will be a baby that requires a full-time, every-minute-of-every-day caring adult presence, with many, many years of finding a way to provide that care to follow. It’s a daunting moment for both parents, it’s just that only one sports the physical markers of the coming change for all to see.

Does the resulting pressure really come from the outside? Were Ms. Boca’s fellow Salon patrons really peering at her in judgement over their worn issues of Us Weekly? Maybe the Bay Area is indeed filled with what a twitter response to the piece called the “crunchy mom mafia,” and maybe not.

Either way, the primary place all of the important “mommy wars” and “rebellions” take place is in our own heads. We, men and women, have children hoping to do our very loving best by them, and what that means isn’t spelled out anywhere for all to see. The question isn’t really “Will I highlight my hair,” but “Will I make any sacrifice” and finally, “If someone else will do something that I perceive to be too much, what does that mean?”

Those aren’t easy questions to answer, even without your peers pursuing you over a pedicure. Are pregnant women who color their hair — or paint their toenails, or hire a baby nurse, or choose a stroller over a sling, or go back to work early — rebelling against their fellow parents, or against their own evolving deals?

What do you think?  Have you felt pressure from the "mommy mafia"?  

New Maternity Capri Tights, Summer 2012 Colors, and Great Press!

Need retail therapy?  Pregnancy and Newborn editors chose us for their "Retail Therapy" favorite in the April issue, on newsstands now...

In other news, we've been hearing your requests, and we finally are in production for the new Ultimate Maternity Capri Tights!  They are available for pre-order now, and will be ready to ship in about two weeks.  Here's a great action shot of model and pro volleyball player Alica Zamparelli, 4 months pregnant in the photo, and due in a few weeks!  

Because we love to keep up with the trends, we have an awesome new spring/summer palette that includes the hottest colors from the runways - tangerine, lemonade, and spring!  As always, we offer signature tops as well as graphic slogans tops, including workout clothes for mamas expecting twins! (see our "training for three", below).  

Perfect for twins, and any fitness activity! 

Zumba fans, this one's for you! We know many moms-to-be are doing their prenatal workouts  Zumba-style. 

Signature tanks and tees  for those who just want amazing fabric, flattering fit, and great performance.

Lots of colors and styles at www.fortwofitness.com.  See you soon!

Dig a Little Deeper: One Mom's Battle with Obstetric Cholestasis

Once again, here's our guest blogger Hollie, who fortunately has had her baby and is no longer suffering as she describes below. Read on to learn more about a challenging condition of pregnancy, and be inspired!

Dig a Little Deeper

I have noticed, out in the blogosphere and on various social media outlets, that there are basically two kinds of sharers. The first kind shares only the positive in his/her life. Status updates include messages about how cute their kids are, the great work-out they just completed and the extremely tasty yet oh-so-healthy meal they made from scratch...with accompanying pictures. The second type of sharer is the constantly negative, ever-so-klutzy, "why is life so hard?" kind.

My generally sunny disposition coupled with a patent need for accolades (I am a desperate front row student) finds me leaning toward the former. But lately my posts have been a bit more realistic trending towards downright depressing. By way of example, a recent post I wrote on Facebook said; "I feel like cutting myself open and bleeding out all the misery to be honest."

Rest assured I am NOT suicidal so maybe a little background information will help understand what I meant. And believe me I meant it!

I suffer from a rare (1 to 2 pregnancies out of 1000) although not unheard of liver disease that occurs during pregnancy known as Obstetric Cholestasis (OC) or Intrrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP). The disease which typically shows up during the last trimester of pregnancy, though it can start earlier, is caused by the increased amount of hormones a woman's body produces while pregnant. The liver which normally processes bile acids created by the body is unable to perform this function causing those bile acids to be sent through the blood stream. The major symptom of OC is itching. Now itching at first hearing may sound relatively mild but this is no ordinary itch. This is an "I want to run steak knives up and down my skin until I bleed, my skin is on fire, even my eyeballs itch," type of itching. Bonus: because the itching is in the blood stream it cannot generally be treated topically with much success and I literally do scratch until I bleed and bruise.

Other symptoms include:

• Depression-check
• Upper right quadrant pain-check
• Nausea-check
• Sleep deprivation-double check (I am writing this at 1:30 a.m.)

OC or ICP is considered a high-risk pregnancy because, in addition to the physical/mental anguish it causes the mother (and I say anguish without hyperbole), it can have very harmful consequenses for the unborn baby including low-birth weight, cranial hemorrhaging, premature and still birth. Most doctors recommend early delivery at around 36-37 weeks.

My two previous babies born while I had this condition were 32 weeks, weighing in at 4 lbs. 6 oz., and 36 weeks, weighing in at 5 lbs. 12 oz.

So here I am at almost 33 weeks, in the throes of misery, just managing to survive and I am sure you are wondering why I am sharing this on a site dedicated to fit pregnancies.

Here's why:

As a dancer and as a marathoner (albeit a slow one) I have learned a lot about physical and mental suffering. I know what it is like to dance for hours on pointe shoes with toes bloody and raw only to be asked to do it "full-out" one more time. I know what it is like to run 20 miles and still have 6.2 to go. In short, I know what it is like to be asked to dig a little deeper to make it to the end.

Pregnancy is hard even in the best of circumstances. It most certainly challenges us both physically and mentally and most definitely emotionally. The things we learn as fit women and active mothers can help teach us that we can, indeed, dig a little deeper. Certainly a well-rehearsed ballet is a thing of beauty. Crossing a marathon or even a 5k finish line is euphoric bordering on orgiastic. How much greater then is the feeling of delivering a healthy happy baby?

So despite my melodramatic social media postings, I am hanging in there, trying to give my baby girl the longest possible time for growth before she joins us in the world. Skin itching and bleeding, sleep-deprived and stressed to the max, I am digging deeper because I know I can and so can you.

To learn more about Obstetric Cholestasis visit www.itchymoms.com

Hollie Reina is a 32 year old freelance journalist and full-time mother of three.  She lives in southern California and is a marathoner and would-be triathlete (her half-ironman plans are on pause due to this recent pregnancy) with a passion for the outdoors, running, cycling.  In fact, she was once a professional hiking and mountain biking guide for two fancy outdoorsy spas in Utah. Follow her on twitter at @hikingholsford.

Five Ways for New Moms to Get Fit

Today, we are pleased to feature Amanda Perry, a 31 year old nutrition and fitness fanatic and mom to a beautiful baby boy born on June 4, 2011. On her blog, Sistas of Strength, she provides nutrition and fitness advice, including recommended workouts and recipes.

Additionally, she shares tips for staying fit during pregnancy and getting fit after having a baby (banishing the baby bulge). She is currently training for the Russian Kettlebell Certification (RKC) in April 2012 and co-owns Skill of Strength, a company that provides personal training, group training and kettlebell training, with her husband.  Read on for her  take on ways new moms can get back into fitness...

5 Ways for New Moms to Get Fit

I’m going to be 100% honest. The best way to get back into fitness as a new mom is to never do away with it in the first place! Now, let’s assume the reason you’re reading this is because it’s too late and you’ve already given your training regimen the ‘ole boot in the butt, whether by choice or because of something completely out of your control (difficult pregnancy, complications recovering, etc.).

What’s the best thing you can do? Move your body right now. Or next time your baby naps. Or after your baby goes to bed. Or tomorrow morning before your baby gets up. Get my point? You’re a new mom now and if you wait for the perfect time to exercise, it’s never going to happen.

Here’s a few tips to help you get started on your journey back to fitness!

1.     Find a time that is going to work for you.

Put your workouts in your calendar and stick to them. If possible, schedule your workouts at a time when someone else can care for your baby, for example before your husband goes to work or after he gets home. Fitting in workouts when you have a baby is tricky, but possible. If you have to take care of your baby while you workout, I bet you can find a way to make that happen. I usually workout at home before my baby wakes up, but sometimes I train at home while he plays with his favorite toy(s). The activity mat used to be awesome for this when he was younger!

2.     Set mini goals and reward yourself.

Aim for a certain number of workouts each week and set some postnatal nutrition goals for yourself. If you achieve these goals (and you will!), reward yourself every few months with a new pair of shoes, a shirt or a massage. Even better, make that reward a session with a personal trainer to learn new exercises and perfect your form!

3.     Do workouts that are effective.

Walking is good and it’s something you can do with your baby. However, let’s count walking as a bonus in addition to your workouts. And please, pretty please, stop spending your entire workout on a cardio machine and try some strength training. You will not bulk up and in fact if you follow a decent strength training program and keep your nutrition in check I promise that the opposite will happen. Strength training and kettlebells are awesome for new moms because you can train effectively and efficiently. No more spending hours at the gym!

4.     Shower later.

Something else I’ve learned about being a mom is that you’re going to be shorter on time than ever before. You may have a great baby and have things under control, but sometimes he/she is going to need more attention than others. If you have to stink a little because you made time to get that workout in, but didn’t have enough time for a shower, so be it. You’ll get around to it eventually!

5.     Like your workout clothes.

Put your workout clothes on when you get up in the morning. (Obviously if you are going to work and plan to train later in the day this isn’t an appropriate option.) If you wake up and get dressed for your workout, you’ll be more likely to get it done. You can still go about your daily routine at home or run some errands if you’re not planning to exercise until later, but why not be prepared ahead of time? Bonus: if you have to keep these clothes on for a bit after your workout because you don’t have time to shower (see above) you’ll look cute even though you may smell bad.

It certainly doesn’t get easier to find time to exercise when you’re a new mom. In fact, there isn’t much about life that gets easier when you’re a mom, but I truly believe you can squeeze a lot more into your day than you ever thought possible.

Fortunately, I was able to work out during my entire pregnancy and I was also able to dive right back into working out after having my son. I am currently training for the RKC which has been an awesome way for me to stick to my training goals. It’s also been helpful to have a goal outside of simply losing the baby weight to focus on. Instead of worrying about my weight, I’m focusing on getting stronger and the losing the baby weight is a nice side effect.
 

Any other new moms have a favorite tip on how to best get back into fitness?