Exercise During Pregnancy

Not too many years ago, doctors told women to take it easy during their pregnancy in order to protect themselves and their baby, but that advice has changed.

Obstetricians like Dr. Patricia Hoyne advise their pregnant patients to keep moving. She says,"there are different studies that say women that are in better shape will have better easier time even just handling labor. It's a strenuous process and it requires some stamina and reserve and exercise can help get people ready for that."

You need to keep moving to keep up with Altoona Jazzercise. The class combines cardiovascular activity with weight-bearing exercise and stretching.

Heather Tippett-Wertz has been actively keeping the beat, for almost two years now. She comes to class three to four times a week. Depending on where you look, if you concentrate on how well she moves, you almost can't tell she's expecting.

Heather says, "I feel wonderful...after eight months being pregnant I'm ready to have this baby, but i have to say I can't complain I feel really good."

Dr Hoyne says exercises like Jazzercise, Pilates, yoga, and walking are good for pregnant women, with certain provisions. According to Hoyne, "what the pregnant lady has to watch for especially after the first trimesters or the early part of pregnancy is she really shouldn't be laying flat on her back for prolonged periods of time."

Heather does no floor exercises...and modifies her activities to avoid jumping..

Altoona Jazzercise owner and instructor Kendra Pense says, "when i'm teaching a Jazzercise class we're always showing lots of low impact moves moderate intensity but no jumping and those transition very well to someone who's pregnant as well."

How about women who haven't exercised before becoming pregnant? Dr. Hoyne: "this is not the time to decide you're going to run a marathon and start training to run a marathon but you want that person to start exercising even if it's walking for ten minutes at a time."

But Dr Hoyne says definitely check with your own obstetrician before exercising when you're pregnant.