Here are 10 benefits of swimming during pregnancy.
1. Say Goodbye to Nausea
Nausea can be a major problem during pregnancy, but when you do slow laps in a cool swimming pool, that nausea can go away. It’s a great reason to spend a lot of time in your backyard swimming pool during pregnancy!
2. Drive Away the Heat
Because pregnant women carry extra weight, they oftentimes feel overheated. What better way to beat the heat than to submerge yourself into a cool body of water?
3. Take a Load Off
Pregnancy weight puts pressure on the lower back and joints. But when you experience the buoyancy of the water, all that weight magically disappears. Imagine being 20 pounds heavier and feeling as light as a feather!
4. Gets the Blood Pumping
When you do laps in the pool, it ramps up your blood circulation. That’s good for you and the baby and helps ensure a healthier pregnancy. Remember, the baby needs oxygenation to grow strong and healthy and swimming laps is a great way to provide it.
Did You Know?
One study shows that women who swim during pregnancy have a reduced risk of a pre-term birth or of giving birth to a child suffering from congenital malformations.
5. Strengthens the Core
When you do laps in a swimming pool, the movements help strengthen your core abdominal muscles. That will not only help ease the birthing process, but it may allow your muscles to recover more quickly afterward, so you will have an easier time getting back into shape.
6. Make Discomfort a Thing of the Past
When your body is submerged in the water, you will feel instant relief from swollen limbs, back pain, and aching ankles. The water’s buoyancy means you weigh only a tenth of what you do on land, and that will provide instant relief to your aching joints and muscles.
7. No More Anxiety
It’s been shown that swimming plays an important role in positive mental wellness as it increases endorphins. And since so many soon-to-be mothers experience anxiety, swimming is a natural exercise to combat it. Those slow rhythmic laps in your backyard swimming pool will do wonders for your mood!
Watch this video for some great tips about how to improve you pregnancy swimming routine
8. Get Caught Up on Sleep While You Can!
Once the baby arrives, your nights of blissful sleep will be put on hold for a while. But the good news is that if you swim while pregnant, you’ll enjoy a deeper, more satisfying sleep. That means you’ll be well-rested and better prepared for the baby’s sleepless nights!
9. Stop the Veins
One unfortunate result of pregnancy is the appearance of varicose veins. But if you spend a good amount of time in the swimming pool, you may be able to reduce or even prevent them. That’s because as you float in the water, you take the pressure off of your legs and feet.
10. Prevent This Common Diagnosis
Diastasis recti, which is an abnormal separation between the two rectus muscles in the muscular abdominal wall, affects between 65% and 100% of pregnant women. One of the key prevention methods of this condition is to strengthen the abdominal walls, which can be accomplished by swimming.
Swimming While Pregnant is Good for You and the Baby
As you’re preparing for life with the new baby, it only makes sense that you want to do all you can to ensure your and the baby’s health. Swimming during pregnancy is a great way to get in shape, enjoy more restful sleep, strengthen your muscles, and reduce anxiety.
As with any exercise program, be sure to discuss your routine with your doctor to make sure it meets your unique needs.
