Is Swimming During Pregnancy Safe To Practice?

Have you ever wondered if swimming during pregnancy is healthy for your future baby? If you want to stay healthy during these 9 months and also have a healthy child after giving birth, you most likely have.

Swimming is a good physical exercise because it puts in motion both groups of big muscles of the superior and inferior limbs. Using these muscles allow pregnant women to feel thinner despite the weight accumulated during pregnancy.

Each aerobic exercise helps to body in transporting and using the oxygen, which is vital for you and your baby. Also, swimming helps with your circulation, helps with the resistance and improves muscle tone.

If you swim, you`ll burn calories, you`ll feel less tired, sleep better and have an easier pregnancy, going much easier through the emotional and physical challenges.

Safety Measures for the Belly

Swimming is among the safest forms of physical exercises during pregnancy. If you used to swim regularly before becoming pregnant, you should continue this activity without too many changes.

If you didn`t or haven`t done any physical exercises before your pregnancy, you still can swim, but talk to your doctor first. You`ll need to start slowly, warm up well and don`t force yourself too much.

When you are in the water, it`s possible for you to forget that you need to stay well hydrated. Experts say that although there isn`t an official recommendation regarding the amount of water pregnant women need to consume while performing physical exercises, it`s still recommended to drink a glass of water before the swimming session, a glass of water every 20 minutes and another glass of water when going out of the pool. In warm and wet sessions, it`s recommended to drink even more.

Swimming during the First Trimester of Pregnancy

During the first trimester, you need to try to swim 20 minutes every day. If you feel yourself nauseous in the morning, swimming will help you get rid of these symptoms, but it may very well worsen them as well. You should first try and see what effects it will have on you and then see what there`s to be done further.

Swimming during the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

Your only concern now is to find a comfortable swimming suit while your tummy grows bigger and bigger. Other than that, if the doctor doesn`t forbidden you swimming from various reasons, you are allowed to practice this physical activity during the second trimester as well.

Swimming during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

When you are swimming, all the weight you feel due to your pregnancy seems to become smaller. If your last trimester of pregnancy catches you in the summer, swimming can prove to be a real blessing. Your muscles will tone, your blood circulation will be improved and you`ll feel a lot better on every way.

Most Popular Swimming Style during Pregnancy

Bras swimming technique is perhaps the most recommended while expecting a child because it`s doesn’t require a torso rotation and you put less effort into it. Also, it helps in relieving back pain due to the belly`s weight.

Pregnancy forces the spine and shoulders to come out. Bras style helps strengthen the muscles and increases resistance.

Another swimming style is to just let yourself flow on your back because the water reduced the effects of gravity on your body. You can lie yourself on your back and just let your flow without the risk of damaging blood circulation, as it happens when exercises that don`t involve water are performed.

How Much Time to Practice?

Around 20 to 30 minutes per day, 3 or 4 times per week, with free days taken for.

Most Common Benefits of Swimming during Pregnancy

• Improving blood circulation.
• Stimulating heart and breathing.
• Increasing of muscle force and tone.
• Using big muscle groups.
• Improving resistance to effort.
• Reducing the retention of fluid and edema.
• Burning calories, helping in maintaining a healthy weight.
• Ensuring a restful sleep.
• Combating tiredness.
• You don`t overheat.

Why Swimming Would Be Forbidden while Expecting?

• If the doctor forbidden you.
• If the water broke.
• Jumps from high height aren`t recommended.

Chlorine in the Pool! Is there a Danger?

There`s a study performed in 2002 that analyzed the connection between swimming and pools in which the water is treated with chlorine and the possible side effects in pregnancy. The study analyzed especially the connection between trihalomethan and miscarriage, urinary tract issues, neural tube defects and low birth weight.

Trihalomethan is produced when chlorine is mixed with organic matters, like urine, skin cells, some cosmetics or sweat. These materials are found especially in crowded pools, with poor ventilation and lots of chlorine.

However, the results of the study were inconsistent. Experts said that they needed more tests to determine the long-term effects to the exposure of chlorine during pregnancy. – More info!

Moreover, the risks for the fetus in a pool treated with chlorine are smaller than in an untreated pool, where you can get infections a lot easier.

Careful!

• Be careful in what water you enter. If you choose to go to the pool, the risk of getting an infection is high, if the water isn`t clean.
• Don`t jump from the edge of the pool not even with your legs in front.
• Do a few warming exercises, before entering the water.
• Don`t dive. Your breathing should be as natural as possible. Apnea won`t do you or your baby any good.
• Keep your head covered.
• Don`t stay for too long in the sunlight.