IT has been described as the perfect exercise for pregnant women because of the low risks associated, allowing these women to maintain some level of fitness during what can be a challenging period for weight control.

Narda Ventura, programmes director at Aquaworx, said for women who are pregnant, water, preferably controlled water like a pool, is a great place to gain and maintain some fitness over the 40 weeks of pregnancy.

“Water to me is a miracle worker. What you cannot do on land, you will be able to do in water,” she said. “The buoyancy of water alleviates the fear of injury, as at least 50 per cent of the client’s body is being supported by water.”

According to Ventura, the prenatal aquatics are created to stretch and tone muscles as well as relieve tension points. She said with the go-ahead from a doctor, any woman can exercise during her pregnancy.

Ventura’s classes are small for supervision purposes and include a variety of light exercises. These include:

1. The women walking in water at varying depths to tone the leg muscles.

2. Kicking on a board or noodle to stretch the back and leg muscles.

3. Using a noodle as weights to work upper and lower extremities through push and pull actions. Water weights and bands can also be used.

4. Slow, broad transforming moves with the legs, arms and torso, through the technique of ai chi, which uses simple water exercises and deep-breathing techniques

5. Swimming laps.

Ventura said each expectant mother has a special programme created for her based on the stage of her pregnancy, as well as previous history of exercise.

The benefits

1. It strengthens your core trunk muscles, arms, legs and hips

2. The exercises are tailored to increase your cardio-respiratory fitness

3. Prenatal exercises are said to ease morning sickness

4. It decreases the chances of varicose veins in the legs and swelling of the feet

5. It keeps a healthy tone in muscles

6. The exercises help with the circulation of blood flow.

Additionally, the benefits extend to childbirth, helping with breathing that can make delivery easier. The wide range of movements that come with the prenatal aquatics exercises also increases flexibility, Ventura said. And after childbirth, the women have a quicker recovery time and lose the weight gained during pregnancy at a faster rate.

“Your self-determination to get up and start exercising again and start moving is important. The same exercises that you were engaged in pre-pregnancy or during pregnancy, go back to those and step it up a notch in terms of frequency or duration. Now you can switch from aquatic exercises to aquarobics which involve high intensity interval workouts designed to burn calories, stretch and tone muscles and release stress and tension,” she said.

She emphasised that eating right is also essential for seeing results.

“Nursing mothers tend to load up on carbs because as they breastfeed and nutrients are drawn from them, they feel the need to replace, and that is typically done with carbs. Eating right as opposed to dieting is always a good first step to losing weight post-pregnancy.”

— Kimberley Hibbert