7 Real Life Reasons to Exercise during Pregnancy
Nowadays, most people know that exercise during pregnancy is recommended for its many health benefits (see the 2019 Canadian guidelines here), but sometimes it’s easier said than done to actually get yourself moving. Low energy, not feeling well, being busy with other children and more can derail our plans.
We asked our regular participants for some tips on what motivated them to exercise during pregnancy.
Finding the “why” for you and letting that drive your plans can help you reach your goals.
- To grow Baby’s First Home. For my first pregnancy, I wanted to make sure that I was physically strong. My body was doing the most amazing thing- it was growing another human! My body was my baby’s first home so I wanted to make sure it was a healthy & safe place for my growing babe. – Elizabeth S.
- To be my healthiest self. I wanted to be my healthiest self for both me and baby, and feel strong going into labour/delivery. - Tracy
- To meet active moms-to-be. This was my first pregnancy; I knew joining some group exercise classes would be a good chance to meet other moms and moms-to-be with the same interest regarding fitness. - Jamie
- To feel like myself. I was motivated by the positive influence exercise had on helping me feel like myself, especially during the times when my body felt foreign. I’ve always been someone who exercises, keeping this habit going helped me feeling like me! - Kelsey
- To benefit my labour experience. A big motivator for me to stay active during pregnancy was the knowledge that it would benefit my labour and post-partum physical recovery. Being pregnant during the pandemic was difficult, but exercising afforded me a sense of control over the health of my baby and my own physical and mental health. - Gwen
- To be healthy for my family. Being active and heathy for my family is my biggest motivation to exercise during pregnancy. - Elise
- To improve postnatal recovery: I believe being active during pregnancy will help me to recover more quickly after giving birth. – Alyssa
We'd love to support you to get more active during your pregnancy. Check out our schedule here to see if there is a prenatal program that works for you. You got this!
