How exercise can assist with labour and birth preparation

As a midwife, Anita Guerra has supported countless mums during their labour and birth and has witnessed firsthand how exercise throughout pregnancy can assist with labour and birth preparation. Here she takes us through the benefits and why she highly recommends it.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of pregnancy and exercise and how it assists with labour and birth:
- Improved core strength to support your spine and help you carry your baby around during pregnancy and during labour and birth.
- Improved posture to minimise back pain.
- Improve your mood during pregnancy and to create a positive mindset for labour and birth.
- Improved muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness so you can cope with labour better.
- Tone your lower body to handle the demands of labour and birth.
- Strengthen your upper body to lift and hold your baby afterwards and so you can hold yourself up during labour and pushing.
- Reduced likelihood of experiencing symptoms associated with pregnancy including: leg cramps, swelling, constipation, varicose veins, back pain and incontinence.
- Decreased risk of gestational diabetes, plus exercise helps to control gestational diabetes during pregnancy for reduced chances of a bigger baby at birth.
- Confidence in own ability to cope with labour and birth.
- Improved circulation and blood flow for mum and baby.
- Improved relaxation and possible improved sleep patterns.
- Enhanced mental wellbeing, improved self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Lower chance of developing high blood pressure.
- Improved recovery time after birth.
- Increased placental growth and functional capacity.
- Easier, shorter and less chance of a complicated birth.
- Improved aspects of growth and development post birth.
- Reduction in the need for analgesia.
- Reduction in the need for Induction of Labour which can include artificially rupture of the membranes and oxytocins infusion to stimulate contractions.
- Reduction in the need for an episiotomy.
- Reduction in the need for an instrumental birth (forceps or vacuum).
- Reduction on the need of a caesarean.
Cardiovascular Training in pregnancy along with strength training has also proven benefits for the mother for the pregnancy and during her labour and birth. These include:
- Improved circulation and flexibility.
- Increased energy, strength, endurance, and muscular coordination.
- Reduced discomfort from water retention.
- Reduced tension, stress and depression.
- Fewer stretch marks, varicose veins, and abdominal separation.
- Decreased likelihood of postnatal depression.
- Increased ability to relax.
Recommendations to be active during your pregnancy until you give birth:
To achieve and maintain a reasonable level of fitness aim for one of the following:- a session of moderate intensity exercise on all or most days of the week.
- at least 150 minutes of exercise over a week.
- 10,000 steps per day.
https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/pregnancy-and-birth/a-healthy-pregnancy/active-pregnancy https://www.physicalactivityaustralia.org.au/pregnancy-and-exercise https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2014/august/exercise-in-pregnancy https://ranzcog.edu.au/womens-health/patient-information-resources/exercise-during-pregnancy

About the Author
Anita believes that all women can empower themselves with the correct guidance to reduce fear and anxiety so they can enjoy pregnancy and transition well into motherhood.
She belives all women deserve to be educated and informed on choices and the importance of the correct prenatal and postnatal care guidelines with exercise while protecting their pelvic floor and bodies from life long complications.
Her fitness programs help women to build strength and exercise safely. They learn about pelvic floor and abdominal muscles and how to activate safely to carry their baby well and reduce complications. Many report their pregnancies have felt easier, and their birth experiences more positive, with reduced need for analgesia, experiencing a smoother recovery period.
Anita monitors their post birth journey closely, teaching them how to return to exercise safely while creating a positive mindset and providing them with a supportive community.
Anita also draws on her own experience as a mother and found her second birth to be the hardest. By going through her own journey she knew she wanted to do more for women around post birth education.
Anita believes that all women can empower themselves with the correct guidance to reduce fear and anxiety so they can enjoy pregnancy and transition well into motherhood.
She belives all women deserve to be educated and informed on choices and the importance of the correct prenatal and postnatal care guidelines with exercise while protecting their pelvic floor and bodies from life long complications.
Her fitness programs help women to build strength and exercise safely. They learn about pelvic floor and abdominal muscles and how to activate safely to carry their baby well and reduce complications. Many report their pregnancies have felt easier, and their birth experiences more positive, with reduced need for analgesia, experiencing a smoother recovery period.
Anita monitors their post birth journey closely, teaching them how to return to exercise safely while creating a positive mindset and providing them with a supportive community.
Anita also draws on her own experience as a mother and found her second birth to be the hardest. By going through her own journey she knew she wanted to do more for women around post birth education.?