Pregnancy for any woman is a pleasant event in life. This is not a disease, as many people think, so you should not lie and clutch your stomach all the time during pregnancy. In modern gynecology, doctors advise expectant mothers to lead a moderately active lifestyle, unless, of course, there are contraindications. Girls in a position with increasing tummies are easier to tolerate loads in the water. Therefore, a visit to the pool will be a great way to keep your body in good shape.
A visit to the pool for a healthy pregnancy
Maternity Swimming It turns out to be practically indispensable, because this is a process that favorably affects the entire body of a woman in a position. Her mood rises and her health improves. This is because training in the pool is well suited for pregnant women.
In water, the body resides in zero gravity. Because of this, expectant mothers do not experience strong physical exertion. Even with minimal activity during swimming, the body will remain in good shape and at the same time relaxed state. In this case, the load is removed from the lower back, back and thoracic region, and the muscles are strengthened. With regular visits to the pool, the manifestations of varicose veins and swelling gradually disappear.
In water, future mothers can perform exercises that are contraindicated on land. The sooner a woman in position begins to visit the pool, the better she will feel during the entire period of expectation of the child. Swimming for pregnant women is the best way to keep fit and healthy.
How to choose a pool for pregnant women?
Expectant mothers should be serious about choosing a swimming pool, as well as choosing an instructor. This person must be a high-level professional and have experience in similar work. After all, swimming exercises for pregnant women is a special process that requires special training and knowledge from the instructor.
How to choose a place for swimming? Undoubtedly, you need to pay attention to how the water in the pool is sanitized. The disinfection method should be safe for the expectant mother.
In chlorinated water, women in a better position not to swim, it is worth paying attention to when choosing a pool. It is best to have running or sea water in it.
Modern pools, as a rule, have alternative methods of disinfecting water with chlorine-free products. These are systems based on ozone, ultraviolet, and it is also possible to use ionizing installations or oxygen-containing reagents.
In a swimming institution, pregnant women, as well as ordinary visitors, must necessarily ask for a health certificate from the leather dispensary.
The benefits of swimming for pregnant women
Swimming has a great benefit for a person, and for future women in labor and the fetus, this benefit is double. Water procedures positively affect the body of the mother and her baby. So, why is swimming beneficial for pregnant women? When practicing in the pool, you can observe such changes as:
- strengthening the muscles of the body;
- increase the body's endurance to stress (this is useful during childbirth);
- improvement of blood circulation, elimination of blood stasis in the lower extremities and pelvic organs;
- the load is removed from the lumbar spine;
- the respiratory system is training;
- increases the likelihood that the child will occupy the correct position in the womb.
As you can see, swimming for pregnant women is a benefit for all the systems of their body and the health of the unborn baby.
During a visit to the pool, not only the body and spirit are strengthened, but also immunity is enhanced. Water procedures are known to harden, and pregnant women are vulnerable to various infections. Thus, additional stimulation of the body to develop immunity is another plus.
Contraindications
As with any exercise, swimming in the pool may be contraindicated for pregnant women. The benefits and harms of exercising may depend on the individual characteristics of each woman in her position and her well-being. This, as a rule, can be a threat of abortion. In this case, the woman will be shown bed rest, and it is better to postpone classes until complete recovery.
There are a number of diseases that are contraindications to swimming:
- manifestation of toxicosis;
- threatened abortion;
- bleeding;
- pain in the abdomen;
- pressure instability;
- tuberculosis;
- exacerbation of a chronic disease;
- placenta previa;
- infectious diseases of the genitourinary system;
- an allergic reaction to the components of the disinfectant in water;
- infections of a different nature.
Before visiting the pool, you should consult your doctor.
Occupation in the pool at different stages of pregnancy
Swimming is useful throughout pregnancy. You can start practicing in the pool at any time, but it is better to start this useful process in the first weeks. It is also not too late for pregnant women to start swimming in the pool later, if there are no contraindications and the doctor knows about your decision.
- In the first trimester, you can practice starting from 20 minutes, a couple of times a day.
- In the second trimester, there is no need to reduce the time of classes. Despite the fact that the fetus grows, swimming has only a beneficial effect on the body. In this case, the ligaments and muscles do not feel increased loads in the water.
- The third trimester is not a contraindication. Swimming improves mood, relieves fatigue and trains the respiratory system, as well as the entire body for future stress during childbirth. It is worth considering buying a more free swimsuit.
Dolphin therapy
Swimming for pregnant women with dolphins, or, as they call it, "dolphin therapy for expectant mothers", is a kind of meditation that has a positive effect on the psychosomatic state of the expectant mother. Dolphins are known to be animals with a unique ability to recognize the state of pregnancy in women from the very first days. They treat the expectant mother carefully, supporting her in the water. This mammal will never touch the stomach and cause discomfort or pain.
Dolphin therapy, according to recent studies by scientists, is useful in that dolphins emit ultrasonic signals during bathing with pregnant women, which, in turn, favorably affect the body of the mother and child. Such waves can prevent the occurrence of heart defects in the fetus, as well as a number of deviations in the development of the unborn baby. For example, the formation of hearing in a baby is better under the influence of "ultrasonic songs" of dolphins. Also swimming pregnant with dolphins has a beneficial effect on the psychological state of the mother. Anxiety decreases, mood improves, muscle tension and general overexcitation are relieved. The expectant mother becomes more calm, confident and is not burdened by negative thoughts and emotions.
Water aerobics
Aqua aerobics is a water fitness lesson accompanied by rhythmic music. Such physical training is the best type of load on the body to prepare for childbirth. Water aerobics contributes to a surge of vigor, gaining health and improving mood.
When training in water, all muscles experience stress, while the aquatic environment makes them easier. Fitness swimming for pregnant women contains exercises with a slight or light load, so you should not worry too much.
During water aerobics, the body is actively saturated with oxygen, and the heart system begins to work harder, dispersing blood throughout the body. Thus, the fetus receives vital trace elements and oxygen in the required amount. This contributes to its proper development and eliminates the occurrence of pathology. During the active activity of the mother, the baby also moves and strengthens its body.
Water exercises
Pregnant women should adhere to a specific program, such recommendations are given by experienced trainers. The pool may have special courses - swimming for pregnant women. Exercises in this case will be selected accordingly.
Begin your classes on the surface of the water should be easy and simple exercises. For example, it could be stretching exercises. It is done by turning to face the sides and the pool wall. During the lesson, the expectant mother tries to sit on the so-called longitudinal or transverse twine. Exercises of this kind do not require compliance with all the rules, you just need to try to do it with the maximum comfort for yourself.
Becoming next to the side, you can make turns in different directions. These can be exercises with bent legs, various squats in the water, the so-called “bicycle” with turns and other similar exercises.
The ability to relax will be useful to the expectant mother during labor. After all, between fights a woman will have to be able to relax. Also, such a course of studies makes it possible to relieve stress from the back. You can simply lie on the water, arms spread out in different directions, or accompany the exercises with breathing exercises. Learn to relax, lying on the surface of the water and swaying in the waves.
If other pregnant women are in the pool, group activities can be arranged. You can, for example, play a kind of "trickle". All participants stand in a row and spread their legs wide. Then, each expectant mother swims in an impromptu tunnel in turn. Such exercises can be done if the woman has an excellent state of health.
The pool is a great place to practice the respiratory system. Exercises for proper breathing can be performed in a group or singly. You can hold your breath for a few seconds. Such an exercise will help in childbirth and prepare the baby's body for the possibility of delaying or reducing the flow of oxygen. Such situations can occur during labor and the baby passes through the birth canal.
Each exercise or simple swimming for pregnant women is the best type of physical activity. It is better to start practicing with simple exercises, the implementation of which is designed for short periods of time, gradually increasing their intensity. If any actions in the water cause discomfort, you must stop exercising and relax.
Pool water quality requirements
According to the rules, the air temperature should be 2-3 degrees above the water temperature. This ratio is optimally comfortable when leaving the pool on land. At the same time, the temperature indicators of water for swimming by pregnant women are 21-26 degrees Celsius.
As a rule, pool water is subject to systematic cleaning and disinfection. But for pregnant women, some formulations of cleansing mixtures can be harmful. So, for example, products containing chlorine are contraindicated during pregnancy, and expectant mothers should avoid them. Modern mixtures for water sanitation in pools contain silver ions, oxygen compounds and other harmless and non-toxic components. There are also ultraviolet water purification systems. Such disinfection methods do not change the composition of the liquid and, therefore, do not cause allergic reactions in visitors. They do not have toxic effects on their body, which means they provide safe swimming for pregnant women.
In Minsk, for example, in every basin all norms and standards for water quality are maintained, and its temperature regime is strictly observed. That is why the pools of the capital of Belarus are the best place providing comfortable swimming for pregnant women. Krasnodar in this regard is no exception. In the city, each pool is carefully monitored systematically.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be noted that a woman preparing to become a mother can visit the pool throughout her pregnancy. The exceptions are periods of deterioration in well-being of the expectant mother and a ban on doctors. Observing all the rules of behavior on the water and adhering to the training program drawn up by the trainer, you can be sure that swimming is safe for a woman in position and her future baby.
If the expectant mother chose activities in the pool as a form of physical activity in this interesting period, then she did the right thing. After all, as is now known, swimming for pregnant women is a benefit for mother and baby. Such classes will not be in vain and will be able to prepare the female body for all the trials and stresses that it will encounter during childbirth. And it can be ruptures of the tissues of the pelvis, ligaments or severe pain. Breathing exercises on the water will prepare the lungs and set them up for proper functioning during childbirth. That is why, in the absence of contraindications, swimming in the pool is a great way to prepare your body and keep it in shape.