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Dec. 21, 2007
Exercise in pregnancy
Nider helps healthy mothers for healthy children.
KELLEY KORBIN
Elizabeth Nider is well aware of the physical and mental havoc a baby can play in a new mom's life. That's why, after having her first child only eight months ago, this 24-year-old fitness trainer opted to obtain her pre- and postnatal fitness certification and opened a franchise of Fit 4 Two, so she can provide exercise classes to moms in the Richmond area.
The health benefits of exercise during pregnancy and postpartum are well documented and virtually all health-care professionals recommend that healthy expectant and new moms take part in some form of physical activity. Moms who exercise regularly feel better, have more energy and lose their pregnancy weight faster than those who don't. Perhaps even more importantly in this age of increased childhood obesity, they help to set an example about healthy lifestyle practices.
With her baby boy gurgling and cooing in the background, Nider told the Independent that most pregnant women exercise to keep fit and keep their weight gain within a normal range, as well as to alleviate some of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy. Postpartum moms most often come to exercise classes to lose their pregnancy weight.
In recent years, perhaps fuelled by the unrelenting attention paparazzi are paying to expecting celebrities, there has been a marked increase in expectations on new moms to look fabulous immediately after giving birth – the "yummy mommy" syndrome. Nider acknowledges that this trend is lending popularity to classes like hers. However, she said, losing weight is not the focus of her classes and she hopes to be able to encourage her clients to look beyond pure esthetics and help them feel good from the inside out.
"I don't start my class saying 'today we're going to lose weight and look like hot mamas.' I think everyone in their own heart should be a hot mama to themselves, to their husband, spouse or partner and to their baby.... I'm hoping that I can help affect women, new moms, to maybe shift their focus from 'how good can I look' to 'how good can I feel.' People that feel good, look good, it's a fact."
She added that vibrancy and energy as a new mom are far more important to the woman and their baby than whether or not they can "fit into the jeans they wore before they were married."
Moreover, Nider feels that the physical effects of exercise, as important as they are, are only the beginning. With her classes, she plans to create a social network for new moms that will help ease the often difficult and isolating transition into the early years of parenthood. If nothing else, she said, getting some semblance of routine back into your life, even if it's only going to an exercise class once a week, will help many moms who feel trapped in a world of sleep deprivation and dirty diapers.
Like most conventional fitness classes, pre- or postnatal classes focus on strength training, endurance and building important core muscles, however, they are tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant woman and new moms. Beyond the obvious bump, there are numerous physical differences in the body of a pregnant woman that should be respected by any exercise leader. For example, said Nider, pregnant women should not lie flat on their backs after three months and they need to be especially vigilant while stretching, so as not to overstretch vulnerable muscles and ligaments. As well, the class environment itself is very encouraging to burgeoning bumps, Nider said, "It's so amazing to have everyone else with their bellies and to be around other pregnant women."
As for postpartum fitness, Nider runs a mom and baby fitness class where non-mobile babies lie on mats and watch their moms tone up.
Vancouver naturopathic doctor Glenda Laxton, who specializes in women's health, told the Independent that she encourages prenatal exercise, with a few caveats. Her rules for pregnant women exercising are: don't take up new activities, this is not a time to build new muscle groups, just work to maintain what you already had; never get out of breath, you should always be able to conduct a conversation while you're working out because if you're out of breath so is the fetus; if it doesn't feel good, don't do it, as you get bigger certain activities may not be comfortable anymore and you might have to shift your regime, e.g. switch from running to riding a bike; and watch your blood sugar levels, it's important to eat at regular intervals but don't exercise on a full stomach. Finally, Laxton added, "Nothing that involves kicking or punching."
Nider's Richmond Fit 4 Two classes begin in January. They cost $88 for eight sessions; drop-in classes are also available. For more information or to register, visit www.fit4two.ca. Laxton can be reached at www.westcoastclinic.ca.
Kelley Korbin is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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