Healthy Tips during your pregnancy & afterwards

Welcome to The fitformum Panel.  fitformum is proud to bring you helpful tips and opinions from our panel of experts in the fields of nutrition, yoga & pilates and outdoor exercise  during your pregnancy and after.     Check out the tips, and the experts profiles for more information - helping keep mums to be and new mums, fit and healthy in style!

Tip from The fitformum Panel of Experts:

Tip from Sophie at Boody Foodie: Eating for 2? The extra amount of food a woman really needs during her second and third trimesters – 300 calories/ day. This is equivalent to; a good serving of natural yoghurt and a small apple OR a piece of wholegrain toast with a nut spread or tahini .  See Sophie's profile below.

Tip from Melissa at Yoganic : During Pregnancy & Labour:  Squatting is very beneficial during pregnancy and labour. Squats strengthen the legs, increase circulation in the pelvis so as to prevent or ease constipation and varicose veins and relieve back pain. When squatting your pelvis is at it’s widest, you’re working with gravity so as to encourage your baby’s descent and it relaxes your pelvic floor See Melissa's profile below:

Tip from  Nicky & Leonie at Babes with Babes Fitness:  The goal of exercising during pregnancy is maintenance of fitness, wellbeing and good health rather than weight loss or an improvement in cardiovascular fitness.See Nicky & Leonie's profile below

Profiles of fitformum Panel of Experts:

Pre & Postnatal Nutritionist:  Sophie Halls Anning - Broody Foodie www.broodyfoodie.com.au

Sophie Halls Anning (BA) Hons, Dip Nut is a Sydney-based nutritionist specializing in fertility, pregnancy and post-natal nutrition at her clinic, Broody Foodie.   She provides dietary analysis, nutrition advice and healthy recipes for each step of the pregnancy process either in person or via online consultations.  Programs are designed to improve fertility, manage the symptoms of pregnancy and support the health of both mother and baby for a healthy, successful pregnancy.

Contact: for more information go to:  www.broodyfoodie.com.au

 Pre & Postnatal Yoga Specialist:  Melissa Knapp - Yoganic Studio www.yoganic.com.au

Melissa Knapp is the Creator of Yoganic, a beautiful studio in Willoughby, NSW specialising in Pre and Post natal Yoga.  She completed the Centered Yoga Teacher Training program with Paul Dallaghan in Koh Samui Thailand (Ashtanga Vinyasa) and later studied with Angelika Knoerzer at North Sydney Yoga (Ashtanga Vinyasa). Melissa went on to study Prenatal Yoga with Janice Clarfield from Urban Yoga, Ana Davis from Bondi Bliss and Katie Spiers from Samadhi Bliss. Melissa also has a Diploma in Baby Yoga and SMART Toddler Yoga from Birthlight International (Francoise Barbira Freedman) and has completed the Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training, the Radiant Child Yoga Program (Levels 1 - 3) with Shakta Kaur Khalsa and the Mini Yogis Teacher Training with Shana Meyerson. Melissa is wildly passionate about teaching Yoga to pre and postnatal women as well as babies, toddlers, children of all ages, teens and their families.

 Contact:  for more information go to:  www.yoganic.com.au

Special Offer: Mention fitformum and receive 20% off the first month of your "Mum-to-Be Membership" at Yoganic Studio,. Conditions Apply.*

Pre & Postnatal Outdoor exercise specialists: 

Nicky Greenless & Leonie Cheetham - Babes with Babes Fitness: www.babesfitness.com.au

Nicky & Leonie - an all female team are fully qualified and insured, pre and post natal specialists with experience in all facets of female fitness and outdoor group training on Lower North Shore & Northern Beaches of Sydney, NSW. Leonie Cheetham and Nicky Greenlees, founders of Babes with Babes, have over 8 years of expertise training women of all ages, shapes and sizes. We have a balanced approach to fitness, restoring energy and reshaping bodies without harsh training styles.   They are all about a blended approach in guiding their clients to a holistic lifestyle change and work/life balance.

Our sessions are tailored to individual needs and have a strong focus on core stabilisation - just what mums and mums to be need! And best of all it has safe, fun indoor childminding available for Mums via affiliated creche providers. 

Contact:  for more information go to:  www.babesfitness.com.au

Other General information on exercising during pregnancy:

Benefits of exercise during pregnancy;    Benefits of exercise to your new baby;     Exercise to avoid during pregnancy;    Safety tips for exercising during pregnancy

In recent years, researchers have shown that for healthy pregnant women who have no complications in their pregnancy, there are many benefits to both mother and baby from regular, appropriate exercise during pregnancy.

Most women find that there are times during their pregnancy when they struggle just to drag themselves out of bed – and the thought of exercise is just beyond them.

But while it might be hard to get started, gentle exercise can be just the ticket to getting rid of some of the worst of those pregnancy side-effects, helping you feel much better throughout your pregnancy, improving your baby’s health by increasing oxygen flow and placental function – and it will also help you to be better prepared for labour.

Before you start an exercise program in pregnancy, discuss it with your midwife or doctor to make sure that you don’t have any complications that would restrict the type or amount of exercise you should be doing.

Some conditions that may preclude many forms of exercise include a previous history of premature birth, very high blood pressure, incompetent cervix, placenta praevia (or low-lying placenta) and heart disease.

Benefits of exercise and fitness to pregnant mother

There’s plenty of research supporting a link between regular exercise and good mental health – and in pregnancy, when hormones can trigger wild mood swings and you’re facing a fairly momentous life change, exercise can be calming and incredibly satisfying.

Many of the more uncomfortable pregnancy side-effects – like cramps, constipation, aches and pains, insomnia and even headaches, respond well to gentle exercise.

Lack of exercise can leave you feeling flabby and unhealthy, which makes it hard to get into shape again after your baby arrives.

Regular exercise that lifts your heart rate slightly can also reduce your blood pressure; and it will certainly give you more energy.

And the final – and most important – benefit of exercise in pregnancy is a big one; it will improve your ability to handle labour. After nine months of pregnancy, your body has a really big job to do.

Labour is well-named; it is often hard physical work that goes on, usually, for many hours. Walking and remaining upright through most of your labour can shorten the duration of labour and improve birth outcomes, so it’s worth getting your body ready for this really important job.

If you have exercised throughout your pregnancy, your body will recover from childbirth more readily – and you will also find it easier to get back in shape after your baby arrives.

Benefits to your new baby

Even gentle exercise, when done appropriately, will raise the level of oxygen in your bloodstream – and that will lift the oxygen levels in your baby’s blood, too.

At a time when your baby is growing all those important organs and limbs and developing nerve and brain cells, extra oxygen is a great way to encourage healthy development.

The natural ‘happy hormones,’ called endorphins, that your body generates while exercising will also pass to your baby, along with the pleasurable, calming effect they create.

And research results suggest that babies whose mothers exercise while pregnant will cope better through labour.

Exercise to avoid when pregnant

Not all exercise is good exercise and no matter how fit you were before you became pregnant, everything changes once you have a baby on board.

In pregnancy, your softened ligaments increase your risk of some injuries, like spraining joints; towards the end of pregnancy, you will have gained an average 10 to 15 kilograms of baby-weight, you may be retaining fluid and as the baby’s head drops into your pelvis and your belly pushes outwards, your balance and posture will be affected.

It’s really important that the exercise you do is “appropriate;” in most cases, that means you should avoid contact sports or other activities that carry a risk of impact or falls (like surfing or trampolining).

You’re also advised to avoid any activities involving heavy lifting, strong stretching, jumping, jarring or possible overheating.

From about four months onwards, you should not lie on your back while exercising as this may restrict the blood flow to your baby.

Safety tips for exercising during pregnancy

Talk to your doctor or midwife before you start your exercise program.

Before you begin a session, make sure that the instructor knows that you are pregnant – and let them know if you have any existing injuries or weak areas.

Wear supportive well-fitting shoes, comfortable clothing and a supportive bra.

Exercise should be at moderate intensity or below. Your resting heart rate usually lifts in pregnancy so check with your doctor to find out your maximum target heart rate so that you can be sure you are not overdoing it.

Never get overheated during exercise as this may harm your baby; and avoid saunas or hot spas during pregnancy.

Don’t forget about those soft ligaments – in pregnancy it’s really important to warm up at the beginning of your session and cool down at the end.

Make sure you have water nearby – and that you drink plenty of fluids before and after.

Never hold your breath, or exercise so hard that you become breathless as this will affect the flow of oxygen to your baby.

And don’t change positions quickly as you may cause strain or become dizzy.

What type of exercise is suitable when pregnant?

Walking:  Brisk walking for no more than an hour is great exercise, as long as you wear supportive shoes – and if you have trouble with varicose veins, perhaps wear some snug, leg-supporting tights - like the fitformum 3/4 pants.

Outdoor and Group exercises:  Classes held outdoors in groups of other mums and mums to be is a fantastic way to get fit and healthy whilst enjoying nature, be it near the beach or a great park!.  Here are some fabulous groups you can join up with.

Many maternity hospitals offer – or know about - specialised exercise classes for pregnant women. Often a physiotherapist will run these classes; Pilates instructors may also offer a tailored class for pregnant women.

There are a few advantages in attending specialist pregnancy classes – meeting other pregnant mums can be really enjoyable; you may also get some useful tips for labour and birth from your instructor.

Yoga:   Yoga supervised by a trained instructor giving a tailored program for pregnant women is a fantastic pregnancy exercise – and often includes useful labour positions, breathing and meditation techniques which will prepare you for labour. I attended a yoga in pregnancy class until I was 39 weeks pregnant with twins and every week, walking out of that class, I felt fabulous. I believe it made a big difference to all of my pregnancies and really helped with the labour and birth of my babies. I also made some lifelong friends.

Pilates:   Pilates targets the tummy, back and pelvic floor muscles without straining other joints, the exercises can work well for you during pregnancy. Pilates exercises activate the deepest layer of your tummy muscles, necessary for stabilising your back and pelvis (Endleman et al 2008). Many Pilates exercises are performed on your hands and knees, which is an ideal position for pregnancy. Adopting this position can take some of the strain off your back and pelvis, and, towards the end of your pregnancy, may help to get your baby into the right position for birth.

Exercise in water:  Exercising in water whether swimming, aqua-aerobics or walking in water - is usually very suitable in pregnancy, particularly towards the end when the water supports the growing weight of your body. Just be sure if you are doing a class that the instructor is qualified and aware that you are pregnant.

For great pre & postnatal exercise classes go to our Quick Clicks page for more details and other useful links!

 By Fran Molloy – journalist and mum of 4

 Some of this information has been sourced from the Huggies website at  www.huggies.com.au

Visit the Huggies website for lots of pregnancy and parenting information, advice, special offers and fun and game ideas today

 List of great pre and postnatal exercise classes to join - go to our Quick Clicks page (also bottom of home page)

** Disclaimer:  all information provided is a guide only and needs to be taken into consideration together with advice from your own professional medical practitioner.