Benefits of walking during pregnancy include contributing to physical fitness, eases discomfort, reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, helps lower blood pressure, regulating weight gain, assist in the process of labour, stress buster, healthier baby and easily done.

For ages walking has been considered one of the most effective and impactful exercise by health professionals. Walking is a terrific way to stay fit. It is reliable and most importantly easily doable. You do not have to learn new postures or dance moves. All you need to do is walk. Walking is a form of exercise which might not necessarily be helpful in certain health problems but it keeps us away from most chronic illnesses. Regular walking habits can reduce the chances of cardiovascular disorders, can help improve blood circulation, strengthens and tones muscles and thus altogether improves your immunity. Walking is significantly more beneficial for an expecting woman as it helps her stay fit in more than one ways during a time when she needs it most.

9 Must Know Benefits of Walking During Pregnancy

Contributes to physical fitness

One of the most simply perceivable and basic health benefits of walking during pregnancy is that it keeps your body fit. Walking also maintains body stamina throughout the duration of pregnancy. It keeps your muscles toned and keeps you active.

Eases discomfort

The closer a woman comes to delivering her child, a lot of minor health issues such as leg and back pains, a growing discomfort in the belly can be handled better by regular walks. Walking helps you cope with these problems to a certain extent by helping you build a mechanism that copes better with such ailments.

Reduces the risk of gestational diabetes

Due to the high blood sugar levels during the time of pregnancy women are extremely susceptible to type 2 diabetes after delivery. Walking helps control blood sugar levels, thus reducing the risk. Other such risks include premature birth of the child and a highly obese baby.

Helps lower blood pressure

Eclampsia is characterized as a condition in which women with high blood pressure become prone to premature pregnancy. Walking maintains blood cholesterol levels, thus assisting in the control of blood pressure.

Regulating weight gain

Though, weight gain is natural to the process of pregnancy. It is always a good initiative on the part of an expecting mother to keep a regular check on her growing weight. While it is considered good to put on a certain amount of weight during pregnancy, excessive weight gain is not a good sign for the health of both the mother and the child. It may also result in some unwanted complications during childbirth.

Assist in the process of labour

The hip muscles of the body get toned due to the regular walking habits of the expecting mother which help in having a more relaxed and easily induced labour. Walking during pregnancy enhances the flexibility of your body and prepares your body for a natural childbirth.

Stress buster

stress is not an uncommon symptom among women who are expecting a child. pregnancy brings about a number of unusual changes in your body resulting due to factors such as hormonal imbalance and numerous others. women find it hard to adapt to these changing behavioural patterns of her body which thereby result in stress. walking serves a great deal in clearing your mind and helps you regain your calm and composure. it is believed that walking goes a long way in helping pregnant women combat with stress and anxiety.

Healthier baby

Walking does not just maintain and regulate the weight of the mother, but also keeps a check on the weight of the baby. We are all very well aware of the various health difficulties concerned with the birth of underweight babies. However, more than often we completely forget the health risks that are faced by babies who are quite large for normal gestational age. The habit of a mother who walks regularly during the phase of her pregnancy proves highly beneficial as it reduces the complications that arise after having an overweight child. Thus, walking collectively helps in safeguarding both the mother and the newly born child.

Easily done

Walking is an exercise that does not require for anyone to invest or splurge huge amounts of money. It can be easily done anywhere and everywhere. While a number of different type of exercises make claims to be helpful during pregnancy. They also require a lot of your time and patience, ironically both of which women lack when they are pregnant. Thus, walking is a full body exercise which is easily done. It tones and empowers the muscles of the body and also boosts and enhances your stamina.

Other benefits

Walking during pregnancy reduces the probability of having morning sickness, constipation, cramps, fatigue etc. Walking is an exercise which when done briskly sufficiently tires the body especially during pregnancy this helps the mother have a sound sleep.

It is extremely important for any pregnant woman to maintain her health and devote some time to exercising. Walking plays a significant role in keeping a pregnant woman and her baby happy, healthy and safe.

References

http://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/walking-during-prenancy/