Active Pregnant Moms Boost Babies’ Fitness
Moderate exercise during pregnancy benefits baby’s movement ability.
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Here’s more good news for pregnant exercise enthusiasts. East Carolina University researchers found that women who did 50 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise three times per week during pregnancy had babies with better neuromotor skills at 1 month old than babies of mothers who did not exercise.
“Exercise during pregnancy can positively influence developing systems allowing for improved neuromotor development, thus leading to infants who are more adept at movement and presumably more likely to be active,” according to the study, reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2019; 51 [8]).
Question of the Month
Exercise offers multiple benefits for both moms and babies during pregnancy and afterward. Do you or does your facility offer programs for prenatal and postpartum exercise? If yes, what types of programs are you offering, and are they based indoors or outside? What type of marketing are you using to reach new class members? Please share your success stories.
We want to hear from you! Email executive editor Joy Keller, [email protected].
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
