Most women, even those who dream of having children, are afraid of childbirth. It hurts much, you never know how long it will last and if there will appear complications. My nephew’s birth lasted about 7 hours, my sister-in-law, his mother, says, it was complicated, exhausting and very painful. This is why anything (that, of course, doesn’t harm the baby) that could help ease the pain and make childbirth faster is a dream of every pregnant woman. Here’s something that does help. Brazilian scientists found out that taking water aerobics, or aqua aerobics, classes during pregnancy help significantly ease the childbirth pain as well as speed up the overall process.
Scientists from the University of Campinas (Sao Paulo) held a study which examined future mothers (71 women in total). Half of the participants took 50-minute exercise sessions at the pool three times a week. According to the results, 27% of women who exercised water aerobics required painkillers during childbirth, while this number in the control group was about 65%.
Aqua aerobics and swimming are considered the most suitable types of fitness for the pregnancy period. Water removes pressure from the spine, joints, and ligaments and provides optimal pressure on the pregnant woman’s muscles and cardiovascular system. In addition, pool exercises help relieve stress and learn how to breathe rhythmically.
