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Exercise may ease discomforts of pregnancy and the baby blues

by Lorrayne Anthony
Canadian Press wire service, 2002.

TORONTO (CP) Between gagging at the mere mention of sushi and collapsing onto the couch every night after work, who has the energy to exercise during pregnancy?

The lack of motivation gets even worse after the tiny bundle of joy arrives and life becomes a never-ending treadmill of feedings, diaper changes and laundry.

While exercising during and after pregnancy won't magically turn a child into a colic-free angel, it may help ease many of the discomforts so a woman can actually enjoy motherhood.

"It's fabulous -- in a lot of ways," said Leslie Fitzsimmons, 38, who enrolled in a postpartum pilates class after the birth of Will, her second child. It really helped with the baby blues.

"Both the physical and meeting other women who were going through the same things," Fitzsimmons said from her home in West Vancouver. "After talking to them I would say, 'oh, I feel so much better.'

Every woman should have a class to go to during and after pregnancy because it really helps with postpartum depression, says Karen Weinthal, co-founder of Toronto-based Baby & Me Pregnancy and Postpartum Fitness Inc.

After her first pregnancy -- Kate is now 4 -- Fitzsimmons was "too weirded out" and found it next to impossible to leave the house. With her second she developed a hernia and although she worked around the house, exercising was impossible. So she was very anxious after Will was born. "I started pilates three weeks after Will was born," Fitzsimmons said. "I just felt I had gone so long without any exercise."

She describes how she would drop Kate off at preschool, feed Will and then go to pilates twice a week. Because she attended a class aimed at new moms, babies were welcome.

"I was very proud of myself for getting out when the baby was three-weeks old," said Fitzsimmons, while fixing a broken toy and turning the TV on to Caillou so Kate would be occupied for a few minutes while Mom talked on the phone. "I thought I was pretty cool."

But long before postpartum depression takes hold, exercise can help with the myriad complaints that go with pregnancy.

Exercise can increase energy levels, help women sleep better, aid digestion, flexibility, breathing, circulation and relieve anxiety, said Baby & Me's Weinthal.

During pregnancy Weinthal, who also teaches fitness, recommends two different classes, but cautions women to do what they enjoy. Baby & Me Fitness offers prenatal yoga, aquafit, low-impact fitness, pilates fit bellies and workplace yoga. And just so partners don't feel left out, there's also pregnant couples yoga and pregnant couples massage.

"There is no question that women who are fit are able to manage their labour better," said Weinthal.

After baby is born, it might suit mom's need to enrol in classes specifically for new moms. With her husband working full time, Fitzsimmons needed a class where babies were welcome.

"It was fabulous because we could take the babies to the class," said Fitzsimmons. "I didn't have to worry because he was right there and if any of the babies fussed the instructor would pick them up and give them a cuddle -- often that was all they needed -- and she would continue to teach the class."

Most communities offer postnatal classes where babies are welcome. Baby & Me Fitness have several classes for moms and babies: yoga with baby, postpartum fitness, stroller fitness, baby aquafit, pilates momfit, even family yoga so dads can get fit, too.

In addition to getting back in shape, the classes give moms a chance to share ideas and solutions. Besides new moms are the only people who will hang on to every word during the retelling of a gruelling labour experience. You simply don't get that kind of bonding at the shopping mall. "Make sure you see it as doing something for yourself as opposed to 'oh my God I have to get my body back' said Fitzsimmons. "Mom's should pick something they like to do, so they see it as a nice break."

Still, regaining the pre-pregnancy body is forefront in every new mom's mind.

"I had a group of women in a brand new session shaking their bellies at me and asking 'How do I get rid of this?' said Skylar Hill-Jackson, the other founder of Baby & MeFitness.

"I tell them it took nine months to put it on, it'll take at least nine to get it off."