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Exercising Through Your Pregnancy
Explains the effects of regular exercise on all phases of pregnancy and offers guidelines for developing an exercise program
- GenresParentingNonfiction
245 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 14, 2011
This book needs to be updated with more recent research (it's from 2002), but that was about my only qualm. Otherwise, this book is quite eye-opening about the specific effects (almost all beneficial) of exercising throughout a pregnancy. Dr. Clapp did a lot of original research studies back when there really were no studies about exercising while pregnant.
What I came away from the book with is that women's bodies are designed for work and that despite popular opinion, pregnancy is not usually a time of fragility -- which would make sense, since for most of the history of the world, women pulled their weight physically and responsibilities like hauling wood, carrying water and children, washing clothes by hand, etc., didn't go away just because a woman was pregnant.
It was remarkable to me as the author outlined how the woman's body, the placenta, and even the infant himself respond to what some used to believe as dangerous activities in remarkable, protective ways.
The research the author did was originally with two groups of women. The first were basically active -- maybe playing tennis here and there -- but not regular exercisers. The others were regular exercisers doing weight-bearing activities (running or aerobics) before pregnancy and maintained that level of exercise throughout their pregnancy at a level at least 50% of what they were doing beforehand. Interestingly enough, because of pressure from others or their own concerns, some of the exercising group chose to discontinue their routines or curtail them sharply during the last trimester, leaving a large enough group to make a third study group. So basically, there were active women who did not regularly exercise (250 women), those who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancy (200 women), and those who exercised through most of their pregnancy but gave up during the last trimester (80 women).
From studying the groups in-depth, the following was found:
* Miscarriage rate was virtually identical whether a woman exercised or not.
* Many of the adaptations a woman's body makes in response to the hormones of pregnancy (elevated body temperature, a greater ability to sweat, more air intake into the lungs, increased blood volume) improve a woman's ability to handle the stresses of exercise and get rid of excess heat (p.34-35)
* Using ultrasound, the study measured the growth of the placenta in the middle of pregnancy and found that rather than slowing down the growth of the placenta (the prevailing theory and one of the reasons doctors cautioned against it), exercise actually increased it. The author points out that this early stimulus and larger placenta provides greater protection for the baby if complications arise later in pregnancy. (p. 69)
* There was no increase in pre-term delivery for those who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancy -- and these women are doing aerobics or running!
* However, once term is reached, on average, the exercising group delivered five to seven days before the control group.
* Exercisers had no more instances of low-birth weight babies than non-exercisers, however, their babies are lighter than the control group.
* Interestingly, the group that stopped exercising during the last few months of pregnancy delivered LATER than the even the control group and had babies that were about 8 ounces bigger than the control group (16 ounces bigger than the exercisers who continued). The author speculates that the reason for this is that early exercise stimulates the growth of the placenta and once the woman stops exercising, the larger placenta provides the baby with lots more calories to grow. (p. 68)
* The babies of exercising moms had much less instances of fetal distress during labor than those who didn't exercise -- the speculation is that this is because, as they found in early research, the babies heartrate responds to the moderate stress of exercise by increasing and that over time, this develops a stronger "immunity" to changes in the baby's environment. The adaptations the placenta and the baby make over time to the mild stress of exercise could prepare them for and cushion them from the greater stress of delivery.
Overall, this was a very comforting book for me to read, as I am continuing to run and train (though making adaptations) through my pregnancy. It's nice to know the nay-sayers are most likely wrong and that in general, exercise is not only safe but beneficial during pregnancy.
What I came away from the book with is that women's bodies are designed for work and that despite popular opinion, pregnancy is not usually a time of fragility -- which would make sense, since for most of the history of the world, women pulled their weight physically and responsibilities like hauling wood, carrying water and children, washing clothes by hand, etc., didn't go away just because a woman was pregnant.
It was remarkable to me as the author outlined how the woman's body, the placenta, and even the infant himself respond to what some used to believe as dangerous activities in remarkable, protective ways.
The research the author did was originally with two groups of women. The first were basically active -- maybe playing tennis here and there -- but not regular exercisers. The others were regular exercisers doing weight-bearing activities (running or aerobics) before pregnancy and maintained that level of exercise throughout their pregnancy at a level at least 50% of what they were doing beforehand. Interestingly enough, because of pressure from others or their own concerns, some of the exercising group chose to discontinue their routines or curtail them sharply during the last trimester, leaving a large enough group to make a third study group. So basically, there were active women who did not regularly exercise (250 women), those who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancy (200 women), and those who exercised through most of their pregnancy but gave up during the last trimester (80 women).
From studying the groups in-depth, the following was found:
* Miscarriage rate was virtually identical whether a woman exercised or not.
* Many of the adaptations a woman's body makes in response to the hormones of pregnancy (elevated body temperature, a greater ability to sweat, more air intake into the lungs, increased blood volume) improve a woman's ability to handle the stresses of exercise and get rid of excess heat (p.34-35)
* Using ultrasound, the study measured the growth of the placenta in the middle of pregnancy and found that rather than slowing down the growth of the placenta (the prevailing theory and one of the reasons doctors cautioned against it), exercise actually increased it. The author points out that this early stimulus and larger placenta provides greater protection for the baby if complications arise later in pregnancy. (p. 69)
* There was no increase in pre-term delivery for those who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancy -- and these women are doing aerobics or running!
* However, once term is reached, on average, the exercising group delivered five to seven days before the control group.
* Exercisers had no more instances of low-birth weight babies than non-exercisers, however, their babies are lighter than the control group.
* Interestingly, the group that stopped exercising during the last few months of pregnancy delivered LATER than the even the control group and had babies that were about 8 ounces bigger than the control group (16 ounces bigger than the exercisers who continued). The author speculates that the reason for this is that early exercise stimulates the growth of the placenta and once the woman stops exercising, the larger placenta provides the baby with lots more calories to grow. (p. 68)
* The babies of exercising moms had much less instances of fetal distress during labor than those who didn't exercise -- the speculation is that this is because, as they found in early research, the babies heartrate responds to the moderate stress of exercise by increasing and that over time, this develops a stronger "immunity" to changes in the baby's environment. The adaptations the placenta and the baby make over time to the mild stress of exercise could prepare them for and cushion them from the greater stress of delivery.
Overall, this was a very comforting book for me to read, as I am continuing to run and train (though making adaptations) through my pregnancy. It's nice to know the nay-sayers are most likely wrong and that in general, exercise is not only safe but beneficial during pregnancy.
January 12, 2011
This book was definitely an interesting and (apparently) ground-breaking analysis of exercising during pregnancy (ground-breaking considering its 2002 copyright). It definitely made me feel better about the activity level I am maintaining throughout my pregnancy. E.g., It's fine that I get my heart rate over 140. Two things I wish were different about his studies, were:
1) the delination between types of exercisers (beggining exercisers, recreational athletes, and competitive athletes). I found myself straddling "recreational" and "competitive" (and I'm sure many women today would feel the same) and found it hard to figure out where exactly I fit in.
2) the main type of exercise he looked at was "weight bearing" (e.g., aerobics and running--makes sense since I'm sure much of his work was done in the '80s and '90s when that was a big fad). Upon reading this book I realized that while I work out every day, turns out I'm big into "non-weight bearing activities." I see why my spin class I do at least twice a week, and the 60 lap swim I like to get in at least once a week is considered non-weight bearing. However I think he missed a major hole when his research was set up to pretty much ignore such activities.
I did appreciate the results section of the book that made me realize my activity level will actually be good for the me and the baby. For example:
- "... a woman who continues regular, sustained exercise until the onset of labor usually delivers five to seven days earlier than a woman with an active lifestyle who does not exercise regularly." p. 63
- "The benefits of exercise are different in early and late pregnancy. Early pregnancy exercise improves the growth of the baby and decreases maternal symptoms. Late pregnancy exercise maintains fitness, limits weight gain, and shortens labor." p. 130
- "All aspects of growth and development after birth in babies from exercising mothers are equal to or better than those observed in the control (non-exercising) offspring." p. 119
At any rate, the 2 stars deals with the discrepancy between what I thought the book was going to be about and what it actually was about. I thought I'd learn more about the types of activities I could do and how I would know if I was overdoing it or whatever, and I really was unable to glean any such information from this book. That said, it definitely gives me more confidence to stick up for myself when people tell me I shouldn't be running, for instance.
1) the delination between types of exercisers (beggining exercisers, recreational athletes, and competitive athletes). I found myself straddling "recreational" and "competitive" (and I'm sure many women today would feel the same) and found it hard to figure out where exactly I fit in.
2) the main type of exercise he looked at was "weight bearing" (e.g., aerobics and running--makes sense since I'm sure much of his work was done in the '80s and '90s when that was a big fad). Upon reading this book I realized that while I work out every day, turns out I'm big into "non-weight bearing activities." I see why my spin class I do at least twice a week, and the 60 lap swim I like to get in at least once a week is considered non-weight bearing. However I think he missed a major hole when his research was set up to pretty much ignore such activities.
I did appreciate the results section of the book that made me realize my activity level will actually be good for the me and the baby. For example:
- "... a woman who continues regular, sustained exercise until the onset of labor usually delivers five to seven days earlier than a woman with an active lifestyle who does not exercise regularly." p. 63
- "The benefits of exercise are different in early and late pregnancy. Early pregnancy exercise improves the growth of the baby and decreases maternal symptoms. Late pregnancy exercise maintains fitness, limits weight gain, and shortens labor." p. 130
- "All aspects of growth and development after birth in babies from exercising mothers are equal to or better than those observed in the control (non-exercising) offspring." p. 119
At any rate, the 2 stars deals with the discrepancy between what I thought the book was going to be about and what it actually was about. I thought I'd learn more about the types of activities I could do and how I would know if I was overdoing it or whatever, and I really was unable to glean any such information from this book. That said, it definitely gives me more confidence to stick up for myself when people tell me I shouldn't be running, for instance.
January 18, 2022
Best book about pregnancy and running/exercising I have found! It is extremely data-driven and breaks down exactly what physiological changes are happening in your lungs, circulatory system, etc. and how they benefit/impact your placenta and growing fetus. It's built a ton of confidence in my body and I just soaked up all the info!
October 18, 2011
If you’ve ever been pregnant, you know that the myths about pregnancy and exercise abound just as much as the unsolicited advice. Does exercise decrease your chances for getting pregnant? Does it increase the risk of complications, including miscarriage and preterm labor? Does exercising deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients? Physician James F. Clapp answers all of these questions and many others in Exercising Through Your Pregnancy.
Clapp supports his claims in the book with the clinical trials he supervised on pregnant women who exercised before, during, and after pregnancy. He outlines the minimal amount of exercise that is required to be beneficial to mother and baby, and specifies how the body adapts to the demands of exercise during pregnancy. He discusses how exercising during pregnancy affects placental development, circulation, bones, ligaments, muscles, as well as various metabolic and hormonal functions.
Exercising Through Your Pregnancy does not provide illustrations and instructions as to how to modify various exercises. There are plenty of books out there already that do that. Instead, it emphasizes the physiological benefits of exercise to mother and baby. It is a must-read for any woman who is pregnant (or trying to conceive) and would like to continue exercising through her pregnancy.
Clapp supports his claims in the book with the clinical trials he supervised on pregnant women who exercised before, during, and after pregnancy. He outlines the minimal amount of exercise that is required to be beneficial to mother and baby, and specifies how the body adapts to the demands of exercise during pregnancy. He discusses how exercising during pregnancy affects placental development, circulation, bones, ligaments, muscles, as well as various metabolic and hormonal functions.
Exercising Through Your Pregnancy does not provide illustrations and instructions as to how to modify various exercises. There are plenty of books out there already that do that. Instead, it emphasizes the physiological benefits of exercise to mother and baby. It is a must-read for any woman who is pregnant (or trying to conceive) and would like to continue exercising through her pregnancy.
June 9, 2008
I started to read this book b/c my new running partner has two children and was very active during her pregnancy and I found myself asking her a lot of questions. Another friend recommended this book, and as maternal and child health has been a long time interest of mine, this book was interesting in formulating the evidence based answers to many questions about pregnancy and exercising. And who could forget Paula Radcliffe, who ran a marathon less than a year after giving birth?!
I only read the first half of the book, which was essentially a literature review of the research the author did with exercising pregnant women as his "cases" and non-exercising pregnant women as his "controls". While I am not planning on getting pregnant anytime soon, I think I would read the second half of this book if I was, as that gives more of a hands-on "training plan" approach.
I would not recommend the first half of the book to people who do not enjoy reading research articles as it is pretty dry - skim the chapter summaries. However, from a scientific perspective, I was impressed with how the author "translated" the progression of his studies to a non-scientific audience.
I only read the first half of the book, which was essentially a literature review of the research the author did with exercising pregnant women as his "cases" and non-exercising pregnant women as his "controls". While I am not planning on getting pregnant anytime soon, I think I would read the second half of this book if I was, as that gives more of a hands-on "training plan" approach.
I would not recommend the first half of the book to people who do not enjoy reading research articles as it is pretty dry - skim the chapter summaries. However, from a scientific perspective, I was impressed with how the author "translated" the progression of his studies to a non-scientific audience.
October 12, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. The author did a great job of educating the reader in a simple and concise way. I understood all of the medical terminology without feeling like I needed a medical degree. It also made me feel confident about continuing with my exercise routine without feeling like I was putting myself or my baby in jeopardy. During my first pregnancy, age 37, I didn't exercise and I gained so much weight and had a difficult labor and delivery. I feel so much better this time around. I've been in bootcamp and spinning for four years now and when I got pregnant this time around was in the best shape of my life. During this second pregnancy, age 41, I wanted to continue my exercise routine to control weight gain and to feel physically ready for the birth. I still have 7 weeks to go and I'm still doing bootcamp and spinning and I feel great. I will update after the birth. Unless you have a medical reason to discontinue exercise, I don't see any reason to change your physical activity during pregnancy. I am so grateful for the information in this book.
September 24, 2012
Makes an extremely compelling case for continuing with a moderately hard to hard exercise program during pregnancy (despite all the folks telling you to eat bon bons and "take it easy"). The book could use some updated studies (and photographs), but the data still stands. It's presented in a clear and concise manner, with plenty of scientific explanations to back it up. And graphs for the more visual readers. It refutes practically every nay-saying bit of information out there about exercising while pregnant: keeping your heart rate low, conducting weight bearing exercises, reduction of oxygen to the fetus, etc. It's all covered. I have found this book extremely informational and is a must-read for anyone who's very active and thinking about conceiving, but wondering if they'd be relegated to 9 months of walking and swimming.
December 29, 2013
ok- im calling this read. I never read it cover to cover, but instead accessed the parts I needed as I needed them, since it is helpfully divided into pre-conception, trimesters and postpartum. its a bit of a boring read (no, really?) but is full of indispensable information if you want to continue to exercise harder than walking throughout your pregnancy and need the data to convince your oh-so-helpful (read judgmental) mother in law or doctor or best friend, or if you are just concerned about the health of your fetus. spoiler: its not selfish to exercise, even high intensity, it is good for you and your baby. =) (the book does also teach the symptoms of something actually being wrong, or signs that mean you should slow down. another spoiler: its not sweating)
September 20, 2009
I bought this book when I found out we were expecting our 2nd child--I had just finished a marathon and didn't want to give up my training/running. This book lays waste to all the old myths about running/exercising while pregnant--backed up by some beefy medical research.
After reading Dr. Clapp's book, I've continued to run and exercise through my current pregnancy, even competing in some races with confidence. All I need now is the energy to keep going--give this to an active expectant mom!
After reading Dr. Clapp's book, I've continued to run and exercise through my current pregnancy, even competing in some races with confidence. All I need now is the energy to keep going--give this to an active expectant mom!
October 28, 2012
If you have always been active and don't want to give it up just because you're pregnant, READ THIS BOOK! This is the book that told me to listen to my common sense and body and not the midwives when it came to working out while pregnant. Weight training, cardio and abs workout right up to labour day (X 4 kids!) - if you feel that your body is up to it.
Perhaps a trifle too detailed in technicalities for the layman, it is never the less an indispensable tool in telling overweight, ignorant midwives that you knew what you were doing better than they did!
Perhaps a trifle too detailed in technicalities for the layman, it is never the less an indispensable tool in telling overweight, ignorant midwives that you knew what you were doing better than they did!
January 8, 2013
This is an excellent book for those who are pregnant and want to continue exercising, as well as pre and postnatal trainers who are always looking to further educate themselves on the topic. There is not enough published on the topic of exercises and pregnancy, and I appreciate the clinical trials that are done to provide some insight in this book. If anyone is confused about what happens during pregnancy and how the body reacts to exercise - this is the book for you. It will take you step by step and is very informative.
January 29, 2014
So glad this book exists. Having medical research to back up what innately felt like the right thing to do eases the mind. It is shocking how almost everything people warn you about have been proven to have opposite effect by the studies conducted for this book. I would be very interested to hear what other research has come out since this book was published. Very important read for ANYONE who has an opinion on exercising while pregnant.
April 13, 2009
A lot of good, research-backed information about exercising while pregnant and afterward. I read this hoping that it would help motivate me to start exercising, and maybe it will. I'm going to try and see what happens. I was disappointed that it didn't have any specific recommendations of exercises to do during pregnancy or anything like that. It read a little like a textbook.
May 20, 2009
This is the best book I've read regarding scientific research and the benefits of exercising through a pregnancy. Although it gets a bit dry and "scientific" in certain areas, I found it completely fascinating and full of statistics that will put your mind to rest if you are asking yourself the question, "should I exercise while carrying a child?".....
June 16, 2009
LOVED this book! If you are pregnant...actually, thinking about being pregnant, I highly recommend it! It's scientific, so it's not a fast read, but it really explains what is going on and what is safe to do. I wish I had read this before I got pregnant because pregnancy changes your life from day 1! I wish I would have been better prepared by knowing what I could and couldn't do!
October 5, 2011
Sooo glad someone recommended this book to me. I am a recreational runner and this book gave me the reassurance I needed to know that it is safe to continue through my 3rd pregnancy. Great research. I also really enjoyed his positive attitude toward breastfeeding. A must-read for the exercising pregnant woman!
October 5, 2008
This isn't a prescription for exercise during pregnancy - it's information ABOUT the effects of exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. Really interesting, and answers all your questions about "can I do this while I'm pregnant?" but doesn't help you create your own exercise plan.
June 28, 2008
The book to read if you want to feel good about running while pregnant. Thank you Dr. Clapp!
September 21, 2008
not what i was looking for
November 2, 2008
Scientific presentation on the evidence for and against excercising during pregnancy.
May 21, 2009
This book has really put me at ease running this pregnancy.
April 14, 2010
How it is good for you to workout while being pregnant and all the myths that so many believe about pregnant women being fragile.
November 6, 2010
this book is from the 80s and 90s, so is a little outdated, but the content was still good. i found everything he argued for to be very common sense-ish.
March 11, 2011
Fascinating. A must read for all women planning their pregnancy.
August 8, 2011
My ticket to say "buzz off" when people tell me not to run while I'm pregnant.
April 3, 2013
Changed my entire pregnancy. Would recommend this to any woman, esp one afraid to workout during her pregnancy. This sets apart the myths from the truth.
September 11, 2013
Very interesting. A lot of cases and studies and scientific stuff but if you're an advocate of exercise during pregnancy(which I am) it is a great read.
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November 21, 2013A good read for anyone pregnant and worried about exercising. Enjoyed the biology of everything so now I understand what is happening in the body during pregnancy.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews