Benefits and Precautions of Swimming While Pregnant
Routine exercise can help pregnant women stay fitter, improve their cardiovascular health and overall fitness, and prevent excessive weight gain. It can also allow pregnant women to shorten labor and reduce complications. In addition, regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers, and improve maternal depression and anxiety. But during pregnancy, you need to choose your exercise program more carefully, and swimming is one of the safest forms of exercise during pregnancy.
Swimming during pregnancy has the following benefits:
Relieve ankle and foot swelling
Swimming can improve circulation so that blood doesn’t pool in the lower limbs.
Swimming can relieve the sciatic nerve of pregnant women, as the buoyancy of the water can temporarily reduce the weight of her spine.
Reduce the risk of preterm birth and congenital malformations of the fetus
Studies have shown that women who choose to swim in early/mid-pregnancy have a slightly reduced risk of preterm birth or congenital malformations of the fetus compared to women who do not exercise.
Safety and Tips
Stay in close contact with your doctor
Before starting any exercise, it is highly recommended that you should visit your doctor to identify and develop the most appropriate exercise routine and intensity for you. You should stop exercising immediately if you experience any of the following discomforts: vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, decreased fetal movement, pelvic pain, headaches, and painful uterine contractions.
Swim in safe areas
Swim in known safe areas and ensure that the waters are relatively calm and lifeguards are around.
Stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water and avoid alcoholic beverages as they can cause dehydration.
Not too cold and Not too hot
Please don't swim in water that is too cold and also be careful to choose a hot pool because sitting in a hot pool during pregnancy seems to relieve muscle soreness, but it can lead to high body temperature as OTIS indicates that babies of women who had an increased body temperature during the first trimester of pregnancy have a higher risk of birth defects. Thus, we recommend a hot bath instead of a hot tub.
Find a good fitting maternity swimwear
Your body shape and form will change as your pregnancy progresses, so you'll need to choose a maternity swimsuit that fits well. Summer Mae has a variety of well-designed maternity swimsuits, such as understated stretch panels, subtle ruffles and drapes, and classic wrap dresses that can grow with an ever-expanding bump to last through pregnancy. We believe that our years of experience and expertise in pregnancy beachwear allow us to design and offer the most supportive, flexible, and fashionable products to bring more joy to your blossoming bump during pregnancy.