Science Daily just published an article about research seeming to link a pregnant women's aerobic activity to her baby's good heart health. Until now, most studies have focused on effects of maternal exercise on the fetus - this new study, though, also looked at the first month of the baby's life in the big world. Read the full article here!
This seems to me to be one of those "duh" moments in science...wait a minute, you mean that the type of place where the baby grows for nine months actually affects how the baby develops? And even shapes his/her life outside? No kidding! I mean, we've known this about wine grapes for years, right? I remember that scene in that movie with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline (you know...that one) when he shows her a bunch of bottles and has her smell each one...all kinds of herbs and flowers. Then he has her taste his wine again, and she was able to pick out all the different flavors and scents without a problem. What grows around the vine, what nurtures itself in the same earth, nurtures the grapes. I often wonder if my daughter would have the same love for chicken nuggets that my son does if I had gorged myself on fried chicken when I was pregnant with her. Instead she loves citrus and broccoli, which I was obsessed with during that pregnancy. Both my kids love to move, and my daughter can fall asleep with loud music on, a trait I credit to my regular attendance of rockin' kickboxing classes throughout her time in my tummy. Healthier hearts? Yes sirree, and a lot more than that besides.
So what are the do's and don't of prenatal exercise? You can find them in any pregnancy book. What you might not find is a real-life strategy for getting off the couch to walk around the lake when you're exhausted. Tips for motivating yourself to move while pregnant is coming up next on this blog - until then, just remember that your baby's heart is linked to yours, and you need to keep it going healthy and strong! :)
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