Exercising Through Your Pregnancy

I had heard good things of this book, and when I discovered I was pregnant at 8 weeks and had a 10 mile race scheduled the next weekend, I wanted to be knowledgeable about running and it's effect on the baby. I appreciated the scientific approach the author took. And while it was full of detailed information, it was an easy read (like 2-3 evenings). For atheletes, this book really fills the gaps that exists in the gammit of other pregnancy books in regards to exercise. I did the race (at an easy pace), it went fine. And I felt good with the peace of mind that I knew what was going on in my body and that the baby was okay (and I think, enjoying the running!).That being said, this book includes various types of exercise, so it's not just for runners. And the study follows the women and their children in the first year+. Very interesting stuff.

I have read a lot of books on exercising while pregnant, but most of them are kind of weak. They tell you to be very, very cautious... and they don't tell you much about how it is really affecting you and the fetus/baby.This book is awesome and I'm a hard critic. It doesn't show you pictures of women doing all the exercises in these modified ways that you never look at again. It focuses on studies of what other women did and the outcomes (babies birth weights, preterm labor, etc). The part I liked best was that the subjects in the studies exercised fairly intensely, not just walking twice a week. It told you how, for example, 25-30 miles of running per week will benefit you and the baby DURING pregnancy.I just loved it (and I don't know the author!).And don't be put off by the brightly colored pregnant woman on the front that appears to be walking--this covers intense exercise.

This book contains good science and good sense besides. I liked the information about the physiological effects of pregnancy and exercise, as well as the practical tips on staying comfortable while performing aerobics, etc. The findings of Dr. Clapp and his team were both reassuring and inspiring. Strong evidence that my aerobics routine would not harm me or my pregnancy made this book worthwhile by itself, but it was great to read about the many health benefits they discovered for pregnant women that exercise and for their babies.

I cannot say enough positive things about this book! Dr. Clapp is a leading expert in the field of exercise and pregnancy, and in this book, he painstakingly explains what happens in your body when you exercise during pregnancy. He also makes very detailed recommendations for different types of women (beginners, recreational, competitive), and he has studied the whole thing for about 20 years. And last but not least, it's really obvious from the book that Dr. Clapp is incredibly enthusiastic about women, exercise, and pregnancy.

This book is excellent!With my first pregnancy, I got so frustrated following the ACOG recommendations for exercise that I stopped working out. It was just too boring to go for a "brisk" walk.This book helped me to realize that its o.k. to continue running throughout my pregnancy (which I'm still doing at 26 weeks). Dr. Clapp has references to many women who are very active throughout their pregnancies, with *postive* effects on their pregnancy: less weight gain (but still a healthy amount) and giving birth earlier but still full term (37 to 42 weeks is considered term - exercisers tend to be closer to the 37/38 week mark in his studies).Enough motivation in this book to keep you sweating right up until the day you deliever!