Fit and Pregnant: The Pregnant Woman's Guide to Exercise

Now in a revised and expanded edition, Fit & Pregnant: The Pregnant Woman's Guide to Exercise presents the medically sound advice of nurse, midwife, athlete, and mother of two Joan Marie Butler for pregnant women of all backgrounds. Though Fit & Pregnant pays especial attention to the concerns of highly athletic women and particularly professional athletes, the needs, concerns, body changes, and exercise guidelines for all pregnant and postpartum women regardless of background are covered. Fit & Pregnant explores the beneficial effects exercise can have on the pregnant body, from types of exercise that can reduce the risk of postpartum urinary incontinence to general health and fitness promotion. Fit & Pregnant also covers which specific exercises are best avoided particularly in the second trimester onward, how to lift weights safely, and how to scale back particularly intense regimens - pregnant women are advised to train not for professional competition, but rather specifically for the "event" of delivering a healthy baby. Also discussed at length are the changes a pregnant woman's body goes through, what to expect and prepare for, and means to maximize health and safety throughout the experience. Enthusiastically recommended for expectant mothers everywhere.