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Swimming pool during pregnancy

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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For many women who are preparing to become a mother, the question of the possibility of including in the number of special activities of prenatal preparation of physical exercises in water, swimming, and, how much useful in this connection can be the pool during pregnancy and what are known risks that may accompany his visit.

To date, with all grounds, it can be argued that the lack of motor activity of the future mother can lead to an increase in the probability of spontaneous abortion, can cause an increase in the severity of toxicosis, and also causes a weak labor activity. So, the special state of the woman of the nurturing child should not in any way serve as an excuse for refusing to follow the old as the world, but has not lost its relevance and in the present, generally known principle that the movement is life! And staying in the aquatic environment is the best way for pregnant women to exercise. Firstly, in the water the body is in a practically weightless state, while doing exercises of aqua aerobics aimed at stretching the muscles, which are important for ligaments that are weakened during this difficult period for her woman. On the other hand, water exerts a certain resistance to each movement, which means that during each exercise, a somewhat more intense muscle tension is required than in ordinary exercises outside the pool. As a result, the body of a pregnant woman comes to a state of better overall physical shape, becomes more trained, which in turn facilitates the acquisition of respiratory and cardiovascular systems of large reserves.

Swimming in pregnancy, therefore, swimming, diving, aqua aerobics are a very positive factor in the process of preparing the female body for childbirth, which can provide for easier and less painful childbirth, in which the possibility of rupture of the perineum or the need for perineotomy is minimized.

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Pool in planning pregnancy

To stop going to the pool when planning a pregnancy and later, during the period of bearing a fetus, if a woman leads an active life and regularly goes in for sports, in particular, by swimming, there is often no urgent need. The exception to this rule can be mainly only those cases when a woman has any categorical contraindications. And in the rest, with regard to physical activities, it is recommended only to reduce their intensity, to abandon the strength exercises and exercises focused on the muscles of the abdominal press. In the pool, you should practice special gymnastics, which is practiced in groups for pregnant women. Such exercises are an excellent preparation for the stresses that the spinal muscles, musculature of the pelvis and abdomen undergo during pregnancy. Special wellness gymnastic complexes of aqua-aerobics are designed taking into account the state of the female organism at various stages of pregnancy.

Aqua aerobics, swimming, diving improves overall well-being and leads the entire body to an increased tone. Visiting the pool twice or thrice a week helps to reach the optimum and control the body weight, which is a big plus when planning a child. Swimming also causes an increase in the buildup of the endometrial layer, which is another positive factor for increasing the probability of successful conception, because there is an increase in blood circulation in the pelvic area.

It is necessary, however, to pay attention to the fact that in choosing a place for swimming and other physical exercises in water, preference should still be given to the indoor swimming pool. Since open water bodies are often unreliable in terms of cleanliness and infectious safety. After all, it's completely inopportune, if you still have to spend time and energy on the healing of some unexpected disease that will remove such a welcome moment when a woman can feel the birth of a new life within her.

The pool in planning pregnancy, on this basis, requires a deliberate and comprehensively weighed approach, and a preliminary consultation with the attending physician. If all the necessary conditions are met, the chances of successful conception, successful bearing and the birth of a healthy child are increased.

Contraindications to the pool during pregnancy

Contraindications to the pool during pregnancy are primarily the existence of a threat of spontaneous abortion. The question of whether it is advisable to visit a pool by a particular woman "in position" should be decided during a consultation with a specialist whose medical supervision she is in the period of bearing the fetus.

This possibility is excluded, in particular, due to the presence of any abundant discharge or, for example, with placenta previa.

A sensible decision would be to abandon the pool to those women who have an increased uterine tone.

It is undesirable to go to the pool with acute forms of sexually transmitted infections, and in addition, if there are any other illnesses that are in the stage of exacerbation. Of the latter, an example is, in particular, an exacerbation of tuberculosis.

The disease of chronic appendicitis also includes swimming, diving and aqua aerobics in the pool to the category of activities unacceptable during pregnancy.

In the period of bearing a child from visiting the pool, women who have any of the number of systemic blood diseases should be refused.

Under the prohibition of the pool falls in uterine bleeding, eclampsia of preeclampsia in pregnant women.

Inadmissibility of physical stress during swimming and performing exercises in the water is caused by obstetric pathologies, symptomatology inherent in gestosis, and also characterizing the phenomenon of early or extremely pronounced toxicosis, which is accompanied by incessant vomiting.

Another contraindication is the cases of a habitual miscarriage, previously occurred in each previous pregnancy.

And, of course, one of the most important alarm signals, calling for the need for the future mother to abandon the pool, is the occurrence of her systematic painful bouts after a session of classes.

Contraindications to the pool during pregnancy, considering all of the above, of course, have a place to be. Nevertheless, if a woman who is preparing to become a mother is not sick with any of the listed diseases, and there is no occurrence of all kinds of negative phenomena, it can be confidently asserted that physical activity in water will be more useful than what is capable of causing harm.

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Swimming in early pregnancy

Swimming in early pregnancy, according to many, is certainly a positive factor. Somehow, in a miraculous way, immediately affect the best course of pregnancy, swimming and water gymnastic exercises, of course, are incapable, but at least have a beneficial effect on the general condition and tone of the woman's body preparing to become a mother. Therefore, it is often advised to visit the basin literally in the first weeks, to begin the preparatory activities for birth as early as possible.

So, after consultation with the attending physician has established that there are no serious obstacles to this, the path to the pool is freely opened.

Often, expectant mothers may be concerned about the possibility of easily getting some unpleasant disease due to being in the public pool. After all, the limited amount of water into which a large number of different people are submerged seems to be an ideal environment for the development and reproduction of all kinds of infections and pathogenic bacteria. In this regard, we must immediately say that such alarms are primarily unreasonable. Many modern swimming pools are equipped with highly effective powerful water purification systems, using special means in which there is no chlorine presence.

In order to start practicing in the pool, it is necessary to enroll in a special group for pregnant women under the guidance of an experienced instructor.

A swimming pool in the early stages of pregnancy, on the one hand, is a wonderful way for a woman to maintain herself in optimal physical form, and on the other, appears as having a great positive psychological factor. In the process of communication in a group with the same future mothers, all the problems and worries that the woman has are receding into the background, she finds a positive attitude and confidence that such activities are only beneficial to her baby.

Swimming pool on late pregnancy

A swimming pool in late pregnancy has as its main goal not to achieve any significant improvement in the overall physical condition or to give the figure a special grace of lines. The very essence of visiting a swimming pool, swimming, exercises of aquatic gymnastics - aqua aerobics during this period is to maintain oneself in physical form with the least possible changes in comparison with that which preceded the conception and the beginning of fetal development.

And, on the basis of this, classes for expectant mothers do not provide for any intensive workloads. It is recommended to limit oneself to walking and running in the water with a high rise of the knees and accompanying it with mahas of hands and feet.

An important aspect is the need to perform stretching exercises. Under the influence of warm water in the basin, the ligaments acquire greater elasticity, which is of considerable importance for the process of childbirth. And after the successful appearance of a baby in the future, this helps to restore the figure in a shorter period.

It is also important to use the musculature of the inner thighs in the exercises. To this end, you can do the following. Holding hands for the handrail in the pool wall, while leaning against the wall with your feet, raise your legs, spreading them as widely as possible. Do not hurry up so that the tissues can get used to this condition. Further, the legs need to try to dilate even wider, as if sitting on a string.

The pool in late pregnancy, as we can see, helps maintain the physical form of a woman who should soon become a mother, and can also help prepare her body for the process of birth resolution.

Swimming in pregnancy in the pool

Swimming in pregnancy in the pool can be called one of the most effective methods that can contribute to the preparation of a woman for the delivery process.

First of all, everything in the water becomes easier. And being in the water environment, a woman in a positive emotional mood from the forthcoming joys of motherhood, can fully receive from this only one positive. It does not weigh down the weight of its own, cumbersome, pregnancy-altered body. She can feel lighter for a while! Water in the most remarkable way helps to overcome stress, get rid of anxiety and unrest.

Swimming means that the body of a pregnant woman assumes a horizontal position in this process, which in turn makes it possible to reduce the burden on the spine, bone and muscle systems. It involves a good level of physical activity, leads to the development of endurance and helps strengthen the pectoral muscles. There is an assumption that activation of blood flow in the muscles of the breast subsequently directly determines the best production of breast milk.

Equally important is the diving that can accompany swimming.

Plunging headlong into the water, the future mother acquires a valuable experience of delaying breathing, which will be useful for labor. A little man inside her will learn to do without oxygen for a while. After all, with the completion of childbirth, he can not receive it more from his mother, since the umbilical cord that connects them will be circumcised.

As practice shows, a child who has adapted to the phenomenon of such temporary hypoxia, rather, moves to the exit in the birth canal and shows a better ability to adapt to the world after birth.

Swimming with pregnancy in the pool contributes to a good preparation of the woman for the generic process, both physical and psychological, and besides it plays a certain positive role in the development of the child.

Visiting the pool during pregnancy

Visiting the pool during pregnancy is possible only if the future mother does not have any direct contraindications. Among them, the main ones are: an increased risk of spontaneous abortion or premature birth resolution, the presence of skin lesions, a high degree of toxicosis, etc. The next step is choosing the institution that would meet all the necessary criteria. The pool should be clean and have safe and comfortable steps to enter the water. In addition, it is necessary that the staff of the pool include a full-time gynecologist.

While in the pool from the pregnant woman, strict adherence to certain safety rules is required. First of all it is necessary to learn to evenly distribute the physical load, because excessive fatigue leads to a deterioration in the general well-being of the woman.

Exercise in the water physical exercises must necessarily accompany breathing exercises, which in combination contributes to both improving the health status, and serves as an excellent preparation for the process of childbirth.

With regard to swimming in the pool, we note that its sports styles for a woman preparing to become a mother are categorically unacceptable. You need to swim peacefully, without exerting exorbitant efforts, and, of course, do not set yourself a landmark championship in ultra-long marathon swim. It should be limited to small distances.

To avoid falls on the wet and very slippery tiles of the pool, and to avoid injury due to this reason, walking is recommended exclusively along the paths. And in order to minimize the risk of getting a fungal infection stop walking barefoot is undesirable, it is necessary to shoe slippers.

Visiting the pool during pregnancy requires constant monitoring of the future mother of her health. Chlorination in the pool is undoubtedly a positive factor in terms of water disinfection, however, on the other hand, chlorine often provokes the development of dermatitis and allergies on the skin. The smell of chlorine is also able to cause an increase in the symptoms of toxicosis, which is especially characteristic for early pregnancy. Because of this, so much importance is attached to mandatory prior consultation with a gynecologist's doctor.

Pregnancy and swimming pool with bleach

The benefits of swimming and physical activity in water during pregnancy are obvious. This is a remarkable preventive measure against diseases of the cardiovascular system. There is also no doubt about their beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system. The complex of special exercises of aqua aerobics acts as one and effective preparatory measures for the birth to take place in a natural way, as the approach of childbirth promotes the acquisition of the right position in the uterus.

Nevertheless, a visit to the pool by a pregnant woman is associated with a number of unfavorable aspects. Pregnancy and the pool with bleach are one of them, which often becomes a matter of concern and uncertainty for expectant mothers.

Chlorine - the so-called chlorine lime - is used to destroy all pathogenic bacteria in the water and prevent the spread of diseases. Chlorination of water in the basins is a common practice of disinfection for more than a decade, and the negative consequences of its use have never been massive. This, however, does not at all serve as a basis for considering this tool to be completely harmless. On the contrary, the insidiousness of chlorine is precisely the fact that its pernicious action begins to actualize only with the accumulation in the human body.

When a pregnant woman swims in water with a chlorine content, bleach is absorbed by the skin, and from the mother's body it is transferred to the child in any amount in any case. In the process of gradual evaporation of chlorine, chlorine gas is released, and when it is inhaled (and if there is a smell of chlorine, then there is a presence in the air), both the pregnant woman and the fetus are poisoned. In small doses, this gas does not present a significant danger, but over time its cumulative effect can have a negative effect.

Researchers from Belgium argue that if women are carrying a child at least once a week, visits an indoor swimming pool in which water with bleach, harm to the fetus can be compared with that of regular smoking for the adult body. Moreover, the opinion is voiced that from exposure to chlorine the child becomes more at risk of developing allergies and asthma. On the conviction of other specialists in the field of pulmonary diseases, this connection is not obvious.

Whatever it was, and such combination as pregnancy and the pool with chlorine conceals a threat of at least dryness and irritation, allergic reactions to the skin of the future mother, and for the baby it can be fraught with a further tendency to allergies, the development of asthma other diseases of the system respiration. Therefore, it is better to still choose on those pools, in which water is purified in a different way, without the use of bleach. Benefit to date, these can be found enough to choose the most suitable.

Reviews about the pool during pregnancy

  • Valentina

It seems to me that many girls become simply hypochondriac because of their pregnancy. They want to go swimming in the pool and begin to seek out, learn, all that is necessary and not necessary. From all sides see all sorts of jugglery about infection, infection. Still different reviews about the pool during pregnancy do not come very good. And let's load all this my lech. Doctor, what I want, says, but I'm afraid. But is it true that it is impossible, and it is better not? Here the doctor and it is superfluous, it happens. Although it can and does not prevent anything at all.

I went to the pool all the time of pregnancy. I am very satisfied and I recommend it to everyone! None of them had any infection. But the state of health is just different from swimming, the weight of excess due to the swimming is not very much and the birth was also light. IMHO benefits from the pool is uniquely more than harmful. And the child in general is safe in full, there is a cork and everything is closed securely. No bleach, no infection can not get in any way.

  • Yana

The body of a pregnant woman in water is almost weightless, the load on the musculoskeletal system decreases and for veins is good. It helped me with my predisposition perfectly. A

In addition to the benefits for the mother, also for the baby before birth, the pool is also useful. Even diving, they say it is useful for the baby, because during the delay of the mother of breathing, he learns to live for some time without oxygen. This in the process of childbirth he can come in handy.

  • Vera

About bleach I can say that it is in all basins, who would not say anything. A friend worked in one elite club, so she said that although there is supposedly a special ozonizing water purification system without chlorine at all. They even had a certificate confirming it. And there is chlorine everywhere, the amount of it is only different. In swimming pools for groups of pregnant women and for mothers with kids, water is just a little less chlorinated. But it is still enough for disinfection.

  • Nadine

Reviews about the pool during pregnancy I only have the best! Girlfriends are also very happy, who were engaged in groups for expectant mothers. And while I myself did not go, I imagined that something like lessons of proper breathing during childbirth and some kind of bullshit in the water for people of pre-retirement age. It turned out aqua aerobics for pregnant women it happens such a load that it does not seem enough! For the figure is excellent - it helps to stay in your weight, although the stomach goes into growth.

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