A Pregnant Woman’s Squats & Walks Decreases Total Labor Duration

Shake, Rotate & Sway to Avoid Labor Time Going Astray

We look forward to welcoming a baby but never look forward to experiencing delivering pain or entering the labor ward. Holding our tiny angel in hands seems to be life’s greatest blessing and all the pain and trouble experienced before the delivery vanishes in a jiffy once the baby’s out. Until then, the process of labor is a serious determinant of the quality of life of the woman involved.
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Surviving through labor and delivering a baby is equivalent to rebirth of a mom. Studies show that greater the labor time greater is the risk associated with maternal and perinatal mortality rates. Also, maternal characteristics such as BMI, age, parity, oxytocin and epidural analgesia have a strong impact on the labor duration. Hence the insistence on an active lifestyle, good dietary habits and a healthy body weight. Pregnancy time is precious in every woman’s life because that’s when every lady gets to pamper herself, care for her whims and fancies and also leads a healthier life. Most of them practice doing physical activity and the latest study tells us that maintaining an active lifestyle during pregnancy can reduce the time spend in labor during delivery.

Studies on Exercise & its Effects on Labor Tenure
572 pregnant women who were between their 9 and 11 week of gestation were invited for study and only 508 women were declared to be eligible based on different study criteria. Of the 508 women each of them was put into two different groups randomly and finally, there were 253 women in the control group and 255 women belonging to the exercise group. Women in the exercise group underwent moderate exercise intervention program three days a week with each session lasting for about an hour right from the 9th or 11th week up to the end of the third trimester (weeks 38-39). Each of the sessions included a warm-up procedure, aerobic resistance training, muscle strengthening exercises, balance exercises, stretching exercises, pelvic floor strengthening and cool down procedures. Whereas women in the control group met their gynecologist at the stipulated time interval and were advised on general diet and exercise routines that were to be followed in general.

Of the 508 women, many of them discontinued or were excluded from the study due to personal reasons, caesarian section or extreme bleeding. This left the researchers with 325 pregnant women of which 149 belonged to control group and 176 belonged to the exercise group. Results showed that:

• Total duration of labor was comparatively lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (450 min versus 507 min). Difference was noticed at different stages of labor: first stage (409 vs 462 min), combined time of first and second stage of labor (442 vs 499). But there was no significant difference found in the second and third stage of labor individually or in combination.
• No difference was noticed in the mode of delivery between the two groups and occupation had no effects too
• Intervention group were at a lesser risk of babies being diagnosed with fetal macrosomia
• Increased aerobic fitness was associated with shorter labor in nulliparous women who went into labor instantly
  
  

Hence, starting to exercise early during pregnancy and continuing it well until childbirth decreases total labor time. Exercising through pregnancy can help women to lose their pregnancy weight after delivery but this is not a simple one. The woman needs total determination and willpower to slash away all the extra weights and flabs to regain her earlier figure and looks. With the help of reputed dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com it is possible to get back to your pre-pregnancy figure in a healthy way. Even if you are interested to get a personalized diet chart during pregnancy it can help you eat nutritious and wholesome foods and help you gain weight steadily seeing to that you never go overboard the recommended weight gain ranges.

The health of the mother can determine the fetus’ health greatly. Babies whose moms are obese are likelier to grow into obese adults. Eating to your hearts content rarely is not a sin but staying idle or remaining at rest completely are wrongful ways to approach a pregnancy. Every pregnant woman needs to be active, do her chores, eat nutritious foods and exercise daily for a lesser labor time during delivery. Those who have complications during pregnancy or pregnant women in general are advised to get their physician’s opinion before starting to exercise.