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Authors: John Medina
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deprivation. If you are afraid of labor, you owe it yourself to become
as fit as possible going into it. And the reasons are argued purely from the Serengeti.
Exercise buffers against stress
Fit mothers also tend to give birth to smarter babies than obese mothers do. There are two reasons for this. One may have to do with direct effects of exercise—especially aerobic exercise—on a baby’s developing brain. This notion needs more research. More powerful are the data linking aerobic exercise and stress reduction.
Certain types of exercise actually buffer a pregnant woman against the negative influence of stress. Remember those toxic glucocorticoids, the ones that invade neural tissue and cause brain damage? Aerobic exercise elevates a molecule in your brain that can specifically block the toxic effects of those nasty glucocorticoids. This heroic molecule is termed brain-derived neurotrophic factor. More BDNF means less stress, which means fewer glucocorticoids in your womb, which means better baby brain development.
It may sound strange to say, but a fit mom has a much better chance of having a smart baby—or at least one best able to mobilize his or her IQ—than an unfit mom.
Too strenuous, and baby overheats
As usual, though, there’s a balance. A baby can feel and react to the mother’s motion. When her heart rate goes up, so does baby’s. When mom’s breathing rate increases, so does baby’s. But only if the exercise is moderate. During strenuous exercise, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, the baby’s heart rate begins to decline, as does his breathing. Overly strenuous exercise begins to shut off blood flow to the womb, restricting baby’s oxygen supply—not good for the brain. The womb can overheat, too. Elevations of more than 2 degrees Celsius raise the risk of miscarriage and can affect brain and eye development. Your oxygen reserve levels are pretty low by the third trimester anyway, so it’s a good time to wind down strenuous
activities in preparation for labor. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise in later stages; the water helps dissipate excess heat away from the womb.
What is the proper balance? Four words: moderate, regular aerobic exercise. For most women, that means keeping your heart rate below 70 percent of its maximal rate (which is 220 beats per minute minus your age), then slowing things down as the due date approaches. But you should exercise. As long as you don’t have obstetric or other medical complications, the American College of Obstetricians recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day.
Good advice, even though we are not wildebeests.
Every little bit counts
Maybe you’re not in the habit of exercising every day. Maybe you’re feeling guilty enough already for drinking that second cup of coffee while pregnant. If so, perhaps you will appreciate some reassurance from the research world: As a species, Homo sapiens have been successfully making babies for 250,000 years. We did very well without all this fancy knowledge, thank you, and with such success that we conquered the world. Your best intentions—Morse code belly-tapping notwithstanding—will go a long way toward creating a great environment for your developing baby.
Key points
• In the first half of pregnancy, babies want to be left alone.
• Don’t waste your money on products claiming to improve a preborn baby’s IQ, temperament, or personality. None of them have been proven to work.
• In the second half of pregnancy, babies begin to perceive and process a great deal of sensory information. They can
smell the perfume you wear and the garlic on the pizza you just ate.
• The mother-to-be can boost baby brain development in four ways: gaining the proper weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising moderately, and reducing stress.
relationship
brain rules
Happy marriage, happy baby
The brain seeks safety above all
What is obvious to you is obvious to
as fit as possible going into it. And the reasons are argued purely from the Serengeti.
Exercise buffers against stress
Fit mothers also tend to give birth to smarter babies than obese mothers do. There are two reasons for this. One may have to do with direct effects of exercise—especially aerobic exercise—on a baby’s developing brain. This notion needs more research. More powerful are the data linking aerobic exercise and stress reduction.
Certain types of exercise actually buffer a pregnant woman against the negative influence of stress. Remember those toxic glucocorticoids, the ones that invade neural tissue and cause brain damage? Aerobic exercise elevates a molecule in your brain that can specifically block the toxic effects of those nasty glucocorticoids. This heroic molecule is termed brain-derived neurotrophic factor. More BDNF means less stress, which means fewer glucocorticoids in your womb, which means better baby brain development.
It may sound strange to say, but a fit mom has a much better chance of having a smart baby—or at least one best able to mobilize his or her IQ—than an unfit mom.
Too strenuous, and baby overheats
As usual, though, there’s a balance. A baby can feel and react to the mother’s motion. When her heart rate goes up, so does baby’s. When mom’s breathing rate increases, so does baby’s. But only if the exercise is moderate. During strenuous exercise, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, the baby’s heart rate begins to decline, as does his breathing. Overly strenuous exercise begins to shut off blood flow to the womb, restricting baby’s oxygen supply—not good for the brain. The womb can overheat, too. Elevations of more than 2 degrees Celsius raise the risk of miscarriage and can affect brain and eye development. Your oxygen reserve levels are pretty low by the third trimester anyway, so it’s a good time to wind down strenuous
activities in preparation for labor. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise in later stages; the water helps dissipate excess heat away from the womb.
What is the proper balance? Four words: moderate, regular aerobic exercise. For most women, that means keeping your heart rate below 70 percent of its maximal rate (which is 220 beats per minute minus your age), then slowing things down as the due date approaches. But you should exercise. As long as you don’t have obstetric or other medical complications, the American College of Obstetricians recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day.
Good advice, even though we are not wildebeests.
Every little bit counts
Maybe you’re not in the habit of exercising every day. Maybe you’re feeling guilty enough already for drinking that second cup of coffee while pregnant. If so, perhaps you will appreciate some reassurance from the research world: As a species, Homo sapiens have been successfully making babies for 250,000 years. We did very well without all this fancy knowledge, thank you, and with such success that we conquered the world. Your best intentions—Morse code belly-tapping notwithstanding—will go a long way toward creating a great environment for your developing baby.
Key points
• In the first half of pregnancy, babies want to be left alone.
• Don’t waste your money on products claiming to improve a preborn baby’s IQ, temperament, or personality. None of them have been proven to work.
• In the second half of pregnancy, babies begin to perceive and process a great deal of sensory information. They can
smell the perfume you wear and the garlic on the pizza you just ate.
• The mother-to-be can boost baby brain development in four ways: gaining the proper weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising moderately, and reducing stress.
relationship
brain rules
Happy marriage, happy baby
The brain seeks safety above all
What is obvious to you is obvious to
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