Doctors recommend appropriate types of exercise during pregnancy as being of benefit to both the expectant mother and her unborn child. Walking, yoga, and swimming are often recommended because they are low-impact, providing gentle ways to stay in shape without overdoing it.

A new study shows that water aerobics can not only be healthy for mom and baby, but can actually decrease pain during labour, lowering the mother’s likelihood of requiring analgesia.

The study found that, although length of delivery and type of delivery did not differ among women who participated in water aerobics, women who took three classes of water aerobics a week were 58% less likely to request pain medications.

This is good news for women who would like to have a “natural” birth that does not include an epidural or narcotic analgesia. Epidural risks to the mother include a decrease in blood pressure, spinal headaches, back pain, urinary retention necessitating the insertion of a catheter, and slowing of labour. Risks to the infant may include change in heart rate and lowered responsiveness following delivery. Narcotic analgesics, such as morphine, may have nausea, vomiting, itchiness, sedation, and lowered respiratory rate as a side effect, and may result in a sleepy baby after birth. Babies whose mothers received narcotics during labour may be slower to breastfeed after delivery due to sleepiness.

If you are planning a natural birth and wan to improve your chances, give water aerobics a try!

Related Links:

Video: Exercising During Pregnancy from illumistream

Exercise During Pregnancy: Myth vs. Fact from Web MD

Aqua aerobics during pregnancy "eases childbirth pain"