Trust me, I know fetuses benefit if their mothers exercise. Advantages include healthier hearts for women and their unborn babies, a smaller incidence of depression in pregnant mothers, and an easier delivery.
Turns out exercise is not only good for me, but it also may increase my chances of having "sportier" kids who also exercise, according to Feed the Belly: A Pregnant Mom's Healthy Eating Guide by Health magazine Senior Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth, RD. Her chapter about exercise was particularly guilt-inducing for me — especially with her tips for safe sweat sessions.
But even with all the benefits, I'm not alone in my exercise boycott. Why don't all moms exercise? Time management is the main difference between pregnant women who exercise regularly and those who did not, according to a new study. The non-exercisers are specifically chided in the study as watching too much television rather than showering their fetus with the numerous proven benefits of exercise.
But I'm not addicted to TiVo — I'm just scared out of my mind.
