Swimming in pregnancy comes with a whole host of incredible benefits for both you, and your little bundle of joy, and many of our Aquanatal customers say it is the best thing they have done for themselves during those nine months! These are just some of the ways our Aquanatal classes can support you in making your pregnancy journey even more wonderful:
Firstly, there are so many physical benefits for your body from staying active during pregnancy, but especially from exercising in water. During pregnancy, your body is flooded with higher levels of the hormone relaxin. This is to aid your pelvis in relaxing and widening to prepare your body for labour. However, it also affects all your body’s other joints too, which can lead to joint aches and pains, especially in the latter stages of pregnancy. Due to the upwards acting buoyancy of the water, exercising in water is very low impact, and takes all the strain off your joints as you move through the water. The water can also help to take the weight of your bump as it grows, meaning it is not pressing down on your hips – a welcome bit of relief in those last few months! This all means that swimming is a much more comfortable alternative to exercising on dry land, and helps to reduce the risk of injury as you progress through your pregnancy.
Additionally, the gentle pressure of the water on your body, known as hydrostatic pressure, is amazing for easing aching muscles during pregnancy. As the water pushes against you, it forces the muscles to pump blood back to the heart more effectively, which in turn aids blood flow and reduces swelling and muscle pain. This also helps build your heart’s strength in preparation for labour – it’s a win-win!
In turn, exercising in the water is much more cooling than on dry land – even in our toasty heated pools! This makes it much more comfortable, and much more appealing a prospect than getting hot and sweaty in a stifling gym!
As well as the physical benefits, one of the best things our Aquanatal classes provide is an opportunity to socialise with other expectant parents, and make friends that you can call upon for advice and support during those 3am feeds! All of our classes include time for relaxation and chat, which can be a huge support to your mental health during pregnancy, as you know everyone around you really does ‘get it’!
Finally, coming to an Aquanatal class allows you the opportunity to be completely mindful, and focus on yourself, your body, and your baby, with none of the distractions of the outside world. Social media is filled with so much content for parents-to-be, lots of it very vehement and conflicting, and taking the opportunity to leave your phone in your locker, step away from all the noise and focus on yourself each week is vitally important. Our classes are fun, relaxed, and friendly, and a space to focus on yourself and the little life you are creating, and nothing else.
There are so many ways that swimming in pregnancy can become one of the best things you do for yourself during this incredible time of your life, and we believe our Aquanatal classes are the perfect way to take advantage of all of them! In our intimate, private classes, we have full use of our specially built pool, which is 1.2m deep throughout, meaning you can always stand up, no matter where you are. It doesn’t matter if you are not a swimmer, or even if you are nervous in the water – our teachers are highly trained and qualified to help you every step of the way. We welcome all pregnant people in our Aquanatal classes, whatever stage of pregnancy you are at, and we adapt every movement and activity to your comfort level and stage of pregnancy, so you can be confident that you are in the very best hands!
If you are interested in booking an Aquanatal class, you can email us at [email protected], or call us on 01477 410080 – see you at the pool!
