Aqua Natal (Aquanatal Classes)

Member Name: Whizz11

Product:	Aquanatal Classes
Date:	03/11/09 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great exercise, meet other expectant mums

Disadvantages: None

I have always been quite an active person, playing netball, tennis etc and so when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to stay active throughout the duration. Of course I knew I had to tone it down a bit and could not play such dangerous contact sports but I wanted something that was both fun and worth doing.

I have read in various places that if you do exercise throughout pregnancy and keep quite active you stand a very good chance of regaining your figure after the baby has been born and it comes back much quicker than if you didn't exercise, ate for two and generally let yourself eat cream cakes for the previous 9 months.

I am a keep swimmer as well and had heard a lot about aqua natal classes and how good they were so I decided to give one a try. Aqua Natal classes are great when you are pregnant because being in the water is such a wonderful feeling. You are probably feeling very fat and heavy but the buoyancy of the water means the impact stress and pounding on the body experienced during land-based exercises is virtually removed. When I'm in the water I almost feel weightless and the feeling is great. It takes all the stress and pain away from my hips and joints that have been getting the strain of my ever increasing belly and also my stomach feels quite light too.

Aqua Natal classes are a very safe form of exercise during pregnancy. Aqua Natal is basically a form of exercise, done in the swimming pool that is specifically tailored to pregnant women. It combines a series of stretches, low impact weight training and other exercises to keep your muscles and joints supple throughout pregnancy.

I think most public swimming pools offer these classes but a quick search on the internet will help find one near to you. I take part in a class on Monday mornings for an hour. The cost is £4.65 but I believe it is less if you join the swimming pool as a member. I started when I was about 16 weeks pregnant and have been going ever since. You can ask your swimming pool when they recommend you to start but this was a good time frame for me. When I first started most ladies were a bit further along than me but now most people are about my timeframe of giving birth. I wear just a regular bikini to take part but you can buy specific pregnancy swimming costumes if you find your old ones don't fit over your bump. I love showing my bump off so I don't mid wearing a bikini but I know some people can be self conscious.

My class is taken by a retired midwife and I find this really helpful as she really knows what kind of exercises are good during pregnancy and what you should not do. She also talks us through the exercises were are doing in the pool and tells us for example that this stretch is good for swollen ankles or this is good for actual labour, etc, etc.

It's a very low intensity workout and you can make it as hard or as easy as you like. We start off with some foam dumbbells which help us with our arm exercises. Then we also use the noodle floats to tone our arms and legs. We generally walk through the water doing these different exercises but if you wanted to make it a bit harder for yourself you could go a bit quicker or use the weights for more resistance under the water.

The class lasts for an hour. We also practice some relaxation techniques as well as pelvic floor exercises which are very easy to do under the water. When I come out I do feel very relaxed and as if I have done some good exercise. I have heard it's good for baby too as when you exercise you release certain hormones which are then transferred to the baby which they enjoy.

Another great thing about these classes is that they're a great way to meet other expectant mums in your area. It's hard finding people who are in the same situation as you so a class like this is a great way to bring you together over a shared interest. I have made a nice group of friends now and we go for coffee after the class as well because they have a coffee shop in the swimming area.

I definitely recommend Aqua Natal classes as great exercise during pregnancy and a great way to meet people.

Summary: Aqua Natal Classes