With all the emphasis on exercise and physical fitness these days, it seems amazing that just twenty years ago doctors advised pregnant women to ‘rest up’ and cut back on exercise while pregnant. The jury is in, and doctors now advise that exercise is good for expectant mothers and their babies – both pre-delivery and postpartum. One of the best exercises for expectant mothers is swimming, because it is easy on pregnancy-vulnerable joints, the cool water prevents you from overheating, and the buoyancy of water alleviates some of the stresses of gravity on the extra weight you are carrying. I swam while pregnant, and I found swimming to be a lifesaver for me when I could no longer jog, do karate or do pilates. I actually managed to swim right up until the day before I gave birth, and feel like swimming helped me to stay in shape and have a complication-free birth.
Olympic Gold medalist (at the age of 41!?), and mom Dara Torres, is a testament to the wonders of swimming for a pregnant mom’s bod – and just about for any bod. An athlete with an awe-inspiring physique, Dara gained 36 pounds during her pregnancy, but managed to lose all of the baby weight within the first 2-3 weeks postpartum. Oh, and on top of that feat, she also managed to set a record as the oldest swimmer ever to get an Olympic medal – at age 41 – in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Feeling inspired, moms to be?
I recently had the opportunity to meet Dara Torres at ‘mom blogger’ event sponsored by HP Moms For Simplicity. I was fascinated by her athleticism and how it worked with her life as mother, so I asked her a couple questions: How much did you swim/train while pregnant? How did swimming work for you in terms of staying in shape while pregnant? I swam and did pregnancy-safe lifting exercises 3 to 4 days a week while I was pregnant. I trained up to the day before giving birth. Swimming is a great way to stay in shape while pregnant; it’s a great cardio workout that improves overall health for you and the baby.
I heard you lost all the baby weight within 2-3 weeks of giving birth – I assume due to swimming? I didn’t gain much baby weight during my pregnancy, swimming kept me at a healthy weight. Staying in shape is the main part of my job as an Olympic swimmer so I’m really strict when it comes to working out; I was back in the gym a week and a half after giving birth. Would you recommend swimming to non Olympian moms-to-be? Yes, I would definitely recommend it. Swimming is a low impact exercise and is better for your body than running and other high impact exercises when you’re pregnant. I was really nauseous in the beginning of my pregnancy and swimming really helped with my nausea.
What is your exercise advice to non Olympian moms-to-be who want to stay in shape during and after pregnancy? You shouldn’t start working out as soon as you find out that your pregnant, you need to keep your daily regimen but do it moderately. You should definitely talk to your doctor about exercising and what is safe for you individually. Is your baby swimming yet?
Yes she started swim lessons at a year old.
Of course, Dara Torres is a professional athlete with a stable of personal trainers, who works out several hours each day. Still, she stands as a testament to the power and possibilities for women young and old, and should be an inspiration to us all.
So, moms-to-be, feeling inspired to don your swimsuit and goggles and take the plunge? Some eco and health-conscious women may ask: what about all the chlorine in swimming pools? I wondered the same thing myself when I was pregnant. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of research out there – nor are there a lot of good non-chlorinated pool options out there. Here’s what I found out: 1. Despite the fact that chlorine smells toxic and nasty, there is no real conclusive research to whether there are any potentially harmful side-effects of chlorine on pregnancy. A 2002 study tried to investigate the issue of chlorine on pregnancy, and the results were “inconsistent and inconclusive.” 2. Natural, non-chlorinated pools are beautiful examples of biomimetic design at work, but it is almost impossible to find a public or community swimming pool built around this sort of natural system. Christina Chambers, an epidemiologist in San Diego, says “getting into an unchlorinated pool might be more of a risk than a chlorinated one, since swimmers there might acquire an infection.” 3. However, there IS plenty of well documented evidence that low-intensity (low-heat) aerobic activity is very beneficial for pregnant women. Therefore it would seem that the well known positives of swimming while pregnant far outweigh any potential negative side-effects of chlorine — so we say take the plunge and swim while pregnant!
5 Responses to “PREGNANCY SWIMMING: An interview with Olympian mom Dara Torres”
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I don’t think this model of motherhood should be praised at all really. Here I am at risk of sounding conservative, but I think the best place for a new mum and her baby in the weeks postpartum is being together and very gently and gradually reacquainting themselves with the outside world, not powering off to the gym for many hours per day. What kind of health is this woman promoting? A very distorted one in my opinion.
We already have such a culture of body image obsession, especially for women. It is no secret that during and after pregnancy many women (I want to write “most women”) have low self esteem when it comes to how they look and what they achieve. Of all the women who love their maternal bodies, most will still have moments of doubt about their expanding figure and changing physical capabilities.
This article promotes exercise during and after pregnancy which on the face of it seems to be a positive thing, however, there is no mention of how dangerous it can also be when over done. Many women, especially first time mothers are unaware that their pregnant/post pregnant bodies can no longer cope with their previously “normal” exercise regime.
I think that by championing this completely abnormal (if amazing) woman as a positive image, it is doing the rest of us “normal” women a great disservice. It is promoting health in a very unhealthy and sensational way.
I don’t dispute Dara is a phenomenal woman and we could all learn from her example, but I do question how and to whom this message is being given.
Sustainable, healthy living is so much more than this superficial article would have us believe.
About the complaint towards Dara Torres-
First of all, she did not state she rushed back into her old arduous workout routine after delivery. To say she spent hours away from her baby is an assumption on your part. Athlete or not, she probably eased into her workouts after the birth of her child. That is what all physicians recomend.
Also, since the article does not go into the details of her workouts, it is an assumption on your part to say that she supports “overdone” workouts for women before or after pregnancy. All women need to consult their doctor or midwife before taking up any exercise program. I think that most of them do. To say most women don’t know they can’t exercise with the same intensity as their prenatal regime seems a bit odd- these women who don’t know this must never visit a doctor or go online, because this is common knowledge. The points you bring up are not from this article, but from your imagination. This article was not meant to be an instruction manual for expexting mothers. Again, women know to consult their physicians first. Every physician will advise against starting an exercise program during pregnancy that the mother did not do before pregnancy. (Unless that exercise is swimming. Even then, swimming is advised with caution.)
I don’t think this article pushes an unhealthy, emaxiated standard on pregnant women. I personally feel more inspired to find a very low-intensity swimming program for pregnant women, as my doctor said sensible, pregnancy- safe exercise will keep me healthy and help tremendously during labor.
Please try to stick to facts and reason, not assumption.
She is an inspiration to all. She is breaking down barriers. Commonly held beiefs about this age I can only do this or I am too old for that. You are as young as you wanna be. Pregnant or post partum exercise is fine. Your body sets your limitations not your mind or what some expert says. I am sure research on what is deemed an average sample is done in a cautious manner due to “ethical” considerations. Right on Dara!! Keep it up! 2012 is coming soon.
Flo makes a good point though, I was taken a bit by the fact that Dara was back to swimming just a week after her birth since the general recommendation is 6 weeks after birth to begin exercise routines such as swimming. Obviously everyone is different and must consult their caregiver and make an informed decision – its great that being in peak physical condition as a result of swimming may have helped this athlete get back to working out sooner than those who don’t exercise during pregnancy and that is worth mentioning. However, it came off a bit super human. Its like saying celebrities who are back filming roles in their pre-baby bodies a month after giving birth are what we should look up to. I would have appreciated more statistics on women who swim during pregnancy, more information on what constitutes a good swim regimen (maybe even some different work outs for first, second and third trimesters), and using Dara more as an expert giving advice than what women should be inspired to achieve. All women can be inspirations without being Olympic athletes. Come on!
As an older mother who did swim during my pregnancy, even the week I went into delivery, I have to agree with Dara that it is a fantastic way to stay in shape. I was already a swimmer, hadn’t swam for awhile though. I got more into it during my pregnancy. There are pregnant women all over at the gym. Doing cycle classes (also low impact) all the way through their pregnancies. The antiquated notion of staying at home and resting is what is being focused on in this article. (by no means am I talking about those who have to be on bed rest or take it easy). Each individual will have their own limitations. Dara’s is waaayyyy beyond where most of us are. But it is important to remain active and to find an enjoyable way to do so. I happened to love swimming.