Fit Maternity

Fit Maternity brings you exercise clothing especially designed for pregnant women.  From maternity belts to sports bras and swimsuits designed specifically for pregnancy, Fit Maternity is a one stop shop for maternity fitness gear.

Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy, courtesy of Fit Maternity

Most every study relating to pregnancy and exercise concludes that exercise is not only safe during pregnancy, but that it is actually better for both the mother and baby to engage in physical activity throughout pregnancy. (Sarah Kooperman with Susan Brokenbrough) James F. Clapp II is a professor of reproductive biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr Clapp is one of the most noteworthy researchers on the topic of pregnancy and exercise. In a 1990 study he concludes "Moderate exercise during pregnancy leads to better weight regulation and fewer backaches and other discomforts."

In the same study, Dr. Clapp documented "shorter, easier labors (on average 2 hours less of labor time) with less medical intervention (24%less C-sections and 14% less usage of forceps), higher neo-natal Apgar scores and quicker recoveries" for exercising pregnant women.

In a subsequent article which appeared in the Journal of Pediatrics, December 1996, Dr. Clapp traced the development of children of exercising mothers. Clapp set out to test the hypothisis that regular exercise throughout pregnancy had an adverse effect on the children by the time they reached five years of age. The offspring of exercising mothers measured about 10% less in skinfold and weight measures than those of the non-exercising mothers. Lean muscle mass was higher, particularly in the boys, and percentage of fat was lower. According to national statistics, the children at five years of age of the exercising mothers measured in the 50th percentile for age and skinfold thickness. As Clapp noted, "... it is not that the offspring of exercising women are unduly lean at age 5 years, rather that the offspring of the control subjects are a bit on the fat side" (Clapp, 861). Clapp's study also suggests that women who exercised during pregnancy experience an average of 21% less weight gain than women who are sedentary (858).

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