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good and plan to continue until I give benefits of lifting weights, she ex- four pounds at birth. When Chiou
birth,” she adds. ercised secretly during her second was pregnant again this year, she ad-
pregnancy because people around her justed her diet and continued strength
Two Babies, Different could not understand. training at least three times a week.
Experiences “I worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “All the problems during pregnancy
Another mother, Catherine Chiou, I rushed to the gym and trained for were gone, such as gestational dia-
stopped strength training when she an hour during lunch break. My col- betes and urinary incontinence,” she
had her first baby in 2017. “Not every leagues always questioned if I would says. Her second baby was born in
medical staff knows pregnancy as well [accidentally] squeeze my baby out early September and it weighed more
as an obstetrician. Their ideas are old- earlier due to the heavy weights. But than six pounds.
schooled,” says the 32-year-old radi- that’s not true,” she sighs. “My second baby came out in less
ographer. She switched to light yoga in According to British Journal of than 10 minutes after I was on an ob-
the second month after experiencing Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2017, stetric table. Before the anaesthesia
vomiting and vaginal bleeding, which exercise can lower the risk of preterm wore off, I felt energetic and posted
are common in early pregnancy. “The birth by reducing oxidative stress or myself on Facebook after giving birth.
elderly just ask you to sit. One tends to improving placental vascularisation. I also recovered faster this time. I went
take extra care, as you don’t have any The American College of Obste- to the restroom by myself half a day
experience in your first pregnancy,” tricians and Gynaecologists in April, after giving birth. Two weeks later,
she says. 2020 reported physical activity during my belly was nearly back to normal
Her first baby belonged to the pregnancy is safe and desirable. Preg- shape,” she says.
small-sized group, weighting less than nant women are encouraged to con- Although Chiou recognised the

“

They are all normal Dr Wu, En-tzu (sitting on the far right) has been giving lectures to trainers at gyms about strength training during pregnancy.

people like you and (Photo courtesy of Wu, En-tzu)

me, so you believe tinue or to initiate safe exercise.
Wu suggests that mothers engage
you can do it too. in both strength and aerobic exercise “
during pregnancy. Since pregnant
women often have health problems Not every medical staff knows

” such as dizziness and low blood sug- pregnancy as well as an obstetrician.
ar, they should avoid new challenges.
Using up to 70 or 80 per cent of their
maximum strength is preferred. “If
you encounter vaginal bleeding or ”
suspected premature delivery, stop
immediately and check with your
doctor,” she adds.

Jennifer Lin took advice from her
doctor and started strength training in
her fifth month of pregnancy. (Photo
courtesy of Jennifer Lin) Edited by Howard Li
d Li
Edited by Howar