In the News
Moms Who Do Not Exercise May Have Bigger Babies, Love Handles
Hey, ladies — if you’re having your first child and aren’t keen on pushing out an “overweight” baby, you may want to start hitting the gym, according to a new study.
Working out at least three times per week reduced the odds of delivering a newborn with excessive birth weight (defined as more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces), by about a quarter, claims a report published in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
8 pounds, 13 ounces is considered “excessive”? By those standards, I’m surprised they didn’t immediately throw MY 9-pound, 13-ounce ass into a sumo wrestling ring.
For first-time mothers, both walking and running helped decrease their odds of having an overweight child. One possible explanation for exercise lowering that risk among newborns is the effect of aerobic exercise on glucose tolerance, the researchers said.
I’m guessing the mother of that poor baby in the picture wasn’t exactly a regular at step aerobics class.
