It is one of the most disturbing images that have passed through Clara's newsroom in recent times. A 6 months pregnant, proud to show off her "fabulous" abs. And we ask ourselves, where is the baby? How is that baby? Will he be healthy? Can he have health problems now or in the future?
Pregnant with abs
The woman whose photo gave us the creeps is called Sarah Stage, a 33-year-old lingerie model based in California. Sarah plays a lot of sports, is a fitness consultant and leads a healthy life, according to herself: “My doctor says that the baby is healthy, and that's all that matters.” But we wonder how healthy her diet can be And the exercise she practices if she looks like this at 6 months pregnant. And we are not the only ones, social networks burn with every photo that Sarah uploads to her Instagram account.
What consequences does it have for the baby?
To clarify our doubts about this "mode" of pregnancy, we have contacted Dr. Beltrán, to whom we have conveyed our dismay. And the doctor has confirmed our suspicions: "That pressure in the abdomen is not good because it may make the child adopt forced postures and accelerate or cause complications at the time of delivery."
Fit moms or fit moms and pregorexia
And the case of Sarah Stage is not the only one. The alarms have jumped as nutritional problems have arisen in pregnant women obsessed with not gaining weight during pregnancy. The best known is pregorexia, which can have serious consequences for both mother and baby.
Future moms subjected to intense and demanding sports routines that upload their progress to social networks, where they garner admiration and fierce criticism in equal measure. Another example of this fashion is Chantel Ducan, who proudly shows the progress of her second pregnancy on her social networks. A cult of the body that is reaching absurd and dangerous heights. Both for the protagonists and for the thousands of young followers who, perhaps, influenced by this fashion, will live a future pregnancy with the pressure of "having to be thin."
How much weight do you gain in pregnancy?
Traditionally it has been said that a woman should gain 1 kg per month; and when a pregnant woman gained two or more kilos from one visit to another she was put on a diet. This concept has become more flexible after it was found that restricting weight gain in pregnancy can increase the risk of having a low-weight baby. Currently, the Institute of Medicine in the United States considers that 11 kg is the minimum amount that should be gained during pregnancy in women with a normal body mass index. In very thin women, the increase should be greater, while in overweight or obese women the weight gain should be less. In the case of adolescents and multiple pregnancies, the increase is also greater.
To what extent can you exercise in pregnancy without harming the baby?
Physical activity benefits pregnancy if it produces well-being and does not involve excessive effort. In fact, sport helps you feel good both physically and emotionally, to have a better connection with your own body and to perceive its needs more easily. In addition, it also helps at the time of delivery.
There are many exercises and sports disciplines that help during pregnancy. Of course, any physical exercise should be done in a moderate and pleasant way, without excessive effort, or the intention of competing or exceeding aesthetic or strength goals.
If you are very athletic and healthy, and want to practice sports during pregnancy, go ahead, but without going overboard. Always with the approval of your doctor. But if you are an inactive person, pregnancy is not the best time to start sports, no matter how fashionable it is, since you run the risk of harming the baby.
