Get in shape just by putting one foot in front of the other.
Photo by Jorge Salvador on Unsplash.
Who doesn’t love a good walk? Let’s face it, it’s all we’ve been allowed to do over the past few months, so we’re all pretty used to it by now.
The thing is, walking isn’t just good for us during lockdown – there are so many amazing mental and physical health benefits, especially for mums-to-be.
Here are some added incentives to take some extra strides every day:
It keeps your heart strong and your muscles toned. And the stronger you are - physically and mentally – the more equipped you’ll be to meet the demands of motherhood
It reduces the risk of complications during delivery and could help you have an easier labour
Regular exercise like this can ease back pain and other aches
It helps you sleep better by burning off excess energy
It keeps your body fit, which offers protection from gestational diabetes and preeclampsia
It eases constipation
You can do it anytime, anywhere and it’s something nice to do for yourself before you have to focus on the baby
Walking with a midwife will give you the confidence to get out there in the open air and embrace the natural world around you and discuss any pregnancy/new mum related issues.
Photo by lucas Favre on Unsplash.
Walking in nature is particularly good for your health – it boosts energy levels (which is beyond helpful during that first trimester!), reduces stress and induces a sense of calmness. It has been proven to help with health recovery and reduce blood pressure.
And taking a walk in the woods is especially beneficial, due to the phytoncides that some trees and plants give out. These marvellous chemicals are well known for their immune boosting and stress relieving properties.
According to some studies in Japan, a walk in the woods has even been proved to calm a stressed baby… “Get me to the woods”, we hear you cry!
As you can imagine us PEP Midwives have been desperate to get out there walking and chatting with our mums-to-be, and that’s why we’ve come up with our new package just for you: Walking with Midwives.
These one-one-one ‘walk and talk’ sessions with a PEP midwife (PEP = Positive Experience in Pregnancy) allow pregnant women to have exclusive access to pick our brains on any midwifery matters, be that antenatal concerns, tips on how to cope with a newborn or even baby weaning.
As antenatal anxiety has become a major issue these days thanks to the pandemic, a one to one session with a midwife, outdoors, (adhering to strict social distancing measures of course) will allow you to discuss your concerns with a qualified practitioner.
We all know that just discussing a problem or worry can make everything feel so much better, and talking while out and about has been proven to help people feel less inhibited and open up more.
With postnatal depression being one of the most commonly reported maternal illnesses, we want to help all you new Mammas, too. Enjoy the endorphin release of a good walk, the magical healing powers of nature and a good ol’ chinwag with us by your side.
Of course, we would also be more than happy to head out for a good old ramble and chat about the joys of pregnancy and the joys of being a new Mamma and help you discover our glorious surroundings and maybe introduce you to some new pathways to explore
With over 20 years combined experience in midwifery between us, the PEP Midwives are here to help and listen. We are also really familiar with Abergavenny and the surrounding areas so if you fancy more of a challenging walk, off the beaten track, be it uphill or down dale, or just along the canal, we can tailor the walk to suit your needs.
Drop us a line at thepepmidwives@gmail.com and we’ll get you booked in for a one to one session with either Kate or Heidi. Please feel free to call us for a free 15 minute consultation and the one to one walks will be £20 per hour.
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