Active Pregnant Moms Birth More Active Children

Active Parents Raise Active Children

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2007) — Parents who are active during pregnancy and early in their child's life tend to raise more active children, finds a study published on bmj.com.

Some risk factors for adult diseases are associated with lower levels of physical activity in children. Associations have also been reported between early life factors (from birth to around five years) and childhood obesity. Read the rest of this Science Daily article here.

I am 21 weeks pregnant and active. NYC dwelling enables me to walk where ever I can and I go to yoga classes 2-3 times per week. Plus, I try to strength train at home as often as possible.

Before the pregnancy I practiced a Brazilian martial art called Capoeira. Because this art is extremely strenuous, acrobatic and potentially dangerous if I get kicked in the stomach, I had to stop during the pregnancy. A few months after I give birth I will resume my studies with my teacher Mestra Foca at Raizes do Brazil Capoeira Brooklyn. My yoga classes are at East-West Yoga in Manhattan. My son's daddy is very active as well training and teaching mixed martial arts 3-4 times a week. So we don't really need the BMJ report to know that we will raise a very active child.

Inside my belly, our baby is already active! He loves to join me in the movements of yoga during class by moving all around, stretching and kicking and even moves like that when I am resting. Oh-oh looks like no rest for his parents after he pops out!

Posted by Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.