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New website shows mums-to-be how to keep fit for family life
A new website is helping Yorkshire mums-to-be stay fit during their pregnancy.
The Leeds-based site is also offering advice, classes and training programmes to new mums to help them get back in shape after giving birth.
Fitness4mum is aiming to educate women about what exercise they can take during pregnancy, an area which the founders say there is much confusion about.
The team behind it, headed by fitness experts, says from working with pregnant ladies they could see there was a need for clear information.
Kevin Matthews, one of the founders of Fitness4mum, said: "So many people stop exercising when they are pregnant and so many people say 'I don't know what I can do'," he said.
"That's what we are trying to combat really, so that women stay active."
In the past, advice about exercising during pregnancy has been to avoid it, but now health experts say that keeping fit – in the right way – can be hugely beneficial.
It can reduce many symptoms such as nausea, back pain and fatigue.
There is also evidence that women who exercise throughout their pregnancy are more likely to give birth without complications, including that 35 per cent fewer women need for pain relief and a there is a 30 per cent cut in the length of labour.
"It's widely accepted that exercise in pregnancy can help with labour," Kevin said.
"Over the last 20 years the benefits of exercising in pregnancy have really come to the forefront."
He said they wanted to give women as much information as possible.
"We want our website to be about giving information for free with our articles and forum," he said.
Fitness4mum also offers exercise plans to download and details of personal training sessions.
And the team's qualified instructors, who specialise in training pre and post natal women, are also about to launch a series of classes for pregnant women and new mums in gyms across West and North Yorkshire.
Three types of classes are on offer - Prenatal Preparation, Toning for Motherhood and Pramtastic, an outdoor cardio class.
Kevin said the content had been tailored to women's needs and free taster sessions are due to take place at the end of the month (feb].
Classes are open to both members and non-members of the venues where they are held and many have creches on-site.
The website also gives information about the Government's Health in Pregnancy grant, a one-off 190 payment from the Government to women 25 weeks pregnant or more.
"We want to educate women about how to exercise safely, effectively and confidently whether it's in their own home or in a group setting, which is a great way to meet other mums," he added.
"Going forward, we want to make the website a first-stop resource in terms of exercise."
The website is at www.fitness4mum.com, for details of exercise classes or to sign up for free tasters, email: info@fitness4mum.com or call 08432 897012.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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