The first section of this book is actually the best description I've read of the physiological changes of pregnancy -- and I've read a lot! ;) For example, it is NOT just an "old wive's tale" that fainting is a sign of early pregnancy. Do not worry about monitoring your heart rate as a way to monitor your intensity during exercise. Get the book & find out why! It's really very interesting & a fun read.

Not only is exercise not harmful to Mom & baby... it is EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL. Find out all the facts (like delivering 5-7 days earlier than healthy, but non-exercising Moms & having a shorter labor with less complications & interventions!) It will motivate you to keep going to the gym!

This book was exactly what I was looking for; research and explanations about exercising safely during pregnancy. It explains why people fear it and it broke down common misconceptions and truths about body temperature, heart rate limitations and the impact of strenuous and moderately strenuous exercise on fetus and mother in previously fit or sedentary mothers. It was really reassuring to me to read that relying on my own perceived exertion with a good way to monitor exertion without fear I was causing harm to my baby. I wish others would catch up on this research and more research would be continued as so many people make fear based negative comments toward active pregnant women.

Dr. James F. Clapp is brilliant and our foremost research scientist on pregnancy and exercise. Without him we would not know quite how important prenatal exercise is. He has proven all of my own theories correct and much more. I can't wait for the rest of his research to be published. Mom's need to know how much healthier they and their babies can be with exercise. I included his research in my own book, Expecting Fitness. Birgitta Lauren, prenatal fitness specialist/author www.expectingfitness.com

Like a lot of people out there, I had heard the myths about working out when you're pregnant, and was hoping to read about *real* research about what's truly right for you and your baby.

This book accomplished that goal: it provides an evidence-based description of the benefits of exercise. I now understand that it's not only OK to keep working out -- it's actually advantageous on a lot of levels.

However, this book could be organized better (it seems to skip around too much) and didn't quite have the "exercise prescription" that I'm looking for (I'm actually searching now on Amazon to find some other books to buy).

Bottomline, this book is great for informing you about the benefits and safety of exercise during pregnancy (even though the writing is, at times, kind of long-winded), but when it comes down to what to actually *do*, this book falls short.

P.S. The pictures in this book are from, like, 1983 or something, which kind of makes you feel like it's really not all that up-to-date.

I am halfway through the book. This book is very in depth on the benefits of exercising through your pregnancy (i.e. lung capacity, blood flow, heart rate, etc). I was looking for specific exercises that would be beneficial for me and the baby. I have not seen that in the book so far, but it has assured me that I can run a 5k with no concerns. This is a good book for women who have been exercising seriously before pregnancy and want to continue their level of fitness during pregnancy. It assures you that what you are doing is good for you and the baby.

This book is very helpful to anyone who exercises regularly and wants to get pregnant. I have a medical background and found it easy to read. It might be a little more tedious for those without one. It answers every question you have regarding the effects of exercise not only on the baby but on you as a pregnant woman. I felt much more confident sticking to my regular running program after reading this book, knowing that so much research had been done to show how it would effect my unborn baby. It also gave me concrete evidence to the contrary for those naysayers who suggested that exercise would harm me or the baby. Worth every penny.

I skimmed this book pre-pregnancy and thought, great, I can keep working out semi-normally. Now in the thick of things, I'm reading it a bit more critically. I have a couple of areas of concern. First, the women in his studies had to maintain their exercise at above 50% of pre-pregnancy level, at least 3 times a week, 20 minutes of moderately hard to hard exertion. Frankly, that doesn't sound like a whole lot to me. Second, particularly in my first trimester, food and sleep were big concerns -- I just couldn't get enough of either, and the more I exercised, the more I needed. The author doesn't really address the need for more calories and more rest to fuel and recover from vigorous exercise, and how those needs are increased (at least in my subjective experience) durring pregnancy.

So it's all right. It's encouraging me to get back up to speed with my normal work out now that I've passed the extreme exhaustion of the first few months, but it's definitely not answering all my questions.

Exercising through your pregnancy was a very insightful book. I enjoyed it immensely.

I agree that this book is very comprehensive if you are looking for a book that discusses the REAL benefit of keeping active during your preganncy. It also puts to rest many myths about exercising while you are pregnant that may make many women decide not to work out to their full capacity or at all.
The downside is, it's a clunky read. While it may have some of the best information around on this topic, you actually have to filter through the authors rambling for the information you are looking for.
If you are looking for a book that really discusses the benefits of working out (like running and high intensity exercise) and it's true effects on your pregnancy this is worth the buy. Besides, you can't beat the price! Just don't expect to read it cover to cover.

Questions this book answered for me. What is actually hapening in my body during pregnancy and when I exercise during pregnancy so I can make judgments based on my physcial condition. Book provided great details on for these questions. The detailed information helps you decide for yourself. If you are interested in details, great book for you. If you want specific exercises you need a different book. I was in great shape when I became pregnant. This book helped me stay healthy throughout pregnancy. I exercised 6 days per week while pregnant up until the day before labor started. Exercise was weight lifting and cardio. Had to quit running about month 7 belly was to big. My recovery was quick and regained my original weight in no time. This book really helped.

This is a really great book, but probably only if you are scientific-minded and want some detail on the author's studies of exercise during pregnancy. There are no specific recommendations for exercises - that is not the point of this book. Another book, "Walking Through Pregnancy and Beyond", will provide that (although maybe not for competitive athletes). "Exercising Through Your Pregnancy" has a lot of important information. The author's study showed that while exercising during pregnancy provides multiple benefits to both mother and baby before and after birth, STOPPING exercise during pregnancy can actually cause more problems and heavier babies than if you had not exercised at all during pregnancy. On days that I don't feel like working out, this single piece of information motivates me to do at least 30 minutes. You've got to keep it up! Also, he challenges the standard recommendation that a pregnant woman not exceed a heart rate above 140, as genetic factors, age, and other things can affect a person's normal resting heart rate, making 140 pretty arbitrary. He outlines other ways of ensuring that you don't overexert yourself and your baby. Dr. Clapp also has sections on exercise as it relates to fertility, early pregnancy, new exercisers, lactation, and the postpartum period. There are tables and graphs of his results, in case that turns you off (but they are illustrative, not technical). Check it out at the library first if you're not sure.

I feel as though I was looking for a book to confirm the fact that you can do more exercise during pregnancy. I am having my first baby in February and was very active before but have taken it a notch or two down because of all of the precautions out there. This book started out slow and it was painful to read at first but I do have to say that it made me a little more at ease about exercising but listening to your body is key. I think that is what it all comes down to and that is the rule I go by each day when i go to the gym.

I work out 5-6 days a week, 1 to 2 hours a day. I weight train, do cardio of all sorts, and do power yoga. After I got pregnant I looked everywhere for a book on exercising while pregnant that spoke to my situation. All I could find was extremely conservative advice(such as walking 5 days a week for 20 minutes...) and in some places a vague hint that if one had been exercising before the pregnancy it was perhaps o.k. to continue with a similar routine. None of this advice came with any real data to back it up. Frustrating.
Then I read this book. I cannot recommend it enough. Every female athlete who is pregnant or considering pregnancy needs to read this book. Dr. Clapp actually did a real study with real women and was able show that all the myths out there about exercising while pregnant have no foundation whatsoever. Most of the book is about the study, and he then gives advice on what to do and what not to do in the different stages of pregnancy.
This is not an exercise program. There are no description of exercises or exercise plans. He assumes a certain level of exercise "IQ" in his readers. This book has some value to women new to exercise as it really goes into detail on all the benefits of exercise on the mother and the baby, but it is really geared toward the more seasoned athlete.
It feels great to know for sure what is o.k. to do and to know how I am benefiting the baby and myself. If you want peace of mind, this is your book.
This book is awesome!

I am an avid exerciser (45-60 min cardio and 20+ min weights, 6x a week) and was curious how exercise would affect my first pregnancy and baby. I wanted to make sure it was safe and also learn about the physiological effects it would have. This author has done studies on all areas that interested me...from pre-conception to post-delivery. I recommend this book to anyone who has been exercising before their pregnancy and wants to continue to do so--particularly women who do more than average (ie, if you are a walker, this book is not for you). Also, if you want to begin an exercise program after becoming pregnant you should get another book. The author discusses end results for those who begin exercise once they become pregnant but for the most part, this book is only applicable to more serious exercisers. My only complaint is that the photos are EXTREMELY outdated and the author's language gets complicated at times, making parts of this book a not-so-easy read. I am glad I purchased this book and recommend it to serious exercisers who are interested in this topic.

My husband and I are working on baby #2 so I wanted to read up on exercising during pregnancy since with baby #1 I was LAZY. Since having my 20 month old daughter, I've been exercising like a fiend and want to make sure that I keep that up if I get pregnant. I saw this book and thought it would be very helpful. Boy, was I wrong. This book was more scientific than helpful. I found that the author spent a lot of time talking about the different studies he performed on pregant women rather than talking about various workouts and how to modify, continue, etc. during pregnancy. It was definitely not worth my time.

This book is an excellent read for those who are serious about exercise and pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. It is scientific and cites a lot of research, which is very reassuring. Unlike other books that warn women away from anything other than a brisk walk the author supports the healthy fit mother's decision making. (Dr Miriam Stoppard on the other hand warns against jogging or running under any circumstances.)

I consulted this book throughout my pregnancy, and exercised until the last day. I was running again 12 days after the birth. Staying fit during my pregnancy was good for me and good for my baby. Pregnancy does not mean the end of fitness. It is possible to have a child and a positive body experience. Thank you Dr Clapp for your sensible approach to pregnancy.

I bought this book looking for answers to things like, "now that I'm pregnant should I continue with pilates? Can I keep lifting weights at the gym at the rate that I currently am? Are there any specific exercised that I should stay away from?". I found this book ponderous. It read like a medical research findings report in a journal, not like a book and answered NONE of my questions. The psyisiology info was fine and if you are having to convince a spouse or family member that exercise is okay it might do that. Other than that it was worthless and I wish I could give it negative stars.

Exercising Through Your Pregnancy is by far one of the best books I've read! It contains such detailed information. It's written well and is easy to follow along. Best time to read it is before you get pregnant! Will calm all your fears regarding exercising. A must for any woman who truly cares about staying healthy during her pregnancy!