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Pregnant? Unplug the Vacuum and Put Down That Mop
Filed under: In The News, Pregnancy Health, Expert Advice: Pregnancy, Research Reveals
Another excuse to take a load off: Pregnancy is not the time for household chores, according to a new study. Credit: Getty Images
In a scene reminiscent of recent Swiffer commercials, brooms and mops may soon be crooning "Baby Come Back" to pregnant women everywhere.
A study out of the Netherlands suggests the "boring and repetitive" nature of household chores increases the odds of giving birth prematurely, according to London's The Daily Mail.
Published in the journal Pediatric Epidemiology, the study compiled data from questionnaires completed by 11,759 new moms, who reported their daily physical activity during pregnancy -- including housework, paid work and exercise -- as well as their baby's birth weight and how many weeks pregnant they were at delivery.
Birth weight is a major consideration, as it has a great impact on the general health and survival of infants, according to the authors, while the length of pregnancy is one of the factors that governs birth weight.
"Mentally unstimulating" work, including tasks performed around the house day after day, were shown to increase the chances of giving birth at least three weeks early by up to 25 percent. Though the reason is not yet clear, the researchers suggest boring tasks may increase levels of the stress hormones involved in triggering labor.
Exercise during pregnancy, however, was found to be good for both mother and baby, a finding which has been confirmed by other sources. It can improve posture, relieve back pain and other discomforts related to pregnancy, and prepare pregnant women for childbirth, according to AOL Health.
And while even strenuous exercise was found to do no harm to either mother or baby, the research showed that sedentary lifestyles actually increase the odds of having an underweight baby.
One unexpected finding, the authors say, was that working night shifts during pregnancy was associated with a slightly higher birth weight. They suggest this may be because of the "healthy worker effect," where women who are employed generally tend to be in better health than those who are out of work.
"In the absence of either medical or obstetric complications, pregnant women may safely continue their normal daily physical activities should they wish to do so," the authors conclude.
You may want to keep that bit of information to yourself until your nails are dry, and that helpful someone has finished folding the last load of laundry.
Related: Exercise During Pregnancy May Prevent Obesity in Baby
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
6-03-2010 @ 1:04AM
Mike Sanders said...Also, when you are working in space, there is no air. Since, you are already in a vacuum, the device is useless. And yes, it can get pretty messy in a small space vehicle. We've had cases of people vomiting and other things and they had to live with that stuff floating around them, in zero gravity. Very gross! Ask an astronaut.
As far as pregnant women go, they shouldn't be taking a space voyage, in the first place. Wait until the kid is born and then, consider going into orbit.
Doesn't anyone here, listen to NASA?
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6-03-2010 @ 1:36AM
maria said...please lazy women i had 4 kids cooked cleaned and did the yard work and cleaned out the swimming pool and washed the car and dogs and drove 13 hours to get to my moms house for summer visits i bet after baby comes these women still whine probably louder than the kid get real get off ure fat butt and take it like a real women just excuse to get fatter and then say well its baby fat give it time to come off yea i hear this a year later then u wonder why relationships fail umm let me think da your fat and lazy!!
Reply
6-03-2010 @ 1:50AM
Mike Sanders said...Would you like to talk to my future wife? I think that she might learn something about real-life.
6-03-2010 @ 1:55AM
Patricia Irish said...(Wow. That was bitchy.)
Who the f*** is going to do it when it needs to be done. People don't always have help. Men or women. People live by themselves, pregnant or not or waiting for a pregnancy. You basically have an entire 9 months, you're going to need to do it more at times because you're pregnant than just a usual few days before or after the menstrual period. Yep, cleaning is boring. So is cooking. What are you going to do, sit around an eat and say it was all pregnancy that got you fat? People end up not having their babies for alot of reasons, then is it al baby that made you fat? Not cleaning is said to make you fat or barf. Pregnancy is said to make you barf. Barfing is gross. People don't have maids, butlers, servents, hand maidens, hired help, or process environment cleaning services in their residences usually. Who is going to do it? Usually, you try to get some of it done, or something done out of it so you don't have to do all of it. That's just how it is sometimes, it isn't just cleaning that's boring. Eeew, when you're bored and you clean and when you're done...it looks bad and jumbled but it seemed like a great idea then and you have more to do because that looks bad. Exercise it a good idea at almost anytime anyway, and gets you to get through your cleaning, excercise makes more energy.
So, who is going to get it done then? It has to happen.
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6-03-2010 @ 2:01AM
K Jones said...I can't believe that story. I had 5 kids, all were healthy. I washed floors, vacuumed, etc. My husband did none of the housework when I was pregnant, I did it all. My kids were born in 6 & one quarter yrs.
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6-03-2010 @ 4:21AM
dugandob said...This is the STUPIDIEST article I have ever read. I have had three healthy children. 1st baby 10#9oz. 2nd 9# 10oz 3rd 8#9oz. I weighed 125 lbs before and 132 after having them. I ate healthy and kept my house clean, and was always on the run. I also worked during my 3rd pregnancy as a janitor, and also attended college. Also I had all three naturally.
Reply
6-03-2010 @ 4:43AM
theresa said...so did they do any of there research in asia with 9 mo PREG women harvesting rice with a toddler strapped to their backs? or any where in africa with Women in the same situation or was it just america? oh and I am born and raised american!! I owned an adult foster care home taking care of 6 elderly clients 24/7 all through my pregnancys. that means bathing an adult person as well as feeding/dressing/toileting whatever was needed... So this report is GARBAGE!! Maybe it's gods will, or my genes or.... but my first son who is 26 now was born from 1st pain till feets out was 2 hrs 26 min. My 2nd was 2 hrs 46 min, and my thd was a wopping 33 min!! all NATUAL.
Girls, don't listen to this crap... Stay as busy as possible! walk, walk, walk, and then clean, move and do what ever.. Oh "AND" I was overwieght and out of shape.. so don't think it had anything to do with that.. I weighed 210 when my last was born!! I was a LINE BACKER!! Keep busy, keep Vacuming.. to the writer!! F/U..
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6-03-2010 @ 6:08AM
Earwin said...I just have to laugh and cry at the same time.
First of all cant believe money was spent on something so useless!
Lets give this generation of women the name prima donnas!
I worked 2 jobs took care of my dad who was crippled and had to take care of my mom who got the flu when i was in my sixth month
Daughter was due June 25th She finally started her journy on July 4th while i was at a BBQ have a ball. Dr finally delivered her July 6 at 10:30 pm via c section cause she was too big!!
I was preggers the winter of 77-78 when NYC had tons of blizzards and snow yet i still managed to get to work from SI. Even had to walk 8 blocks from the train one day to get home since my hubby couldnt get the car out of the snow thanks to being plowed in !
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