Buff Moms-to-Be: The Complete Guide to Fitness for Expectant Mothers » (1ST)

Sue Fleming earned her B.S. and M.S. in physical education and has been a certified personal trainer for the past ten years. The author of Buff Brides (now a series on the Discovery Health Channel), she is currently the director of physical education at Riverdale Country School in Riverdale, New York, and continues to work with private clients. She lives in Manhattan. Sue Fleming can be reached at www.buffbrides.com.

Everything you need to know to safely stay in shape during your pregnancy

Many expectant mothers experience dramatic weight gain during pregnancy, but the myth that they shouldn’t exercise is just that—a myth. The truth is, regular activity may improve women’s ability to cope with pain during labor and combat depression associated with the period just following childbirth. Now Sue Fleming, a longtime personal trainer and author of the highly successful Buff Brides, gives us a comprehensive guide for expectant mothers who want to remain healthy, strong, and fit. Buff Moms-to-Be shares effective exercises (approved by doctors) for ensuring an easier pregnancy, a smoother birth, and the fastest way back to that pre-baby body. Inside you’ll discover

• simple strategies for starting an exercise program
• what to expect from your changing body
• safe aerobic exercises, stretches, and strength training for women at all levels of fitness and all stages of pregnancy
• a complete workout and exercise regimen designed to ease labor and delivery

Fully illustrated with photographs demonstrating poses and postures, Buff Moms-to-Be is like having your own personal trainer in the comfort of your own home. Sue Fleming’s supportive approach to fitness is the perfect aid to the health-savvy expectant mother—and a fun way to make sure you look and feel your best during one of the most joyful times in your life.

Library Journal

In this concise follow-up to Buff Brides, Fleming, a personal trainer with an M.S. in physical education, aims to help women overcome common fitness obstacles during the childbearing year. She presents a simple and flexible roster of exercises, none requiring special skills or prior conditioning, so most women should be able to follow them. All can be done in small living spaces and involve minimal cost and modest time investment. General guidelines on cardiovascular warmups and activities are provided along with specific instructions-accompanied by black-and-white photographs-for stretching and strength training. Three medical doctors introduce the book with a discussion of the special needs and risks associated with exercise during pregnancy. Fleming supplements that information with ample safety advice throughout. Curiously, the book's title, chosen to tie in with the author's previous work, belies this most gentle approach and may unnecessarily put off less athletically inclined women. There are also a few confusing mismatches between descriptions of the exercises and the accompanying photographs (for example, on page 77 the text advises holding two dumbbells in each hand; the photo shows only one in each hand of the model). For most public libraries.-Noemie Maxwell, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.