By now, you have read a lot of information about the physical benefits of exercise for you and your baby in different periods during the childbearing year. But there are many emotional and mental benefits as well to gain from exercise. It has long been shown that, in general, exercising helps to lower your stress levels. This stress reduction is very important during such a tense, albeit happy, time in your life.

There is an increased pride in your pregnancy and your pregnant body when you are physically meeting your body's needs through exercise. This sense of confidence and self-esteem that comes from exercise helps you envision your newly rounding figure with pride and pleasure. No longer do you see yourself as a “beached whale” awaiting the delivery of your calf. You now see the beauty and function of your new pregnant form. This is just another benefit of knowing the body you live in.

Finally, as exercise becomes a part of your way of life, it becomes a habit, a healthy habit that can be shared as a family. Exercising moms rarely just quit exercising after the birth of their babies. They begin exercising with their babies. This starts the baby on a lifelong journey to seek out fitness for himself or herself, because it is what he or she has learned by Mom's great example.