The Complete Guide to Aqua Exercise for Pregnancy and Postnatal Health

This is the essential guide for any fitness professional working with pregnant clients.
Exercise in water classes are extremely popular with pregnant women, but there are obvious health and safety considerations.
Includes:
- How to motivate and support clients
- Practical skills to teach a successful and useful pool session
- Putting together an effective session
- The safety considerations when working with pregnant women in a pool environment - learn about screening, contraindications and pool safety
- Working safely with clients with additional health concerns such as obesity/overweight or diabetes
The authors take you through the underpinning knowledge, and outline the many benefits of water based exercise for pregnant clients.

Sarah Bolitho is Curriculum and Business Development Coordinator at Fitness Wales.
Vicky Hatch is an Exercise Practitioner at Papworth Hospital.

Chapter content overview
SECTION 1 - UNDERPINNING KNOWLEDGE
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Introduction and brief overview of pregnancy
Physiological changes of pregnancy relevant to water based exercise including:
Cardiovascular and respiratory systems
Musculoskeletal systems
Weight and body mass changes
Introduction and overview of water based exercise
Properties of water
Movement and muscle actions in water
Balance and stability
Chapter 2 - Why Water?
Benefits of water based exercise for pre and postnatal women
Potential risks of water based exercise during pregnancy
Contraindications to activity during pregnancy and the postnatal period
SECTION 2 - SKILLS
Chapter 3 - Motivating and Supporting Clients
Motivation to exercise in pregnancy
Potential barriers to becoming more active in pregnancy
Promoting long term health behaviour change
Chapter 4 - Instructor Skills
The role and scope of an instructor
Skills of a good instructor
Professional issues (insurance etc.)
Teaching skills including group management
SECTION 3 - PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Chapter 5 - Planning
Pre-session planning including:
Screening, cautions and contraindications
Pool and environment considerations
Health and safety
Session planning including:
Pre- session considerations
Session components (warm up, main activity, cool down)
Post session monitoring
Chapter 6 - Session Content: Pre-natal
The exercises
Using equipment
Example exercises and session formats
Chapter 7 - Session Content: Postnatal
The exercises
Using equipment
Example exercises and session formats
Chapter 8 - Additional considerations for clients in the following categories
Cardiac
Obesity/overweight
Diabetes
Orthopaedic issues