Did You Know That Dogs Regulate Overweight In Pregnant Women?

The title of this article may sound a bit flashy, and it has a lot of truth. It is not a sixth sense of dogs, nor a special ability, but definitely a woman with a dog as a companion pet will be much less likely to be overweight when pregnant. We know it sounds incredible, but let’s take a deeper look at the myth that dogs regulate overweight in pregnant women.

First of all, we must keep some aspects in mind, such as the genetic disposition of the woman, her bone structure or if she already suffered a little overweight before pregnancy, also hormonal or eating disorders have a lot to do with weight gain while pregnant.

However, a study carried out by Dr. Carri Westgarth of the University of Liverpool, points out that women who have dogs at home have a lower rate of overweight when they are pregnant, versus women who have another kind of pet or do not have any .

The reason for this is very simple, according to the research of Dr. Westgarth, women with dogs tend to do an average of 150 minutes of physical activity a week, which ends up helping them cope with the pregnancy, in addition to controlling and maintain your weight. Let’s look at some causes of this.

The game

Whether they are throwing the ball to him, running with him around the house or garden, hiding, or whatever they can think of to amuse their pet inside the home, the energy needs and demands of dogs will require you to be in continuous movement.

This puts stress on the muscles and helps them work, so as long as the woman remains active and eats properly, she will be able to maintain a healthy weight throughout the pregnancy while having fun with her mischievous and playful pet.

The walks and hikes

Perhaps the main reason that having a dog helps to regulate the weight of pregnant women is walks. Dogs that are used to taking long walks will demand that their handler continue to walk them, which will encourage the woman to exercise, at least while the pregnancy is not in its final weeks.

This is also good, because walking helps circulation in the legs and ankles, strengthening them and making them less prone to developing joint or muscle pain. The improvement in circulation will also help reduce the risk of other types of pregnancy conditions, such as swelling of the feet and hemorrhoids.

Pelvic movement also helps in the final stages of pregnancy, helps the fetus settle, and facilitates dilation. Strengthening the legs with low intensity walks, while entertaining your pet, will reduce the risk of cramps during labor. So it’s a win-win situation for the mother, the baby, and the pet.

Happy moments

They say that laughing helps you lose weight, and although it is not as easy as it seems, it does help in the work. Playing with our dog, having fun with him, laughing, all are things that produce a series of reactions in our body that are beneficial to health, not only for pregnant women, but for people in general.

For example, and facing the issue of weight control, by releasing endorphins our heart rate speeds up a bit, this makes our metabolism faster. A fast metabolism is the key to maintaining and even losing weight, as it helps to burn calories faster when we exercise.

Petting

Now, as we talk about health, petting dogs turns out to be a therapeutic activity, it relaxes us and helps us with things like deeper breathing. This is extremely beneficial for the baby, from the uterus they feel things like breathing or heart rate, if the woman is relaxed the baby will be able to rest better inside the womb.

So now you know, enjoy playing and pampering your dog, it will be very beneficial for your health and that of your future baby.