They might be known as "man's best friend" but dogs are
particularly good companions to pregnant women. Researchers
looked at the activity levels of 11 000 expecting mothers and
found that having a dog helped women reach the recommended 30
minutes of exercise per day. In fact, pregnant dog owners were
50 percent more likely to reach this recommended amount of
exercise. Said Dr Sandra McCune of Waltham Centre for Pet
Nutrition told the Daily Mail, "As a low-risk exercise, dog
walking can help women who may otherwise find it hard to meet
their exercise targets, keep active and fit during pregnancy."
Being overweight while pregnant can pose major health risks for
both mother and child with many studies linking mother obesity
to child obesity. Together with a balanced diet, walking your
dog every day can be the right step towards a healthy and happy
pregnancy.