Medical Update August 2024

18 —Medical Guide, August 2024 V anderbilt Tullahoma – Harton Hospital (VTHH) is excited to share that once again visitors can gain access through the Main En- trance of the hospital on Saturdays and Sundays from the hours of Noon through 5:00pm. During the time when all visi- tors were required to be screened due to COVID and the number of visitors for patients was limited, the Main Entrance was closed on the weekend. The renewed access to the Main Entrance, located at the back of the hospital, on Saturday and Sunday will make it more convenient for friends and family to visit patients. As always, an access team member will be available at the front desk to assist with locating patient room numbers. VTHH Main Entrance Open Saturday and Sunday Pictured: Sernobia McGee, VTHH Director of Patient Access. Exercising after pregnancy P regnancy takes a toll on a woman’s body and produces an assortment of bio- logical changes. After confronting and man- aging those changes for nine months and ultimately giving birth, it’s not uncommon for women to look for ways to feel how they did prior to becoming pregnant. One such way is through exer- cise, though it’s im- portant that women avoid rushing into new fitness regimens after giving birth. Why exercise after pregnancy? Infants require round-the-clock atten- tion, and women tend to be their primary caregivers in the first few months. That’s es- pecially so for women who intend to breast- feed. Nightly wakeup calls in the middle of the night are just one of the challenges as- sociated with caring for infants, and given the extent of those challenges, it’s easy to put exercise on the back burner. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists cites a host of benefits of exercise for postpar- tum women. Exercise strengthens and tones abdominal muscles, helps improve energy levels and can even help to relieve the stress that comes with caring for an infant. In addition, the American Psycholog- ical Association notes that exercising af- ter pregnancy, once women get the green light to do so from their physicians, may help women avoid or reduce the severity of postpartum depres- sion, or PPD. The APA estimates that PPD af- fects as many as one in seven women and notes that it won’t go away on its own, mak- ing exercise a valuable tool in the fight against PPD. How much exercise do I need after giving birth? No two women are the same, so it’s im- perative that women discuss how they feel with their physicians after giving birth. Some women are ready to exercise the day af- ter giving birth, while others may need more recovery time. The ACOG recommends that women get at least 150 minutes of moder- ate-intensity aerobic activity every week. Various 10-minute sessions through- out the day can help women meet that rec- ommendation with- out making them feel overtaxed. However, women should not be- gin exercising after childbirth without first getting the go-ahead from their physicians. What is moderate-intensity aerobic activity? The ACOG notes that brisk walking and riding a bicycle on level ground qualify as moderate-intensity aerobic activity. So a brisk, half-hour walk with baby in stroller can help women meet the daily recom- mended amounts of exercise. What about breastfeeding and exercise? Women should still be able to exercise even if theyÕre breastfeed- ing. The ACOG rec- ommends that moth- ers feed their babies or express their milk prior to working out so they can avoid any discomfort that may result from engorged breasts. When exercis- ing, make a concerted effort to stay hydrated and wear a well-fitting bra that provides am- ple support and pro- tection to the breasts. Exercising after pregnancy can bene- fit mothers in myriad ways. More informa- tion can be found at www.acog.org.