Baby Bump Ballroom

While I was enrolled in my first ballroom teacher’s certification class, I found out that I was expecting a new member of my family. I was so excited to tell my husband, that I couldn’t wait until he got home. I called him on the phone while he was driving and he was so shocked he ran a red light!

As I made my way through the pregnancy, I danced, learned, and even found my way to a ballroom dance competition. But, I will tell you, learning to dance was the best thing I did for myself, both physically and mentally.

Dancing is a wonderful, safe, and joyful activity that both partners can enjoy. Here are some benefits to dancing your way through your pregnancy.

1. Low Impact exercises- Exercise is so important when your are expecting. Dances like waltz, and tango can strengthen your muscles, while dances like swing and cha cha can help you improve your cardiovascular endurance, which keeps your lungs and heart healthy and at peak performance.

2. Improve flexibility through your lower back, hips, and legs. In my own experience, this made recovery time a bit easier to manage, as I was up walking around and wanting something to eat. Some movements have been shown to help the baby move down into the pelvis. In some cultures, dancing helps the new parent relieve stress and promotes delivery.

3. Dancing can shorten the time you are in labor. While there are mixed reviews on this, I can only tell you my experience, and I can tell you this is true. Dancing throughout my pregnancy shorten my labor time to a point where my baby was delivered at home, by emergency personnel.

4. Keeps the romance alive and gives you a night out on the town. Dancing is a great way to keep connected with your partner. It was nice to be able to slip away for a moment and just focus on being a couple.

Coral dancing at a ballroom competition while 6 months pregnant

After my child was born, I did realize how very athletic my little person became, loving sports and anything active. I was wonder to myself, as I sit on the sidelines of another game, if dancing throughout my pregnancy had any type of impact on their athletic abilities… or it could just be my wishful thinking.