MARATHON champ Paula Radcliffe stunned the nation on Sunday by competing in a charity race while SEVEN MONTHS pregnant.
She ran the Leeds 10K event for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, which raises money for children's and cancer charities. But pictures of the radiant mum-to-be crossing the finishing line cradling her baby bump sparked fierce debate.
Despite Paula jogging gently around the circuit, some critics accused her of putting the health of her unborn child at risk. Others praised her as a role model for expectant mums.
So what is the truth about pounding the pavements while pregnant?
Far from causing harm, exercise is good news for both mum and baby, experts say.
Not only can it make labour easier, it cuts the risk of gestational diabetes. But don't start marathon training if you were previously a couch potato.
Sue Macdonald, from the Royal College Of Midwives, says: "Paula is very fit and not doing anything she didn't do before she was pregnant.
"But if you don't normally exercise, start slowly. Try power walking or gentle exercise such as swimming."
Sue adds mums-to-be should avoid becoming very out of breath and take care with some exercises because joints become more flexible in pregnancy.
But don't worry about the baby being bumped around, she says, because it is cushioned in the fluid-filled amniotic sac.
Sue adds that exercising during pregnancy can also help women shift baby weight after childbirth.
For more on this story follow the link: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/3045347/Why-running-is-good-exercise-for-pregnant-women.html
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