Expectant mothers often remark about the feeling of comfort evoked by immersion in water during their pregnancy. The sense of weightlessness provided by water relieves the general discomforts associated with pregnancy, and it is the perfect environment for a mother-to-be to both relax and exercise. Water-based exercise is the ideal form of exercise for an expectant mother. The buoyancy of water supports up to 90% of body weight which means that those extra kilograms added during pregnancy have much less impact on an expectant mother’s capacity to exercise. Water supports the joints and ligaments and, particularly in comparison to other common land-based forms of exercise, this translates to reduced risk of injury. Swimming and other aquatic activities serve as an ideal form of exercise from not only the standpoint of the health of the pregnant woman themselves, but also the well being of the unborn child. The cardiovascular benefits of swimming include an increased capacity to process and use oxygen (which is...