Pregnancy plus pilates equals a smarter baby
Posted by eleanorreader on May 7, 2009
Women who exercise while pregnant will produce children with higher IQ’s reports this article posted in The Australian.
Richard Nisbett, a psychologist and father of two, argues against the popular theory that ‘intelligence is 80 per cent inherited’ in his new book, Intelligence and How to Get It. It seems that mothers are the pivotal factor in their child’s brain development and “fathers, whether absent or doting, have relatively little influence over their offspring’s intelligence.”
“Children whose mother exercised 30 minutes a day score around eight points higher on standard IQ tests than children whose mothers were more sedentary,” he said. “Breastfeeding for up to nine months may increase IQ by as much as six points.”
Previous generations of mothers were encouraged to avoid doing much exercise after the first three months of pregnancy. The latest research suggests that using light weights, stretching and even running can be beneficial to some.
“Exercising large muscle groups increases the growth of neurons and adds to the blood supply of the brain,” he writes.
As Sydney mother-to-be Geaorgia Troy points out, “exercise is good for everything”. One could say that excercising in adulthood can increase a persons IQ aswell. Either way, Nisbett’s arguement for mothers to breasfeed and exercise should not to scorned at, and whether his argument is sufficiently backed up or not would most definitely benefit mother and baby both.
