Pregnagym for Teens an Exercise in Innovation

It’s noon, and although Kathryn Reed has been up since 3 a.m. after only a few hours of sleep, the 18-year-old mother of a 2 1/2-year-old girl is energized. The reason? She just finished a workout at Horizon High School’s gym for pregnant teens and young mothers.

“I really like working out because it gives me energy to go to school, work and take care of my little girl,” says Reed, who has been exercising in the gym since it opened in July. “I’ve also lost 25 pounds.”

Located in Santa Ana, Horizon High School is a self-paced, flexible school for teens who have had difficulty in traditional school and have been referred by a school district or court. Of the 20 Horizon sites in Orange County, four have teen-parenting programs. The students can bring their children to school with them and have access to special curriculum designed to meet their needs. The Santa Ana school is the only one with a well-equipped gym and fitness expert.

“Back when I was in high school and girls got pregnant, they just disappeared from the school and never returned,” says the gym’s founder, Arlene Turner, who is also program director of the Irvine Medical Center Pregnagym.

When it comes to teen pregnancy and parenthood, the social climate has changed. Concepts unheard of a generation ago are widely accepted today. Most of today’s high schools have teen parenting programs and some schools, like Horizon, even offer instruction in nutrition and exercise.

Turner created the gym at the Santa Ana Horizon in July, patterning it after the Pregnagym at Irvine Medical Center for pregnant women and postpartum mothers.

“My clients at Irvine’s Pregnagym have gotten so much out of their workouts in the three years I’ve been running the gym, so I wanted to bring the same type of program to a group that wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to exercise,” she says.

“Many pregnant and postpartum teen mothers rarely have access to appropriate exercise. School gym class is out when they’re pregnant, and they don’t have time once the baby comes. And working out on their own can be dangerous without proper instruction.”

When Turner heard about Horizon, she called the school and offered to set up an exercise program, volunteering her time two mornings a week. Allen and other school officials immediately welcomed the assistance of a professional who could teach their teen mothers how to exercise properly.

The school already had an exercise room with some equipment, but it was outdated and incomplete, so Turner asked colleagues, family and friends for donations. To her surprise, she gathered enough equipment to set up a high-quality workout room, including Lifecycles, weight-training equipment, rowers and steps. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning the gym is open only to pregnant teens and young mothers and Turner provides them with instruction in cardiovascular exercise and weight training.

“There is a group of about 20 girls who come on a regular basis,” she says. “They take working out very seriously and always show up. If they can’t come, they call. I help them exercise and answer questions about fitness and pregnancy. Some of them even think of me as their personal trainer.”

Recent research has shown that a multitude of positive benefits come from exercising during pregnancy.

“Women who exercise tend to tolerate labor better,” says Dr. Damon Masaki, medical director of the Maternal Fetal Diagnostic Center at Irvine Medical Center. “Researchers believe that people who exercise have higher endorphin levels, which enables them to better tolerate pain. Exercise also increases insulin resistance and is often prescribed for women with gestational diabetes.”

One reason Veronica Howard, 14, is exercising during pregnancy is in preparation for delivery. “I think working out is good for me because it will help my body prepare for delivery and labor will be easier,” she says.

Not surprisingly, keeping weight in check is another motivator for pregnant teens and young mothers.

“I don’t want to get fat,” says Veronica. “Exercising makes me feel like I’m doing something so I don’t gain too much weight and be heavy after the baby comes.”

Other teen mothers want to lose unwanted pounds put on during pregnancy. Patricia Douglas says she gained a lot of weight when she was pregnant with her daughter, who is now 5 months old. At the end of November, she began exercising in the gym and is already seeing changes. “My legs are toned now,” she says. “They were kind of flabby before.”

Working out on a regular basis for seven months has not only enabled Patricia to lose 25 pounds, she’s also firmed up and feels more self-confident. “When I first came to this school, I wouldn’t wear shorts,” she says. “Now I do.”

Experts say that one of the most critical ingredients of working out is the increase in self-esteem it provides.

“When pregnant girls exercise, they feel a general sense of well-being at a time when they need to know that they’re doing OK,” says Masaki. “It feels good to take control of your health and do something for yourself.”

Turner agrees. “I believe strongly in the benefit of exercise for self-esteem. Many of these young women have never really tried to push themselves; when they strive and achieve exercise goals, it can be very empowering for them.”

For Rosalind Courette, 16, the mother of a 1 1/2-year-old and a 2 1/2-year-old, working out is a pastime that makes her feel good.

“Everyone has a hobby they like to do in their spare time. Well, I like to work out. It makes me feel in shape and better about myself.”

As word has spread about the gym over the months, the program has gained in popularity. Allen believes the main reason for this is the good feelings the girls get from working out.

“I hear them telling other students how fun it is to exercise and how good they feel about themselves,” she says.

The young mothers say regular exercise helps give them the energy they need to juggle their responsibilities.

Kathryn Reed is raising her daughter with the assistance of her parents. For an 18-year-old and even an adult, her schedule is more than demanding. On weekdays, she rises about 3 a.m. At 4:30, she gets her daughter up and takes her to her mother’s motor home. Then she has to be at work by 5:30, where she administers drug tests to women on parole. At 10 or 10:30, she goes to school at Horizon and will soon be adding Orange Coast College classes to her schedule. She puts her daughter to bed at 8:30 every night and works on homework and housework until she’s done, which sometimes isn’t until midnight.

Despite how hectic her days are, Reed feels energized from exercising. “Before I began working out, I used to be really tired by the early afternoon, but now I feel great,” she says.

Patricia agrees. “I used to be really lazy, but working out has given me a lot of energy, which you need to take care of a 5-month-old.”

Some teen mothers even feel that working out improves their parenting.

“If I work out, I take better care of my kids,” says Rosalind. “I’m real active with them, and they like it. When I’m stressed out, I work out and things get better. It’s something to keep me going.”

Horizon’s gym also helps to keep the students interested in school.

“The exercise program has made a difference in many of their lives,” says Allen. “One girl used to be continually truant. She had a negative attitude and was in danger of being dropped from our program, which is pretty hard to do. One day, I suggested she work out while I watched her baby. The transformation has been remarkable. She lost a lot of weight and feels wonderful.”

To Turner and Allen’s satisfaction, the girls have come to realize just how essential exercise is to well-being.

“They understand now that being fit not only changes them physically, it affects their psyches and benefits all aspects of their lives,” says Allen.