Pregnant women are mixing well with water
By Sandy Johnstone
Ot the Emerald
She's one of the fastest
swimmers in the masters swim
class, as she flip-turns skillfully
and easily outdistances the
others in the class
It isn't until Susan Risebor
ough pulls herself out of the
water that the casual observer
realizes she is about eight
months pregnant
Pregnant women swimmers
are more common these days as
women begin to assert their in
dependence from the myth that
pregnancy undermines their
ability to do perform normal ac
tivities Two pregnant women
are enrolled in swim classes —
and aquatics director Don Van
Rossen is learning to deal with
conflicting emotions.
"Women can't just be isolated
for nine months," he says. At
the same time he admits he was
hesitant at first in dealing with
the pregnant women
Van Rossen says he was
taking on the role of society"
by being overly concerned that
the women might push their
bodies too far He says he kept
wanting to tell the women to
take it easy, but now he sees
that they are capable of pushing
themselves without hurting the
babies He is quickly catching
the enthusiasm of the women
"I tell them to take it easy and
am amazed at the energy they
have — how hard they can
work," he says "My eyes are
opening at 53 "
Riseborough, 23, a competi
tive swimmer since she was
seven and a member of the
r
University swim team for two
years in 1977-78, bubbles over
with enthusiasm for swimming
while pregnant
She credits her daily swim
with sparing her from some of
the more unpleasant symptoms
of pregnancy — excessive
weight gain, constipation, and
backache For a month when
her swimming was interrupted
because of summer break,
Riseborough found out just how
uncomfortable pregnancy can
be
"You could open up any book
on pregnancy and read about
my complications," she says.
About two weeks after she
started swimming again her
symptoms disappeared
Riseborough also says swim
ming allows her to do more than
land exercises She is enrolled
in an aerobics class where her
extra weight can be like a
"bowling ball,” forcing her to
modify her activity. She does
not have to change her swim
ming routine
Doctors generally recom
mend swimming as the best
sport for pregnant women
because the water provides
support for the baby Swimming
also builds up the abdominal
muscles making delivery easier
and backache less likely
But, Riseborough and Van
Rossen caution women to
check with their doctors and
gradually build up a routine if
they are not in shape before
they start swimming.
Van Rossen also is interested
in the effects of swimming on
the child after birth Van Rossen
says there is no conclusive
Being eight months pregnant doesn’t
Riseborough’s exercise regimen.
Photos by Dave Ka
interfere with Susan
evidence of the effect of swim
ming on the newborn, but he
believes it can result in stronger
babies
Van Rossen’s and Risebor
ough's enthusiam is manifested
in a SHAPE course winter term
that will encourage pregnant
women to swim The course is
not strictly for pregnant women,
but it will encourage their par
ticipation, says instructor Tina
Lee
“The class will stress in
dividual fitness goals,” says
Lee. "Women who have been
swimming (before pregnancy)
will be in better condition.
Swimming up to the day of birth
will give less trauma to the
body."
Riseborough says she is
rounder and fuller from the front
and looks much smaller than
other women at the same stage
of pregnancy. Other women
who swim gain their normal
shape back quicker than
women who don't swim, she
says.
Riseborough encourages
pregnant women to consider
swimming, both to keep fit and
to keep a positive attitude.
"It is a mental boost," says
Riseborough "The only time I
get frustrated is when I find I'm
limited Then I know I can get
out and do what I used to do in
the pool. I feel a lot better "
KMTR gives Interns’ hands-on experience
By Lisa Irving
Of the Emerald
If you re a journalism or
telecommunications major
looking for some hands-on
experience, an internship at
Eugene’s newest television
station may be just what you 're
looking for
Despite being only a few
months old, KMTR already has
about nine interns working in
various capacities The intern
ship program is a mutually
beneficial arrangement
between the station and
students who want to get ex
‘You learn a lot, and it looks good on a resume’
penence ana earn college
credits at the same time
At KMTR, an individual may
learn as much as he or she
desires — there are no specific
requirements There are no
monetary incentives either,
but the experience is invalu
able, according to Kristin
Keyes, program coordinator
"At the universities and col
leges, you get good informa
tion — your classes are impor
tant But when it comes down
to brass tacks, the person with
the most experience will get
nirea, Keyes says
The station has three pre
requisites tor internships
Candidates must be coliege
students, have a college
faculty member sponsor them
and have some previous jour
nalism experience Classes
are counted as experience,
which allows students an
entry-level position in a
professional atmosphere
"We like to train people,"
says Keyes "It’s always nice
to have some extra bodies
around to help "
Students choose a work
area that matches their inter
ests, whether it be in writing,
reporting, photography or
production An intern must
learn more than one aspect of
broadcasting — how much
more is a matter ot choice
"I think KMTR is unique in
that the student can learn as
much as he wants There are
no restrictions, ' Keyes says
Students from any field are
accepted in the KMTR pro
gram As long as the University
will approve the credit ar
rangements, history, philo
sophy or mathematics
students can be interns
Students can remain in the
program indefinitely and work
as many or as few hours per
week as they want
"It’s up to the students.'
says Keyes "They design their
own programs
KMTR has no formal ar
rangement with the University
for the internship program,
says Keyes But Keyes plans to
work more closely with the
University in the future ICC
students currently hold a
majority of the internships
because they seem to have
more technical background,
says Keyes
Despite the apparent edge
in technical knowledge that
LCC telecommunications
students have. John Shep
phard. head of telecommun
icatlons at the University, says
he's satisfied with the present
situation
"Internships should not be
offered to every student who
comes down the line Every
one does not have the
capacity to benefit from an
internship The people we
have out there are the people
we felt would get the most from
a learning experience," says
Sheppard
Shepphard says he is selec
tive about the places he sends
students to serve internships
"We want a genuine learn
ing experience A student
should not be used for substi
tute labor," says Shepphard
Contrary to Keyes viewpoint,
Shepphard says close super
vision and instruction are im
portant
Working at KMTR will im
prove the student's market
ability when looking for a job,
says Keyes
"This industry is difficult to
break into — you need more
than just studies," says Keyes
Shepphard does not disa
gree entirely with Keyes but
adds that "the University is
preparing people to go beyond
the entry-level position, to be
leaders You can learn to be a
working person anywhere '
Steve Ducich, a University
senior in telecommunications,
currently is working in the
KMTR newsroom editing, writ
ing and performing standard
"gofer" work
For Ducich at least, the time
invested is worth the reward
"It's interesting — you learn
a lot," says Ducich “And it
looks really good on a re
sume "