I get a lot of questions/comments about my fitness journey now that I’m pregnant. Most of them go in 1 of 3 directions:
“Wow omg is that safe?”
“Oh you look great I wish I could have done all of that, I’m too tired”
“You’re gonna have a great snapback!”
So I thought I should address them.
My pregnancy is not high risk (though my delivery, being a VBAC, is slightly more risky than the norm – my pregnancy is not). I am within a healthy weight gain range, my blood pressure/sugar/blood work is all good, my baby’s anatomy scan was good, and we are healthy. With that in mind, most doctors suggest that a woman can continue workouts of the same intensity as they were doing prepregnancy and follow her bodies cues for when to slow down. There are some things I can’t do (ab work, and I try not to do anything that leaves me breathless) but other than that I’m good. I mean, I ran a half marathon a few weeks ago. I’m good.
Not only is it safe, it’s IMPORTANT. Babies born to momma’s who are active and healthy have a lower chance of having birth weight issues, issues latching/breastfeeding, and are more likely to have an easier delivery. Postpartum recovery time is statistically easier too and the chance of csection is much lower. Honestly, in the US the norm is for mom’s to sit around and be kinda uncomfortable during pregnancy and it shows in our high rate for csection/complications/assisted delivery.
With all that blabbing said – I do EVERY workout with the health of me and my baby in mind. I’m TIRED. I want to just lay around a lot of days. I don’t because I want to have a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.
The comments about being too tired… I am too. But you know what I learned during labor with LB? Labor is HARD. Pushing is HARD. It is an endurance sport. I’d be silly not to train for it.
Oh, and I don’t do a single workout with my “snapback” in mind. I won’t be restricting calories after I give birth. I’ll be active (once I’m cleared to workout and feel up to it) and I’ll eat healthy foods because those things make me feel good physically and emotionally. But with breastfeeding – I won’t be actively trying to lose weight. My body will do what it wants to do in it’s own time. I’m fine with that.
Oh and for labor – there are some things I concentrate to make that easier (hopefully!). I plan to delivery squatting or on all 4’s, so I have been doing a lot of leg work. I squat often – I try to squat down anytime I need to pick up something or help LB with something (instead of just bending from the waist). I do this to help with my pelvis flexibility and leg strength. I also do workouts that have planking for core strength. And with everything – I practice good posture because that helps the baby get into the best position. And I spend a lot of time on my birthing ball (I’m sitting on it now). Most of yal know I’m studying hypnobirthing so I follow their suggestions.
