I love being pregnant; having the miracle of life growing inside me. However, I’d be lying if I said I also loved how it changes my body; I rather dislike it. Probably the thing that bothers me the most about being pregnant is all the attention on me, specifically how I “look”. I get all sorts of comments on how “big” I am, ranging anywhere from, “Oh you’re just a darling little toothpick with a cute little basketball attached to you!” to “Oh my, you look about ready to pop!” (And I’ve still got a few months!)
I know that my body has been “beautifully made” and it is truly an amazing thing to watch how it changes and adapts to compensate for the little being developing and growing in me. But it’s hard to ignore the stretch marks shooting across my belly, hips and…ahem…other places. When I was a little girl I remember watching the old ladies at swimming pools walk by and promising myself I would never have legs like theirs; yet, here I am, saggy, wrinkly, flappy thighs and all. You can imagine my horror when I was trying some clothes on in a dressing room a few weeks back and noticed the veins that had popped out and started crawling all over my legs. I had to stifle a scream. My only consolation is that my kids think my veins are really “cool”.
I have no allusions of being a ”skinny” or even ”trim” cute little pregnant woman; let’s face it, those two words and pregnancy just don’t go together. I prefer “healthy” and “toned” for my exercise and “self-image” goals in pregnancy (and also when I’m not pregnant). I have found these goals to be much more realistic and therefore attainable. I’m no expert or health professional but I know that regular exercise during pregnancy is just as important as it is before and after. For me I see this as important not only to have a healthy pregnancy but also for a healthy labor, birth and post-partum time, and it probably benefits the baby for me to healthy too. As soon as I find out I’m pregnant, I go into “training mode” except instead of training for a 5K or marathon I’m trying for labor and birth.
I like to mix up my exercise routines between toning, cardio, relaxation work and ”baby-positioning” techniques. P.S. I like to exercise both in and out of the house, whatever is most convenient. I try and go the Y 1 – 2 times a week to walk and do weights, this past Saturday I did some laps in the pool and it was fantastical; I loved being able to just float with my belly down, so liberating.
At home, I’ve used an assortment of work-out videos in the basement. My kids love going down there with me to “exercise”, which for them usually means watching mama and the “exercise lady”. Before pregnancy I discovered Leslie Sanson and her Walk Away the Pounds series and have really enjoyed these workouts.
I have continued using this one I got as a gift for Christmas on and off again throughout the pregnancy though not quite as much here lately because I’ve been lazy. Her workouts are so simple and I love her realistic approach to exercise and body image.
Then, while searching for simple prenatal exercise videos on YouTube, I discovered Doctor Cathy’s prenatal exercise videos which I’ve included in my Simple Exercises for Pregnant Moms playlist.
If you go through that playlist, you might laugh when you see the last video I included for some belly dancing for pregnancy. Aside from how belly dancing might help encourage good fetal positioning for birth, this video (and others like it) can provide some high quality entertainment and a good laugh a day keeps the epidural away…or at least might help provide some much needed comic relief during pregnancy and labor. ;)
Lastly, aside from the toning, cardio and hip-opening/baby-positioning workouts, I love doing yoga in pregnancy. If there was only one form of exercise I did during pregnancy it would be yoga. I don’t care about all the mumbo-jumbo part spirituality part of yoga, only how it helps me work my body while also relaxing…a very important skill to have when trying to get a baby out a seemingly impossible exit. (Even after doing it 3 times I still have a hard time believing it’s really possible.) Anyway, I discovered this Yoga Journal and Lamaze yoga for pregnancy video with my last pregnancy and really like it.
There’s no crazy stuff, just simple and relaxing yoga for pregnancy. It includes a 30 minute “Energizing & Strengthening” workout, a 15 minute “Relaxing & Rejuvenating” practice as well as some “Birthing-Room yoga techniques that were very helpful with my last birth. There are also some breathing and meditation segments that I honestly haven’t paid attention to.
Now, for the **GIVE-AWAY** part of this post!
So I somehow ended up with 2 copies of this Yoga DVD, both of them have been gently used but are still in very good condition. If you would like to win this extra DVD simply enter your name in the comments below. If you’d like your name to be added into the drawing twice for higher winning chances add a comment about your favorite prenatal workout along with your name.
THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT MONDAY, MAY 21!
This all sounds so cool….and makes me feel sooooooo lame, because the amount of exercise I do during pregnancy amounts to chasing my kids around, and (fairly regular) walks to the park and around the neighborhood with said children. Nothing nearly as organized or premeditated as this. When I was preg with K, I did a bit of prenatal yoga and liked it (it’s good for my high-strungedness) and also some of the Bradley exercises. Part of me is confident about childbirth the third go around, part of me is a bit panicky, feeling like I should be doing more to prepare and make sure my body is ready, but not really knowing what to do or read or anything… Thanks for the inspiration (or maybe guilt trip) . ;-D
Well it seems to work very well for you, Monica! My body just turns into a big fat blob if I don’t work a little bit at it. Also my labors tend to be very intense and take a lot out of me so I feel it helps get my body ready for the work if I’m doing some form of muscle strengthening/toning before going into it. It’s still hard though.
I hope this post acts more like inspiration than guilt-trip but whatever works
It is funny, I really love how I look when I am pregnant. It is the only time I don’t feel self conscious about the way my body looks. Now, I don’t really like how my body *feels* during pregnancy. I mean, I love the kicks (at least the earlier belly kicks- some of those ones in the late weeks hurt!), but the claustrophobic- have- a- hard- time- breathing- thing kind of makes me feel panicky.
I looooved swimming during my pregnancy- it felt fantastic. And the rhythm was good for repeating to myself the affirmation I would say during labor- “George is strong, my body is strong” And the weightlessness. I could have just lived in a pool the last ten weeks.
In one sense it is nice to have a good excuse for being “big”, I really don’t like the flabby leftover tummy stuff that will never go away no matter how many crunches I do (especially since my abs are probably permanetly seperated now).
Yes I really loved the “weightlessness” also. I wish I could sleep like that and cook like that and do the dishes and just float around like that all day.
Exercise IS VERY important before, during and after pregnancy. Good job, Erika and the rest of you that replied, for incorporating exercise into your lives.
My best advice – listen to your body. Don’t go on autopilot and do whatever a video or book tells you what to do. Only you know your body and how it feels, and you need to be diligent about listening to yourself and knowing your limits.
Erin – there are exercises that you can do to help with the breathless feeling. If you want some suggestions, email me.
Erika Marie – if you do have abdominal separation, you need to do recovery exercises before doing any core (including crunches) or twisting exercises. I can send you info about testing for the separation and how to fix it.
Jenn
Certified Perinatal Exercise Specialist and Founder of Fit for Expecting
Honestly, aside from walking towards the end of Melanie’s pregnancy (5+ years ago) and walking during the first part of Amelia’s (when my back wasn’t in pain due to my sacrum being out of alignment) I have done absolutely no exercise while pregnant. I’m hopeful that since I’ve established a routine now that next time we are blessed with a little one on the way I will keep up my yoga and swimming, maybe even the occasional Rip n Ride class (at a much slower pace than I take it right now, of course). Only time will tell!
I was thinking about you, Elizabeth and how you’ll probably like this video a lot for your next one since you’re now a yoga expert.
By the way, I just noticed the picture for the Leslie Sanson and the Yoga DVD do not show up in my Google Reader. Is everyone else able to see them on this site?
I did a little bit if yoga towards the end of my pregnancy, and I kept thinking, “whhhhyyy wasn’t I doing this the whole time?!” … Aaaand now I am made at preggo self, as I am slowly trying to get my body back in shape. I have to continually remind myself that it’s always going to be different….but, the little one is most definitely worth it.
*MAD at myself
I agree with Erin, I love being pregnant because I lose that self consciousness, but I also feel somewhat blobbish, especially at this stage.
I am trying to walk and ride my bike and garden and then stretch after gardening but I really need to do more. I was thinking of taking a belly dancing class, are you interested?
Sarah, yes I was the same way. I thought the same when I went swimming the other day, too.
Yes, Bianca, blobbish is a very good word for it for me too. Though with my darn ligament spasms that keep me paralyzed at night I feel more and more like a beached whale too.
I thought of trying bike riding but I don’t know if it’s too late to try it at this point.
Do they have prenatal belly dancing classes? That might be fun if so, I haven’t found a good free video online.
Haha, beached whale. Aaron tells me the other night, “come over here and beach yourself on the couch, honey.” Because he’s loving and romantic like that.
Ha! What a great line.
At least he didn’t call you a beached whale…yet 