Project Fit pregnancy Follow-Up

“Project Fit Pregnancy” started as a kind of experiment. I didn’t know exactly what would happen, how active I’d be able to be, or if my activity would affect the pregnancy at all. Still, after Garrett was born, I promised myself that I would get in shape before getting pregnant again and maintain my fitness to whatever degree possible throughout subsequent pregnancies.

I think it’s safe to say that the results were all positive. The pregnancy was much easier and less painful, though I admit as things got farther along, working out became very hard.

I may not have gotten into the greatest shape between pregnancies. Still, I’m satisfied that I maintained my fitness level to the best of my ability and that it positively impacted pregnancy… and maybe even labor.

Here’s a short list of some of the things I’ve learned (no really, it is short!):

• Squatting trumps kegels. It does, and that’s probably the biggest and best advice I could give an expectant mother. Do your squats!

With Garrett, I started with a midwife who believed in kegeling. I have nothing against this midwife; by the way, I love her! But I think she’s mistaken here. 300 kegels every day didn’t do anything to ward off stress incontinence or a weak pelvic floor post-partum. It was months before I could perform jumping jacks without, well, you get the idea.

During this pregnancy, I followed my current midwife’s advice to squat and not kegel. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t advising weighted squats, but that’s what I chose to do.

I have no idea to what degree body-weight-only squats are beneficial, but I can tell you that my pelvic floor feels strong today, as it has since the day I gave birth.

• Lifting during pregnancy isn’t necessarily the evil it’s made out to be. Of course, I recommend you have a history of lifting before getting pregnant. Being a beginning lifter during pregnancy could be dangerous for more than one reason.
• Staying in shape is hard. It is. Many days, I asked myself if all this was worthwhile. I think those days started sometime during the 3rd trimester. The answer is yes! Staying in shape is emphatically not more difficult than being in pain, dealing with incontinence, or excessive weight gain. With that said,
• Some days are better than others. They just are.
• Kick-starting a stubborn ATV multiple times in a day does not contribute to having a good day. ‘Nuff said.
• Your first pregnancy doesn’t have to be your best pregnancy. I’ve always heard that it’s all downhill after number one. Well, I can tell you that this pregnancy was decidedly further up the hill than Garrett’s. I’m sure that this becomes true at some point with an aging body that’s already been around the block for a time or five. I’m just saying it’s not exclusively true.
• Despite what the experts say about it, it’s not worth doing if cardio causes back tension. That said…
• Walking and swimming are not the only forms of cardio out there. Kettlebell swings, for instance, are a great way to work up a sweat and train some muscles while remaining structurally correct. You can see why I love kettlebells.
• Don’t skip bicycling altogether because you couldn’t do it during the second or early third trimester. Once the baby drops, it’s a lot more comfortable than walking.

And a bonus:

• Just because you feel really good three days after giving birth doesn’t mean you should ditch your midwife’s advice to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Ask me how I know…

It’s driving me a little crazy that I can’t work out right now – not that I have the time, anyway. Working out has become such a habit that it feels weird not to be lifting anything.

As to when it’s safe to start picking up the barbell again (or running or… whatever), I don’t know. I’ve heard everything from 12-16 weeks to “just listen to your body”. I did a few body-weight squats yesterday with no ill effects – not that I expected any, but I don’t think it’s wise to put stress on the pelvic floor or abdominals by adding weight. So I guess I must be in “listen to your body” mode.