In regards to fitness, I’m doing things differently for this pregnancy. I didn’t do nearly enough exercise during my pregnancy with Sophie, and by opting out I feel like I really did myself a disservice.
In the beginning of my pregnancy I was SO incredibly nervous about overexerting myself and somehow stressing my body out and disrupting things (file under: irrational concerns) combined with feeling constantly nauseous and fatigued so exercise was the last thing on my mind… which created a less-than-healthy routine. Now that I have that whole experience under my belt and I’m a few years older I realize the value in keeping my body in good shape for the whole journey: pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum recovery.
This isn’t about pushing myself for aesthetic reasons… to be a certain size or “only carry in my belly” or whatever — it’s about keeping myself healthy so that I can be the best mother that I can be for my daughters. I want my muscles to be strong and my heart (+ other organs) to be conditioned for endurance for the journey ahead. I’m not going to overexert myself, but I am going to gently push myself every day to stay as in-shape as I can. I definitely didn’t take as much care in this department during my pregnancy with Sophie (especially pertaining to my pelvic floor) and I truly regretted it in my postpartum era.
I am keeping my routine fairly similar to my pre-pregnancy schedule, but choosing exercises that are more suited to my current stage of life. I get a decent amount of steps in from chasing Sophie around and on our occasional stroller walks (when the weather cooperates), but it’s been important to me to incorporate some intentional movement into each day (or at least most days — shooting for activity 5 days a week).
My Preferred Class Resources:
Peloton Strong As A Mother Pre/Postnatal Collection
Peloton Pre/Postnatal Yoga & Meditation Collection
Peloton Robin’s Pre/Postnatal Class Series
The Sculpt Society “Mama” Program
…
Cute Bump-Friendly Workout Clothes
My favorite brands to shop for maternity athleticwear:
Beyond Yoga // Lululemon // PinkBlush // GAP // Target // Ingrid & Isabel
These are some of my recent purchases, along with a few items that are currently in my cart!
Additionally, after YEARS of being a diehard Fitbit user I recently decided that I wanted an Apple Watch for the heart rate / oxygen monitoring capabilities, specifically pertaining to this pregnancy. There are many other features that I wanted and enjoy (like the fact that I can link it directly to our Peloton for my workouts now!), but those were the main ones. So far, I’m a big fan!
If you aren’t currently looking for pregnancy-specific workouts you can find all of my previous wellness posts and more fitness resources here.
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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