--Staying active during your pregnancy is one of the best ways you can help your body prepare for labor and delivery. We really want you to think of birth as an upcoming physical event that you are going to participate in -- if you were planning to run a race or compete in a tournament, you would practice and prepare for that day so that your body was physically ready for the job that you're going to ask it to do. Birth is no different! Birth is a physical event, whether you are planning a vaginal delivery, if you want an epidural, or if you already have your cesarean birth scheduled. Your body is going to experience a major physical event on the day your baby is born. It's in your best interest to help it get ready for that!
In general, it's safe for you to continue doing whatever physical activities you were doing before you got pregnant. As you progress through your pregnancy and your body changes with the growth of your baby, you may find that you need to modify or stop doing some exercises. It's important to work with a knowledgeable trainer who can help you safely make the necessary modifications--and always listen to your body! If something hurts or doesn't feel right, that's your body's way of saying that you need to stop.
Finding prenatal yoga or BirthFit classes in your area is a great way to exercise with professionals who know how to help you adapt to the changes of pregnancy. If you don't have an option for that in your area or if you prefer to exercise at home, we LOVE the Body Ready Birth program. We are certified "Body Ready Method" providers so we can help our clients navigate the physical changes of pregnancy and we truly believe that this exercise program helps our clients "stack the deck" in their favor for a smooth delivery and an easier postpartum recovery. If you're interested in checking out their program, you can find more information here :
We hope that you'll sign up and make the time in your week to do their program. It will help you stay comfortable during your pregnancy and avoid the aches and pains that you may hear others talk about and it's also going to set you up for a better postpartum recovery!