Making up lost workout time?

axo_09

Hi mommies to be!

So I kind of had a realization that I will be going through one of the most physically demanding events in my life in less than 8 weeks.  Since my pregnancy is in the winter (a plus in Texas!) I haven't been nearly as motivated to keep up with my workouts like I wanted to.  My pregnancy has *thankfully* been normal, so my doctor has been cool with me working out. I've done prenatal yoga a few times. I try to walk as much as I can, but my rural-ish neighborhood isn't that well lit. (It's dark when I leave for work and by the time I get home - ugh, winter).  I was in good shape pre-pregnancy, so that has carried me through, but now I am winded after two or three flights of stairs.  This does not bode well for a multi-hour labor.  

Any suggestions to shape up during these last few weeks before D-Day? 

Thank you!

PrimRoseMama

Don't start anything new. Just strive to keep up what you have been doing. Third trimester is not the time to worry about working out. Being breathless is normal & means nothing for your fitness. It means you have a child pressing on your lungs.

jennypolkadots

8 weeks is lots of time and it's great that you want to be active. It really will make a difference in how you feel and can make a difference in labor too (or so I've heard/read). Don't push yourself to reach some crazy goal. Pregnancy isn't the time to be cutting new muscles lol 

There are lots of things you can safely do. Can you walk in the morning before work or during your lunch break? How about joining a local gym with a walking track and indoor pool? I have an indoor walking track and pool at the community center behind my house and have used it a lot, swimming makes me feel so good. On days I am not really feeling it, I just use a kick board and go back and forth for 20 minutes or so, it's also great for fetal positioning. Some other things I have done are put on music for a good 30 minutes and just dance while cleaning the house, Tracy Anderson "pregnancy project" dvds, and labor-specific exercises like squats, pelvic tilts, and bouncing on an exercise ball, etc. For me it has made a huge difference in my mood and I have not gained anything except just the baby - everything else looks the same as pre-pregnancy (which is probably genetics too). When I'm less active I have more aches and pains and swell a bit in my hands and feet.