Congratulations on your pregnancy! Now you can sit back, relax, and put your feet up until after delivery, right? Not so fast! Attitudes and beliefs about prenatal exercise have drastically changed over the past twenty years. No longer is pregnancy viewed as a time to sit, watch TV, and each chocolate. These days, it is encouraged that you maintain and improve your fitness levels while pregnant.
Mass media portrays an immaculate and perfect postpartum period. The reality for many is actually something quite different. Read on to know when to ask for help.
I loved being pregnant. I had dreamt being bring pregnant every since I was a little girl. I wanted to be a mother. I wanted to carry, hold, and nurse a newborn. So when the time came and I was pregnant I loved feeling curvy, feminine, and motherly. I walked everywhere, I gardened, and I nurtured myself. I enjoyed showing off my form and I dreamed of my birth. Everything I did was focused on the birth, from childbirth classes, prenatal yoga, and infant CPR. Everything was roses and perfection
Pregnancy changes the female body from head to feet. So it is critical that the pre-pregnant body is well prepared for the demands of pregnancy.
Some women experienced health complications when pregnant, and is a common fear for many women. See our cheat sheet for when to reach out to your provider.