Post-Natal Report! (In Which I Get a Bit Long-Winded on the Topic of Exercise During Pregnancy)

Beware, because this post is me tooting my own horn a little bit.  But please don't mistake my motive... it is not to brag... but to encourage!  I truly believe that most anyone can have the wonderful experience I have had if you're willing to put in the work.

First round of horn-tootin' will be about Elsa.  Girl has gained nearly three pounds since her newborn doctor's appointment one month ago (which puts her at 9 lb. 3 oz. and in the 45th %.)  I attribute this to a few things:

Number 1- I pored over "The Everything Breastfeeding Book" and really gained a LOT from it.  My main takeaway was... some people will move Heaven and Earth in order to breastfeed their children (even moms of adopted children can do it!)  So whatever your hang-up or difficulty is... it CAN be overcome and you can have a healthy and sweet nursing experience with your baby.  And it is worth it to provide your baby with the most perfect food ever... designed by God to protect, strengthen, and satisfy your baby.

Number 2- I hung in there!  My "hang up" was (among other things) flat nipples.  The nurses and lactation consultants at the hospital told me this would make it difficult for Elsa to latch on and that I should use a nipple shield (which is basically a plastic pacifier-sized nipple you place over your own nipple and they suck milk through it.)  But I was bound and determined to get Elsa to nurse without it!  I thought, "No one had nipple shields in Pioneer times!  Those babies had to figure it out or starve."  I knew Elsa could nurse without it and I did not want the hassle of bringing it with me everywhere, nor did I want the "barrier" between us.  There were a few intensely frustrating nights in the beginning where she was hungry and crying because gratification was being delayed.  But when we got it down, the feeling was one of pure victory!  I was SO proud... of both of us.

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Ok, second round of horn-tootin' is about me!  I went to my post-natal doctor appointment today (five weeks out from delivery) and am healing terrifically and back down to 142 lbs from 162.  (That is just a pound above my pre-pregnancy weight, although it's a few above where I'd like to be... but then these past 5 weeks have been a bit of a free-for-all diet-wise.)  I believe so strongly that this is the direct result of my activity level during pregnancy and my decision to have a natural childbirth.  I believe that because I chose to be physically present and in-control during the contractions and pushing of Elsa's delivery, I was better able to help my body dilate and progress and also to resist tearing.  As for exercise during pregnancy, Chris and I were big P90Xers long before I got pregnant... so when I found out I was four weeks along, of course we knew we'd keep right along doing our workouts.  I want to encourage all moms-to-be to do SOMEthing during your pregnancy, even if it's not P90X... and don't be afraid to challenge yourself!  It's not dangerous to get your heart-rate up while pregnant (baby's heart rate is already in the 140-170 range in your womb.)  You're not at higher risk of pulling a muscle (it's your joints that get a bit unstable... but that happens later in pregnancy.)

From my experience, here are some pieces of advice regarding pregnancy and exercise (they specifically target those using a program similar to P90X):

Tip #1) Be aware of your body as it changes :

Don't modify/cut out certain workouts based on what some book or friend says to do.  Listen to your doctor, and pay close attention to your own body.  If you're 10 weeks along and feel perfectly good doing an hour of P90X with no modifications, then go for it!  As I said, you're not hurting your baby by getting your heart rate up, nor are you at an increased risk for injury this early on... and you're certainly not far enough along to send yourself into early labor.  So the first trimester is the time to push yourself (within reason) if you feel up to it.  I'm certainly not suggesting you attempt to lose weight during this time... nor am I advocating participating in extreme workouts that pose obvious potential harm to your baby (such as "hot" yoga or running a marathon)  I'm just saying, don't use early pregnancy as an excuse to do a wimpy work-out.  Go ahead and "bring it."  Your body will thank you.

As you enter the second and third trimesters... continue getting your heart rate up and challenging your muscles with resistance training (especially your upper body- chest, arms, and back- and your lower body- legs.)  However, cut out exercises that focus on the abdominals.  You'll be able to tell that your abs are less and less able to do what they once could... and that is ok!  These muscles need to be permitted to stretch and even separate to accommodate your baby if need be, so now is not the time to be trying to cinch them in.  It's the time to let them expand!  What will this look like day-to-day?  It will mean push-ups will need to be the "girl" kind (on your knees) because a plank position is very taxing on the core.  It will also mean no sit-ups, crunches, etc.  You'll also notice it becoming difficult/impossible to jump.  (It kinda feels like a bowling ball is landing in your stomach each time you land.)  Take that as your cue to cut out jumping and substitute it with something low impact.

* Now hear this:  I did not use this as an excuse to skip workouts!  I attempted almost every move in the P90X program with the exception of a few.  If it was too fast-paced, I gave myself permission to do fewer reps.  If it was a "core" exercise, I did a version of it that didn't use my core but still worked my back or legs or arms (most core moves involve a few other muscle groups.)  If the move involved jumping, I worked my legs by squatting instead.  If it was a pull-up, I had Chris stand in front of me holding my legs to relieve the impact on my abs.  Tell yourself, "I'm not here to knock this workout out of the park, I'm here to work my muscles and get my heart rate up for at least 45 minutes... however that needs to happen."

Tip #2) If you are getting early contractions (or just lots of Braxton-Hicks):

I'd  recommend slowing down your general workout pace.  This is the only time I'd say to monitor and control your heart rate.  If you're not having contractions, don't worry about it.  But if you are, you don't want to make baby come too early!  March in place when everyone else is running in place, do 10 reps of a move other people might be doing 30 of... that sort of thing.  Again, if you're feeling a good muscle burn, you're accomplishing something good.

Tip #3) Do not over-stretch:

You'll notice your joints relaxing and loosening as your pregnancy progresses.  This is the hormone "relaxin" working its magic!  You'll feel especially unstable in your hip and pelvic areas during the second half of pregnancy.  So anytime a certain stretch feels like it's pulling at one of those joints, just take it very easy.  Don't push any stretch super hard.  Just let yourself feel some slight pull in the muscle and stop/hold it there.

Tip #4) Drink TONS of water:

This is important for many reasons.  Obviously it keeps you from getting dehydrated during a work-out, so be sure you're getting plenty to drink at those times.  But one of the other (often-overlooked) benefits of hydration is the effect it has on your skin!  How many of you have heard (or tried) to smear cocoa butter or some other moisturizer over your skin every day to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?  Well, unfortunately all that really does is create a barrier to keep moisture in your skin.  It doesn't actually supply that moisture... only ingesting plenty of water can do that.  I'm not saying drinking water will prevent any and all stretch marks.  (Heredity is a big factor as well.)  But I am saying it's your best shot at combatting them and will do a heck of a lot more than cocoa butter will.

Tip #5) Don't stop til ya get enough!

What I mean by that is... You're not too pregnant to work out until you feel too pregnant to work out.  For me, that meant we did a workout and took a walk around the lake the night before Elsa was born.  (Granted it was a highly modified and slowed-down workout in my case... but I felt good enough to do that much, so I did!)  As a result, I really only had to take a "break" from working out during the 5 weeks I spent recovering post-partum.  It is a LOT easier to bounce back from a 5-week hiatus than it is to bounce back from a 3 or 4 month one!  (Or more!)

Tip #6) When it's time to rest and recover, don't get over-zealous.  REST and RECOVER!

You may start feeling somewhat back to normal a few weeks after delivery, but the delicate tissues "down-there" are still healing, and they need a minimum of 4-6 weeks to completely heal.  Don't rush back into a workout program!  Don't attempt to lift anything heavier than your sweet baby and limit your physical exertion to light walks.  This will assure that your body can effectively heal itself in as little time as possible.  (Ask yourself, "Would I rather be bleeding for 6 weeks or 8+?"  I thought so.)  And while we're discussing it, I am all for enjoying this rest and recovery time to the fullest!  Don't obsess over your diet and trying to peel off the pregnancy pounds.  Chances are, if you were active during pregnancy, most of them are already gone anyway and the few lingering ones will quickly dissipate (especially if you are breastfeeding.)  Use this time to enjoy your family, the yummy meals and snacks your friends and neighbors will undoubtedly bring over, and the occasional late-night snack during a 2am feeding.  After all, this period of time is so temporary and in a few weeks you'll be back in your sports bra pounding out push-ups once again.  Might as well party it up a bit!

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So there you go!  My personal experience doing P90X while pregnant.  We resumed our workout routine this week!  (My 5th week post-partum.)  And as I said, the doctor gave me a glowing report as far as my physical healing goes.  I couldn't be happier to be getting back into a healthful routine.  (I know it will only become more difficult as Elsa's nap times shorten during the day, so I figure it's good to get back in the habit early.)

My hope is that this will inspire and encourage other moms to take responsibility for their health and weight-gain during pregnancy, so that they can have an outcome worth tooting their horn about!  I also hope it can answer any questions you might have about doing a program like P90X while pregnant.  Best of luck!! :)