I’ve been a trainer for over 9 years and I've worked with pregnant and postpartum women for over 6 years. In that time, I’ve learned a lot from courses, pros and of course, my clients!
While I'm always learning from my clients, I'm also answering tons of questions they ask along the way from Pregnancy to Postpartum.
So here are my top 5 nuggets of wisdom to help you navigate what can sometimes be a confusing and challenging time:
1. Build your village as early on as possible
You’re going to be exhausted, have a ton of questions and so many unknowns, so put together your dream team of friends, family and practitioners that you can lean on at all hours of the day and night. This includes your OB, Doula, Midwife, Pelvic Physio, Chiro oh- and your fitness trainer, too!😜
2. Exercise is key when your energy is low
Especially during pregnancy, energy levels can be unpredictable. What I’ve seen with my clients is that on their lowest days, our workouts together are the biggest pick me up. We can always scale back a workout to accommodate your needs, but doing something is usually going to give you a great boost in mood and energy!
3. You’ll probably need more than 6 weeks before returning to exercise
This isn’t necessarily because of healing (though that's often a factor), but likely because of what you’re adjusting to as a new parent. Your body might feel ready for movement, but your completely out-of-whack schedule might not. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to go all-in right away.
4. 1 Day/week can get you results
Whether you’re pregnant or postnatal, odds are you're busy, tired and dealing with lots of changes in your body. So I promise, 1 session of efficient, purposeful movement is enough to get you started on healing, managing pain and getting you stronger.
5. You probably need to stretch your pelvic floor
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again! Most of the pregnant and postpartum clients I work with experience pelvic floor tightness at some point in their journey, and for any of my 3rd trimester peeps, learning to relax your pelvic floor is KEY! Not sure how to do this? Click here for a few of my favourite stretches.
Are you still feeling a bit overwhelmed or lost when it comes to your pregnancy or postnatal fitness? Click here to book a free consult call with me and we can make a plan to help you get moving so you can support your body, strengthen your core and feel strong doing all your mom-tasks and more!
Coach Dee
@coachdee_fitness
*This is a fitness and personal training blog for information purposes only and shouldn’t be seen as health, nutritional, or medical advice. This site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any information you use from this site is at your own risk. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you read on this site.