Pregnancy and postpartum are such special chapters in a woman’s life. When you found out
you were pregnant, you probably did all kinds of research about what you needed to do to best
take care of the baby – both during pregnancy and after delivery. But, it’s also very important to
take care of yourself! One of the ways you can take care of yourself, that will also benefit the
baby, is through exercise!
Here are three reasons why you should exercise whether you are pregnant or postpartum:
1. Physical Well-being
a. Usually, the first benefit people think of in regard to exercise is physical and
often-times has to do with weight. But that’s not what I want to focus on. There
are so many other amazing benefits, specific to pregnancy and postpartum.
Posture can change significantly during this time and can cause neck, shoulder
and back pain. We hunch forward and tuck our butts under, often without even
thinking about it! Exercise – strength training in particular – can really help to
correct muscles imbalances and keep everything functioning properly.
b. Exercise has also been shown to affect your sleep in a positive way. The benefits
of sleep cannot be understated! Especially since, during this time, your sleep will
be limited in a number of ways, so you want to make sure that the quality of
your sleep is as good as possible. Exercise can help you fall into a restful sleep
faster and stave off insomnia.
c. If you have had any issues with bloating or swelling, getting regular exercise can
help improve these symptoms! Getting your heart rate up promotes blood flow
throughout your body and can help reduce some of that swelling you may be
experiencing.
2. Mental Well-being
a. Hormones play a huge role throughout pregnancy and postpartum. It can feel
like you don’t have control over how you are feeling throughout the day!
Exercise has been proven to be a great way to relieve stress and calm your mind.
Even just 20-30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times per week can greatly improve your
mood and help you feel more balanced.
b. Better recall has also been shown to be a benefit of exercising. You may find as
pregnancy progress and then you become a mom with a newborn you have lots
of episodes of “mommy brain”. You’ll walk into a room to get something and
once you get there, you completely forget why you came! We could all use some
reduced forgetfulness.
3. Preparation for Delivery and Motherhood
a. Delivery is a physically grueling experience and takes an incredible toll on your
body in many ways. The more you have exercised and prepared your mind and
body the better experience you will have. Now, there are always unforeseen
circumstances that happen, things you could never know to prepare for. But
again, if your body and mind are in the best shape they can be, you will be in a
better position to recover from anything you may experience during delivery.
b. Postpartum life demands a lot from a new mother. You’re try to care for a new
little baby while at the same time discovering who you are in this new phase of
life. Preparing for the demands of motherhood during pregnancy is key to a
better postpartum recovery. Having a strong upper body to deal with all of the
picking up, holding, feeding, and carrying will allay a lot of the pain and
discomfort you may otherwise experience.
c. Performing pelvic floor exercises early postpartum can also be a game changer!
No matter if you delivered vaginally or via C-section, your pelvic floor muscles
have been through a lot and need to be strengthened. Learning to reconnect
with your core and pelvic floor in the early days will help establish that mind-
body connection early on, so that you’re more comfortable in this new body.
Exercise is about so much more than weight loss. As a pregnant or postpartum mom, you want
to be in the best shape you can be, in order to better care for your baby and yourself. Please
don’t think that taking some time each day for yourself to exercise is selfish. It’s not! You can
better take care of those around you when you are properly taking care of yourself.
If, after reading this, you’re ready to get started with exercise, but aren’t sure where to begin,
please reach out to me! I am trained specifically to help women during this special chapter with
any and all considerations you may have. I want to help!
You can also follow along with me on social media! I post lots of free content and workouts, so
there’s always something new and exciting for you to find!
Instagram: @momgetsmoxie
Facebook Page: Mom Gets Moxie
Pinterest: Mom Gets Moxie
Website: https://www.momgetsmoxie.com/
About Brittany: Brittany is a pregnancy and postpartum fitness coach who is passionate about educating women regarding changes that take place in the body and how these changes impact fitness. Whether you've been an athlete all your life or fitness is brand new to you, being active is healthy for both you and baby during this special chapter and Brittany wants to help guide you along this journey.