i’m a mom that didn’t want to sacrifice her intense workouts just because she got pregnant.
Barbells, burpees, Crossfit, and yoga were staples in my everyday life.
The release I would get after a workout was the thing that made me feel like…. well, me. Sitting on the couch in those early weeks postpartum, baby attached to my boob 24/7, I longed to get back to that sense of normalcy my workouts gave me.
At 6 weeks postpartum, I laced up my Nike Metcons and went back to the gym.
Making this 1 critical mistake…..
I rushed the process.
I asked my body to do burpees and thrusters before it could perform basic core exercises.
I loaded up a barbell for power cleans before the wound in my uterus was healed.
I ran and jumped despite the fact that my organs felt like they were going to fall out of my abdomen.
It should come as a shock to nobody that I ended up with a back that was pissed off, I peed when I jumped rope and I spent the better part of a year on and off of exercise restriction from my care provider.
What you might be thinking right now:
Ummmm I don’t want that to be me.
Great plan girl. Highly recommend.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. You actually can continue the workouts you love in pregnancy and keep your body and baby safe at the same time.
In the postpartum chapter you can (eventually) get back to the workouts you love.
With a plan and some strategy you can set yourself up for a lifetime of being fit and active.
No peeing your pants required!
You’re Probably wondering what qualifies me to make that claim.
1. I have about 100+ hours of education specific to pregnancy and postpartum fitness plus 7 years experience working with this population.
Picture this: I have a 6 month old and a 3 year old. I find out on Wednesday that there is a course with a renown women’s health expert from Australia happening in the U.S….. In just 3 days. I buy a ticket, book a flight, leave my husband with my kids and go. That’s how passionate I am about understanding how to better serve pregnant and postpartum women.
I have several certifications including: Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism Coach, Postnatal Specialist, and Crossfit Level 1 Trainer.
2. I used to be a really bad trainer.
Yep, it’s true. Before I was a mom, when I was just a regular Crossfit trainer I would be so annoyed with my mom clients who complained about peeing while they jumped rope. If they got pregnant and asked me for advice I’d say things like:
“Just don’t do sit-ups”
“Keep doing what you’ve always done”
“If you feel fine it’s probably fine”
I was a real gem.
It wasn’t until I was walking around in my own postpartum body that I developed empathy. Several years ago a client approached me with issues with her abs (I later discovered this was a diastasi that wasn’t functioning well). My workouts were making it worse and I had zero idea how to help her.
That was the day I started to search for answers. I haven’t stopped learning since.
3. Most importantly, I’ve worked with hundreds of moms during their pregnancies and postpartum experiences.
After making adjustments to the things they could control like exercise selection, breathing, and overall awareness to how their body was feeling they said things like:
“My body is feeling great but most importantly my mental health is amazing. I can keep doing the sport I love without worrying about doing too much or the wrong movement that will affect the on the long term” –Christy
“After my first baby I was so nervous about getting back into working out. This time around I was excited about getting back to it since I had your program and I knew exactly what to do and knew that it would be the perfect way to rehab my core and pelvic floor and ease back into the workouts I love!” -Hilary
“Got the workouts from you and things have been feeling SO MUCH BETTER. I still can’t move the way I used to and getting out of breath takes seconds but I still love being able to move even a little. I’m hopeful things continue to go well from here. Thank you again for the guidance!! It has been a true blessing to have!” -Hannah
If you want to continue working out during your pregnancy, BUT you want to learn how to keep your body safe
If you want to get back to the workouts you love postpartum, but you’re not sure how
If you want to maintain your fitness now that you’re a mom, but nobody gets how hard that is…
Then you’re in the right place
Want more?
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ME
- Iowa Native, Aspiring to have a home in Southern California (I hate the cold), former realtor, and travel junkie.
- Mom of 3 Daughters. Dog mom to Faith & Bernie. Wife to a guy I kinda like
- Total coffee snob. Best part of my day: Drinking coffee alone. Worse part of my day: When my coffee is empty.
- Funny enough though, I didn’t drink coffee until after my 2nd kid was born
- Terrified of mascots. Which is fitting since my husband proposed to me in a gorilla suit
- Speaking of my husband he snores but I kind of like him.
- Dog lover. Hoping for a Bernese Mountain Dog for my next birthday. UPDATE! I got him. How cute is?
- My pet peeves are people who breathe too loudly, people who pick at their nails and skin, and strangers who try to touch my baby (get your dirty hands off my kid you creeper).
- I got my Crossfit trainer certification in California when I was 8 weeks pregnant and sick as a dog. Yeah that was fun, not.
- I do not believe in wearing sweatpants in public between the hours of 8 am and 7 pm. Fuck it. I wear what I want when I want to and you should too.
- While we are talking about yoga pants I am obsessed with Lululemon.
- I LOVE music but I cannot read, type, or write if its on. Seriously my brain turns to mush. I might have a disability.
- Instagram Stories Lover. I don’t mean to brag, but people tell me my shit is really funny.
- I refused to let anyone touch my belly when I was pregnant. In fact I created a PSA to get my point across
