Posted byI had recently taken up breakdance, boxing, and roller derby in one go (sometimes all three consecutively on the same weekday evenings). I just found out I’m pregnant, and the downside to the pregnancy is that I’ll have to put some of my sporting activities on hold.
Does anyone have any suggestions for sports that are both exciting, addictive, and entertaining at the same time — but also safe for pregnancy? How have other moms found the motivation after baby arrived to get back into sports again? — Eegee
Alright all you roller derby-ing, race car-driving, breakdancing mamas: how did you get motivated to get back into your favorite sports when you were pregnant (and after you had your kiddo)?
Kudos to all you brave derby warriors out there, my derby career ended with a trimalleolar ankle fracture last year 🙂
Just wondering if any of you yogis could advise re ashtanga in early pregnancy. I’m currently trying to get pregnant, I’ve been hearing different opinions on what to avoid pose wise. Also not sure if I should change my practice now as I won’t know when exactly I’ll get pregnant. Did you ladies wait for the positive test result to change your workout habits?
Careful with yoga in the first trimester. I found I didn’t feel like it and went with that feeling – later on finding out that some schools consider yoga completely contraindicated for the first trimester, others proscribing certain postures that put strain on the abdomen. Check out Gita Iyengar’s book, ‘Yoga for Motherhood’, it’s really thorough and clear. I started a modified vinyasa style after about 12 weeks and this has been great. As things have turned out though, at 23 weeks I’m almost immobilised with pelvic instability and am mourning the loss of my active life 🙁
I hate gyms so I started getting into Wii fit a little, but got bored of the games pretty quickly. Then a friend introduced me to the xbox kinect. They have lots of fitness games, but the one I’m totally addicted to is called Dance Central. My partner and I play together almost every night. It’s the only fitness regime I’ve found myself getting excited about.
It’s a bit pricey if you don’t already have the xbox but still cheaper long term than gym membership/classes and it’s great for cold/rainy days you don’t want to leave the house. (Which means it’d prob work well after baby is born too!)
I was playing dance central this morning. It’s extra good because the music amuses baby. 🙂
The morning after I found out I was pregnant, I took off on my first solo bike tour – from Steamboat Springs to Boulder. I biked beyond my due date (she was 18 days late). I also had a daily yoga practice which helped with so many aspects of pregnancy. I snowshoed and x-country skied all winter, and started hiking again once the snow began to melt. Had an unplanned c-section and all exercise came to a screaming halt. I walked and carried the critter in a sling or pack…but I totally never saw that coming. Those 6-weeks after delivery were the most challenging of my entire existence. New madre-hood without exercise as a coping mechanism and a limited diet due to what my wee one could handle was on the brink of enbearable. People tried to tell me that it was just a small fraction of time…but it sure as hell didn’t feel like it at the time. Only now getting back into the swing of things…and in retrospect, it was just a blink of time…but, again, it sure didn’t feel like it then.
I rode my horses until winter stopped me which was at 7 or 8 months. Great exercise actually. I also continued the care of the animals which included mucking, carrying water, pushing wheelbarrows through the snow, and brushing. I also did yoga and biked, hiked, and snowshoed up to the very end. I actually did horse chores while in labor! I, too, had an emergency c section which was the hardest part. Forced inactivity does not sit well with me. I was back snowshoeing ASAP and by spring back on the horse figuratively and literally. I believe in keeping on doing what you do, but modify it as needed. I stopped jumping horses at about six months as my balance changed and I decided it was not worth the risk….but I kept riding.
I play roller derby! We’ve got 3 preggo chicks on our league right now, they just don’t participate in the full-contact drills. My coach was on skates until her doctor flat out told her to stop, at about 35 weeks. She had such a large belly that it was throwing her off balance around that time but skated beautifully up until then.
All of my hooping buddies hooped all the way through their pregnancies. Fun, low impact cardio- even when you are not pregnant.
I’m almost 25 weeks and still doing CrossFit. I’ve had to reduce my intensity and modify some of the exercises, but I feel SO much better than I did during my first pregnancy (when I didn’t exercise at all due to an injury).
I’m at 40w and haven’t been able to hit it in months!! MISS MY WEIGHTS! Kind of disappointed that FGB is coming up so soon. 😉 I’m really looking forward to recovery so I can start working it back up again. 😀
I had a baby 9months ago at 6weeks I started training for a swimathon. Completed it in April and I have now been learning to pole dance for fitness for the pass 3months. It’s really good at getting those core muscles in shape.
I’ve been dancing like crazy. I’m a social dancer – waltz, swing, and Irish Ceili. Every week I teach Irish dance and I’m still amazed at 6 months into pregnancy that it’s basically had no impact on my dancing. Last Tuesday I danced every dance at our monthly party and was keeping up better than the 18-22 year old college kids I’m teaching. Meanwhile, I’ve got a great excuse to skip my least favorite social dance – schottische – because I just point to my belly and say “Oh, I couldn’t, but thanks for asking!” Then they see me tearing up the floor in a polka three minutes later. The trick seems to be in what sort of shape you were in before getting pregnant. It took til 20 weeks (half-way!)for folks to be sure I was actually pregnant and not just putting on a few pounds. And that’s on a five foot one inch lady!
My sports of choice are a bit different than yours but at 37 weeks the ony thing that keeps me off a horse out of the pool or off my bike is tiredness not what the military doctors tried to tell me is or is not OK during a generic overy managed pregnancy. Keep skating as long as you feel strong and stabe.
Double yes on bellydancing! It’s not been a problem unless I’m feeling nauseated that day… and of course, my belly rolls have suffered for the sake of a giant, less-than-squishy baby hanging out front. 😉
I had to give up krav maga, which is sad- but I’m in a high octane, mostly male group, and we seriously kick butt. I’m sure there are some cases in which martial arts are ‘safe’, and you can scale back- but it took me a year to get the “big boys” in my group to really work with me, rather than pull punches, etc. I’d hate to lose that progress by going “EEEEk, don’t hurt baby!” Better I take a break for a while and come back when I’m in ass kickin’ form.
I’m SO glad to hear about rock climbing (indoor). That makes so much sense… I don’t see why I couldn’t be in harness and up there. I might have to drag Boy out to help me.
I was dancing professionally, firing stage weaponry and role playing for the Capitol Police before I got pregnant. Fortunately all I’ve really had to do was wear respiratory protection and gloves when I’m handling guns and stop going through the magnetometer at Police headquarters (just because we do it all day and it makes me nervous). Honestly, dancing is by far the best for keeping in shape… I’m almost three months and haven’t gained a pound!