It’s May – a time to celebrate mothers everywhere! What better way than to chat about pre/postnatal tips? There are certain exercises a woman can do to prepare for carrying a baby, and for the post-pregnancy child-rearing years to come.
Efficiency with your workouts pre/postnatal are key. Spend some time doing exercises which mimic the movements you’ll be doing with your baby. These include: carrying a diaper bag, pushing a stroller, or holding a child to one side of your body.
If you’d like to develop core strength, balance, and muscles in your upper back (to keep you on your feet), these weighted carries are a good route to take:
- Farmer Carry
- Single Arm Carry
- Single Arm Dumbbell
During pregnancy while your baby is growing, and post-pregnancy when placing your baby in a wrap, you can prep with front-loaded movements to develop lower body and core strength. Examples are:
- Front squat
- Goblet squat
- Prowler or sled pushes
You can see this series by clicking here.
Lastly, eating well always accompanies exercise. If you’re expecting, it’s not the time to be under-eating. Please provide your body with enough calories (from whole foods) to be able to function and properly recover from the birth of your new bundle(s) of joy. It’s also important to consider what you’re eating if you decide to breastfeed.
See you in the gym,
Jon