Pregnancy

So, I’m currently 33 ½ weeks pregnant. Getting down to the home stretch! This has been such an overwhelming experience that I don’t even know where to start. I have learned so much about myself, the human body, and the miracle of creating a human being! Most importantly I feel this has been a life changing experience as it has given me a different perspective on health, beauty, and fitness, as well as the struggles that others go through mentally and physically dealing with weight gain, injuries, and accepting things that are out of your control. So far I have gained nearly 40 pounds, 40 POUNDS and I still have 6 weeks left! By 20 weeks pregnant I had already gained over 20, and this was a very hard reality for me. I have a type A personality, which in many ways is a positive thing! I am organized, detail oriented, strong willed, and dedicated to whatever I put my mind to. But when faced with things that are out of my control (which in this case was weight gain during pregnancy) it took me some time to sort out the feelings in my head and see the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives. The weight gain was due to a few things, 1) due to my nausea I felt terrible if I didn’t snack on something all day, I could only stomach crackers, soup, and toast, which obviously weren’t the healthiest choices, but you do what you have to do in order to not throw up all day at work! 2) I had some minor complications early on so my doctor put me on activity restrictions. I was obviously concerned about the health of my baby so I listened and followed her every word! Going from working out 5x a week to not being able to do more than a brisk walk was a huge adjustment. At first I thought, why even bother, I might as well sit around and do nothing! Then I decided to see the positive side and use this as a time to explore different opportunities and adapt to these changes. I began swimming again and realized how much I missed it! I also continued with yoga, but instead of going to the studio I practiced at home which allowed me to modify and adapt the moves without feeling like everyone in the class was watching me. I started Pilates, which is awesome. A perfect combination of all the things I love, stretching, strengthening, postural control and body alignment. I began seeing a chiropractor for my low back and hip pain and committed myself to doing my therapy exercises every night. All of these things made me happier, healthier, and brought me to the realization that there is no point to sit around and think about all the things that I can’t do, but rather enjoy doing the things I can! I was desperately in need of those feel good endorphins at the time and exercise, no matter in what form, made me feel like myself again and less like I was living in another persons body. Today, I am continuing to exercise 4 days a week, I feel great, I have lots of energy, my joint pain is gone, and I am very focused on training my body to get ready for labor. I am so blessed to be carrying this little girl and we just cant wait to meet her!
In fitness and good health,
Natasha