Get moving! It sounds so simple, but it isn’t always. Have you ever had nausea so bad that you could only lay in one single position breathing through your mouth or you would immediately start to hurl? What about a pain that starts in the middle of your butt-cheek and extends all the way down the back of your leg every time you move? I have! I was incredibly whiney while pregnant, and I also got incredibly stabby with anyone who lacked empathy for my physical ailment or was dismissive of how challenging pregnancy can be. Trying to figure out how to deal with all the physical stuff during pregnancy while simultaneously trying to keep my regular life going at a normal pace was DAUNTING for me personally, so I had to change my approach to movement, and I’m glad I did.
Keeping your body moving both during pregnancy and delivery is imperative not only for your health, but also for the outcome of your delivery. No, I’m not making any promises about how your delivery will go, but I am going to give you a few tips that you can use for making things physically easier on yourself. Because honestly, when you get moving, you help your body do the work it needs to do. As some people like to say: motion is lotion. No, I’m not talking about having some elaborate perfect plan that will promise how you’ll deliver your baby. When you get moving now, you’re doing yourself a favor in the moment as well as for in the future. How can you get moving even when pregnancy is kicking your booty to the bed?
Advice you can use:
Move a little bit every day! Maybe it’s a 30 minute walk or a gentle yoga class. These are my two favorite ways to put a little more mindful movement into my day. Maybe it’s a pilates reformer class or cross-fit workout if you’re looking for something a little more intense. Whatever is your thing, find it and get moving. When you’re thinking about expelling a human from your body, you have to remember that birth is one of the most physically challenging things you can do. You wouldn’t wake up and decide to run a marathon today would you? (HIMYM reference obviously.) You shouldn’t expect your body to be able to do extraordinary things without preparation. When you start to get moving, it doesn’t have to be a HUGE thing, and your body might resist at first. The endorphins take a bit to get going, but they’re your initial reward for exercise, and great for your mind too!
Help baby get into a good position during your pregnancy through movement! We like to recommend the daily essentials from Spinning Babies and the Miles Circuit. These same movements will help you during labor too!! When you practice movements during your pregnancy, they will be much easier to remember and for your body to do during your labor and delivery. Nobody wants you to be a pretzel, but we do know that when you get moving during labor, it helps your baby navigate through your pelvis. No matter what pain medication you have during labor, you should still be repositioning every 20-30 minutes to help your body and baby work together for birth too! Side note: that’s one reason people hire a doula: to help their partner and nurse reposition them while they rest well with an epidural.
Simple movements to keep things moving along are great to practice during your pregnancy! When you get moving in pregnancy, it has benefits not just for your body, but for your mind too Finding what works for you personally, priceless!
