Heres what I learned when the advice about listening to your body during pregnancy fell short while doing exercise.
Um, Can You Use a Vibrator While Pregnant?
More than anything, youre told to listen to your body.
This direction is the north star youll get from doctors and fitness instructors alike.
Doctors support this approach to fitness during pregnancy.
As a result of this guidance, fitness offerings for pregnant peoplehave proliferated.
a board-certified OB/GYN, founder of Sterling Parents, and Oura medical advisory board member
In pregnancy, our relationship with our body has to change, and this is really difficult.
Its been an adjustment, but not a huge one, to modify my effort and my goals.
But we really want people listening to their bodies in pregnancy and not pushing past pain.
Its already kind of working at its maximum.
So we dont want somebody to exert themselves to the point where theyre impacting their bodys ability to function.
Easy enough advice to follow, right?
If something hurts or is difficult, stop.
If youre getting out of breath, pause.
It felt great to slice, compete, talk trash, and spend an afternoon outside being active.
a board-certified OB/GYN, founder of Sterling Parents, and Oura medical advisory board member
When I was starting to feel tired, I told the group it was my last game.
Way to set limits and listen to my body, right?
One hour later I was on the couch, depleted and horizontal.
I was brain dead and exhausted from head to toe.
Most troublingly, my hip joints felt like jelly.
Pregnancy, of course, played a role.
The pain came after just 10 minutes that time, and I had to limp my way home.
In these instances, listening to my body has simply not been enough guidance.
My body and I have had over 30 years to develop our vernacular.
But now, my body doesnt always have the language to express what it needs.
Were in an imperfect situation of how to really guide people, Dr. Sterling says.
We were overly protective, I think.
And so there were many, many years where no studies were done looking at this issue.
Which leaves us with little more advice than listening to your body during pregnancy.
How could I be so irresponsible?
Though this period is temporary, how do we bridge the gap?
When I walked home at the end of that second failed walk-run, I felt dejected.
Sure, Charlotte York could keep running in theSex and the Citymovie when she was pregnant.
But it no longer worked for me and my ligaments.
Notice how your body reacts, and reassess
Ive learned to take stock of my bodys reactions.
For instance, I stopped playing pickleball soon after I got tired.
Now, I know that formula is too much for me.
I have to stop before the point where I get tired, and not wait until Im waning.
Taking lessons when things dont go 100 percent to plan can help guide me for next time.
Get curious
Learning more about whats happening under the hood has helped me have more compassion for my limits.
Im not just a delicate baby-making vessel who cant do what I used to.
Know youll be okay
Lastly, Ive started to have faith in my resilience.
Its never the goal to end up wrecked and in pain.
But Ill be okay.
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