Why you should be easier on yourself

I have been told I am carrying excess fluid during my pregnancy.

What does this mean for me?

Due to the risk of premature labour I am now going to be admitted to the hospital at 35 weeks (2 weeks time) and I will be having my little baby early at 37 weeks. This is not what I had planned.

I am not allowed to continue the exercise I have been doing as a precaution. Going into labour on my own isn’t an option so we need to reduce the risk as much as possible.

I am finding it difficult to move about due to the weight and my back is now causing me a lot of issues. I am not giving up exercise completely. There are some stretching exercises I am continuing with that are putting no pressure on me but relieving my back pain. I will go over them another time.

Anyway my response to this has been very mixed.

I am really disappointed to not continue my exercise sessions but the doctors know best and my baby comes first.

I am worried about my boys and how they will cope without me.

But They will be with their daddy so they will be fine but they will miss me.

Guilty – because I am not able to carry my baby to the end and being separated from my boys.

Logically I know my body is doing an amazing job but it just isn’t a regular pregnancy anymore.

Guilt has led me to still do more for my boys than I should right now and I paid for it last night. Thought labour was going to start. I am good though. Plans have been made and I know the date my baby will definitely be here.

So no more lifting the boys. No more days on my own with the boys. It just isn’t worth the risk. Everyone in my family and Simon are stepping up and making this work for me.

What has this got to do with you?

This got me thinking about how much pressure we put on ourselves.

During pregnancy you are going through so many changes and especially if it’s your first pregnancy, you can ignore what you are told, forget that even though you feel ok, there are changes to your abdominal muscles, your pelvic floor and hormones are racing through your body.

It won’t do you any harm continuing with exercises like planks and high impact exercises, right?

Yes is the answer, in the long term you could be making things harder for yourself. Why risk that?

And when you are Postnatal?

You want your pre baby body back.

Your body is squishy and feels different.

You want to rush back to exercise and you are told at 6 weeks you are cleared for all exercise but to listen to your body.

But just like I want to keep exercising and doing all my normal mummy duties I need to slow down.

Pregnant mummies, you need to slow down, you can still get a good workout without compromising your body in the process

New mummies, you need to take your time to heal, regain function first and remember there are a lot of hormones still racing round your body, especially if you are breastfeeding. Your pre baby body is gone but replaced with this amazing body that has grown and birthed your gorgeous little baby, no matter the method of delivery. Embrace this body, cherish its strength and look after it for yourself.

That’s it from me.

All going well there should be more from me soon.