Okay, so the last few days, my husband had actually taken leave because he needed a well-deserved break from his project at work. Which is probably why I haven’t really been posting.
I mean this is aside from the fact that I felt like a turd and was nauseous 3/4 of the time and pretty much depressed because of how shitty I was feeling and whiny and crying, and you pretty much get the idea.
Today I feel a little better, maybe because i know i don’t have a shoulder to cry on.
I think that sometimes with my husband around, I let myself feel weak because I know I can count on him and I’m slightly more of a basketcase when I’m with him than when I’m by myself because I know that I can afford to be one with him. Basketcases together!
Aww right? hahaha!
Well anyway, the first thing I wanted to get at today, was a little bit of yoga in the morning from when I first get up.
Everybody knows that exercise is good for depression and generally when your body is feeling crappy, stretching helps the blood to flow a little faster and get the icky feeling moving faster out of the body.
Exercise generally makes the body stronger and less susceptible to illnesses, but it’s also a good way to get the head in a right zone so that you can get better. We’re not talking about strenuous stuff, mind. You shouldn’t be training for a marathon if you’re coughing and wheezing and going to die from pneumonia for sure.
But I’m just talking a little light stretching, yoga or pilates (not that yoga and pilates can’t be MAD hard and difficult if you’ve never done it before) and maybe just going for a walk so that you can breathe a bit of fresh air.
So I brought the dog down for her pee and her poop and we did a quick jaunt around the park. When we got back I did a few vinyasas to get my back a little more limber, then steeled myself to sit at the computer for a more productive day today. I CAN DO IT!
The tummy cramps and nauseousness have toned down a LITTLE, but not much. I think warm water and nibbles are helping with that, so here’s hoping that today I really get a bit of work done.
In the mean while, have a gander at some of the tips I picked up about Exercising while pregnant
Here：Exercising during Pregnancy @ KidsHealth.org
*NOTE: there is actually audio for this article for visually impaired people. But it’s quite irritating because I couldn’t get it to shut off when I switched it on. So press play at your own risk…
And here: Guide to exercising in pregnancy , and 13 Rules of Safe Pregnancy Exercise @ BabyCenter
And here: Exercise & Fitness in the First Trimester @ Healthline
My Highlights:
1) Go for Low-Impact exercises – swimming, yoga, pilates, walking (not jogging nor running unless you like the feeling of your tummy and boobs bouncing all over the place. For a lady who’s had relatively big boobs her whole life, take it from me that if it hurt before they start getting engorged, they most CERTAINLY will hurt when they’re changing in order to feed your baby.
2) Your energy level might vary greatly from day to day. So don’t go mad with trying to get a workout going. You can, but only up to the pace where your body tells you it’s okay. Everybody is different too, so if you’ve got a mummy-to-be exercise group, don’t force yourself to do what others are doing. Everybody’s fitness level is different so learn to recognises the signs in your body that tell you that that’s going to be enough for today.
But you should still try and achieve the following with your exercises or at least look for these results from when you are exercising.
- try to get your heart pumping
- keep yourself supple
- manage weight gain by burning calories
- prepare your muscles for labour and birth
- DON’T push your body too hard
3) SAFETY FIRST! Listen to your body for signals! I know so many people who are insane about their workouts – pushing further, digging deeper (haha Shaun T) and the like so they can get that extra rep in, etc etc… but now that you’re pregnant. Just DON’T . You don’t want to risk it.
When in doubt, please check with your healthcare provider or ObGyn whether such and such an activity is okay or won’t hurt the baby.
4) Last but not Least, Take EXTRA care during the 1st Trimester.
You’re overly tired, unpredictably nauseous, and scared that each move you make will harm the baby.
This is where you should really start slowly, 15 minutes tops apparently according to all these articles. Some good news is that you CAN exercise while nauseous – if your tummy allows. Go for a brisk walk in the sunshine and fresh air. But remember to stay hydrated and to have some snacky snacks on hand so that you don’t faint from the lack of nutrition.
Here’s a quick and easy set of exercises that I found which are basic and yet WILL help you work out a sweat:
Warm-up. Cardio and Strength Exercises from Women’s Mag
Page 2 of the Healthline article also provides a good list of classes of exercise that you can do, so don’t fret. You’ll definitely be able to keep so semblance of activity even through pregnancy 🙂
Now with all that typing, I’m going to take a break and go and exercise my mouth now. Good luck to all of you who are taking the advice to get a little bit of blood pumping!
Lunch-time bicep curls,
Jess
A LOT to Think About 