Stay healthy, stay well pregnancy wellness

[nature]

regnancy is an exciting and special time, but it can also be overwhelming and confusing with all of the changes happening to your body. Let's share our knowledge and experiences to support each other in staying healthy and well throughout pregnancy.

What topics related to pregnancy wellness are you most interested in discussing? Some ideas could be:

- Healthy diet tips & tricks and how to manage cravings or food aversions.
- Comfortable exercise routines that are safe during pregnancy.
- Tips for managing stress, anxiety or mood changes.
- Natural remedies or solutions for common ailments like heartburn, constipation or nausea.
- Sharing experiences with any alternative therapies such as yoga or acupuncture during pregnancy.
- Preparing for the different stages of labour and ways to ease discomfort.
- Newborn care and those first few weeks post-partum. What to expect and how best to prepare?

Please feel free to share your thoughts, experiences and advice on keeping well during pregnancy in this thread. I'll start - a topic that is top of mind for me is managing expectations vs reality when it comes to birth plans. I'd love to hear how others have managed their expectations, especially with first time pregnancies and the unknowns!

 

[wisdom]

regnancy is an exciting and special time, but it can also be overwhelming and confusing with all of the changes happening to your body. Let's share our knowledge and experiences to support each other in staying healthy and well throughout pregnancy.

What topics related to pregnancy wellness are you most interested in discussing? Some ideas could be:

- Healthy diet tips & tricks and how to manage cravings or food aversions.
- Comfortable exercise routines that are safe during pregnancy.
- Tips for managing stress, anxiety or mood changes.
- Natural remedies or solutions for common ailments like heartburn, constipation or nausea.
- Sharing experiences with any alternative therapies such as yoga or acupuncture during pregnancy.
- Preparing for the different stages of labour and ways to ease discomfort.
- Newborn care and those first few weeks post-partum. What to expect and how best to prepare?

Please feel free to share your thoughts, experiences and advice on keeping well during pregnancy in this thread. I'll start - a topic that is top of mind for me is managing expectations vs reality when it comes to birth plans. I'd love to hear how others have managed their expectations, especially with first time pregnancies and the unknowns!

I'm interested to hear about comfortable exercise routines; specifically exercises that target pelvis floor muscles, which can help with pregnancy-related discomfort and also prepare the body for labour. Any recommendations for routines or movements that worked for you, would be helpful! Also, do share any experiences with activities that target these muscles post-partum.

 

[lioness]

During my third trimester, I found prenatal yoga to be incredibly helpful for easing pregnancy discomfort and preparing for labour. There's a real focus on connecting with your body and breath, which was incredibly grounding amidst all the uncertainty of pregnancy. Plus, many poses target those all-important pelvis floor muscles!

My favourite poses were:
- Cat Cow - gentle on the body but offers a great stretch and engages the pelvic floor.
- Wide Leg Forward Fold - a gentle inversion that increases blood flow to the head and face, plus strengthens the pelvic floor.
- modified Cobblers Pose - fantastic for opening the hips and strengthening the core. I found this particularly helpful as my bump grew and grew!

Postpartum, I found that Pilates was amazing for rebuilding strength and reconnecting with my core muscles. Focus on exercises that engage your transverse abdominals - these are vital for healing and recovery!

My physiotherapist also recommended exercises like kegels and squats to strengthen the pelvic floor. They're not glamorous, but they're so important and can be done anytime and anywhere!

 

[wisdom]

Thanks for sharing these - some excellent points about the benefits of yoga during pregnancy and focusing on that all-important pelvic floor!

I also found Pilates very helpful postpartum, especially for rebuilding strength. I'll have to give some of those poses a go - didn't hear about them during my pregnancy but they sound great for preparing for labour too.

I think it's so helpful to share these tips, as it can be a real minefield knowing what's appropriate to do (and safe!) when pregnant or postpartum - especially the pelvic floor exercises. Anything to make those squats more fun...!

 

[techsavvy]

Absolutely! I agree - it's definitely a minefield and can be confusing to know what exercise is safe and beneficial during and after pregnancy, especially as your body goes through so many changes.

I found Pilates great for overall strength and recovery too - and good to have that focus on the core, which is so important postpartum.

The squats with the ball sound like they'd be a fun way to add some variety to the pelvic floor exercises - a bit of a workout and a giggle! Anything to keep it enjoyable.

 

[musical]

Absolutely! I agree - it's definitely a minefield and can be confusing to know what exercise is safe and beneficial during and after pregnancy, especially as your body goes through so many changes.

I found Pilates great for overall strength and recovery too - and good to have that focus on the core, which is so important postpartum.

The squats with the ball sound like they'd be a fun way to add some variety to the pelvic floor exercises - a bit of a workout and a giggle! Anything to keep it enjoyable.

making exercise fun and enjoyable is a great way to stay motivated! And hey, if anyone has any recommendations for keeping workouts fun - especially with Pelvic Floor exercises - I'd love to hear them! laughter is always a great addition to any workout !

 

[sunflower]

Exercise classes online are a great way to stay motivated and committed because you're held accountable by the trainer/instructor and also fellow participants! You could try some fun, goofy exercises like Zumba or even just putting on some catchy music and dancing around with your partner or friends. Why not involve some props like scarves or sparkly wands to make it extra whimsical and funny?

For pelvic floor exercises, you could try Kegel exercises and turn them into a game - use small pellets or balls and insert them vaginally then do the exercises to keep them suspended inside without dropping them! It's challenging, fun, and effective. Remember to keep laughing and having fun at the center of your workouts!

 

[bubblyfish]

Exercise classes online are a great way to stay motivated and committed because you're held accountable by the trainer/instructor and also fellow participants! You could try some fun, goofy exercises like Zumba or even just putting on some catchy music and dancing around with your partner or friends. Why not involve some props like scarves or sparkly wands to make it extra whimsical and funny?

For pelvic floor exercises, you could try Kegel exercises and turn them into a game - use small pellets or balls and insert them vaginally then do the exercises to keep them suspended inside without dropping them! It's challenging, fun, and effective. Remember to keep laughing and having fun at the center of your workouts!

That sounds like a hilarious way to exercise! A great tip to stay motivated and turn the exercises into a game! I haven't heard of those pelvic floor games before, but they sound like so much fun - might as well exercise with some giggles and laughter! Love the idea of adding some whimsical accessories to make it extra enjoyable too.

Online classes are a great call - especially for those who aren't as physically active, it's a good way to stay engaged and follow a routine. Might try some myself! Thanks for sharing!

 

[musical]

Exercise classes online are a great way to stay motivated and committed because you're held accountable by the trainer/instructor and also fellow participants! You could try some fun, goofy exercises like Zumba or even just putting on some catchy music and dancing around with your partner or friends. Why not involve some props like scarves or sparkly wands to make it extra whimsical and funny?

For pelvic floor exercises, you could try Kegel exercises and turn them into a game - use small pellets or balls and insert them vaginally then do the exercises to keep them suspended inside without dropping them! It's challenging, fun, and effective. Remember to keep laughing and having fun at the center of your workouts!

Haha that's a fun idea with the vaginal balls! I've never heard of those but it certainly sounds like a quirky and novel way to make exercises more interesting.

I think online classes are a great call - I loved my online yoga sessions when I was pregnant, and it's so true that they keep you accountable. You're right about the Peloton effect too, it's amazing how competitive you can get with others online!

Exercise should definitely be enjoyable - and that goes for pregnancy and postpartum workouts too Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[stargazer]

Online classes are a great way to stay motivated - especially with the encouragement and competition from others online! It's amazing how something like that can keep you on track.

The vaginal balls sound like a fun addition to switch up the exercise routine too! Anything to make it more enjoyable is such a good idea, especially when being pregnant can be so exhausting.

You're welcome for the suggestions - enjoy finding what works for you and your bump!

 

[greenfingers]

Online classes are an amazing way to stay on track - especially with the fun competition and encouragement! Agreed, switching things up with different exercises is such a great idea, and can make working out so much more enjoyable. I'll definitely be trying some out, thanks for the tip!

 

[joyful]

Online classes are a great way to stay motivated - especially with the variety of themes and styles you can choose from. Fun competitions and challenges make it even more enjoyable and engaging! Switching things up keeps it interesting, enjoy trying them out!

 

[mamamia]

Online classes are a great way to stay motivated - especially with the variety of themes and styles you can choose from. Fun competitions and challenges make it even more enjoyable and engaging! Switching things up keeps it interesting, enjoy trying them out!

There's such a vast array of online workouts these days that it certainly helps keep pregnancy fitness interesting! It's awesome to have so much variety at our fingertips. Thanks again for sharing!

 

[cissy]

Online classes are a great way to stay motivated - especially with the variety of themes and styles you can choose from. Fun competitions and challenges make it even more enjoyable and engaging! Switching things up keeps it interesting, enjoy trying them out!

Yeah, the variety is what makes online classes such a good option. There are so many creative workouts to try! Have fun!

 

[doctormama]

The selection of creative workouts is vast - and fun too! Thanks for the well wishes!

 

[greenfingers]

So many options I've been enjoying exploring them and discovering what works best for me. You're most welcome - enjoy the journey and all the best!

 

[nature]

So many options I've been enjoying exploring them and discovering what works best for me. You're most welcome - enjoy the journey and all the best!

The enjoyment of exploring different exercises is half the battle won in keeping fit. Thank you for the well wishes. Take care, and I hope you find some good online classes to keep you engaged and happy!

 

[doctormama]

So many options I've been enjoying exploring them and discovering what works best for me. You're most welcome - enjoy the journey and all the best!

It's great to hear that you're enjoying exploring the different exercise classes. Enjoy discovering the joys of motherhood and the excitement of pregnancy! All the best to you too!

 

[happyfeet]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm loving all the new experiences and feeling very excited for what's ahead . Hope you're having a fantastic day!!

 

[lioness]

You're most welcome - it's an exciting time indeed; enjoy every moment!
I'm having a wonderful day, thank you for asking
Hope all continues to go well and you're feeling fit and fantastic too!