Stop Telling Women that Prenatal Exercise is ‘Unnecessary’

I deeply, passionately, protectively care about the women (and babes!) I serve and actively pursue the knowledge to be an expert in the pregnancy exercise field. A field I’ve been researching, living, and breathing in for the past 4 years.

So when I hear, randos telling women to ‘take it easy’ now that they’re pregnant or in two weeks, 3 midwives from 2 different practices tell my very healthy clients that, “they don’t have to worry about exercising now that they’re pregnant” AND they need to keep their heart rate under 140 beats per minute….

….it makes my blood boil at this disempowerment of women and their bodies.

If you know nothing about being a healthy pregnant woman, don’t project your negative word vomit onto said woman. They don’t need that type of boloney in their lives. Maybe, instead, you tell them something….*positive*!

Unfortunately, many MANY first time moms believe every word that slips out of their doctor or midwife’s mouth even if it contradicts how they want to move or what they themselves has researched what’s safe. OR they take silence as an answer and if it’s not talked about, they don’t believe it’s important. WRONG.

I am not bashing doctors and midwives because they are VERY knowledgeable. Other birth professionals are also VERY knowledgeable. Knowledgeable in pregnancy. In baby anatomy. In pregnancy anatomy. In emergencies. In birth progression. In birthing a baby.

But these professionals know VERY LITTLE about exercise. Even less about appropriate and NECESSARY pregnancy exercise and safe postpartum rehabilitation. Their job should be to encourage women to be STRONG not ignore the situation all together.

Please, I’m asking any birth professional reading this to build your community of confident, joyful, healthy women and mothers AND kids. The mental and physical health of future populations rests on your shoulders. And if you want to know more, ask me! Send Email. Or Download the Guide I created. Please, together, let’s stop the continuation of unhealthy mothers unless exercise is absolutely contraindicated.

To help educate local practices, I’ve sent master copies of a 1 page ‘Prenatal Exercise Recommendations’ to over 20 offices which they can freely copy and distribute. I hope these offices do indeed distribute but also take me up on my offer to meet their staff and host educational seminars for their patients. Please download below, print and distribute if you are in the Rochester area!

Women;

You have a brain issue, you ask a brain surgeon, not your OB-GYN.

You have a foot problem, you seek advice from a podiatrist, not your midwife.

You have an exercise problem, you find a certified strength trainer/personal trainer that has a great reputation working with pregnant women/moms.

I’m encouraging you to stand up for yourself, your body, your baby, your sanity, your joy, your POWER. Lift weights, build muscle, build endurance, be STRONG to be a kick ass woman!

If you need guidance, ask me. Send Email. Or Download the Guide I created for you!