Our Birth Appendix – Third Trimester Exercise

I tried to stay active throughout my pregnancy, including the third trimester.  Part of my motivation came from the book “What’s Going On In There?”:

The best-documented benefit of exercise comes in labor and delivery. Women who exercise regularly fare much better during childbirth compared with women who do not. They perceive it to be less painful, and indeed it may be; one study found that women who exercise spend just twenty-seven minutes in the second stage of labor—pushing—compared with fifty-nine minutes for women who did not exercise during pregnancy. Shorter labor is generally beneficial to the baby, since it reduces the risk of complications. including oxygen deprivation of the brain.

“What’s Going On In There? How the Brain and Mind Develop the First Five Years”
Read  a longer excerpt on Memexplex.

Although my pushing phase was roughly two hours, I feel staying active was time well spent.  I had an easy pregnancy and a very manageable labor.  But more importantly, exercise does wonders at keeping anxiety at bay.  When you are exercising with a belly, you feel very empowered.  You feel like you can do anything— including that looming labor and delivery.  🙂

To Week 28
Wednesday – Swimming (31.5 laps)
Thursday – 1 hour Elliptical
Friday – 1 hour Bike
Saturday – 8 Mile Hike at Bull Run Occoquan Trail
Sunday – Weight Lifting, Yard Work at Grandma’s House

To Week 29
Tuesday – Swimming (32.5 laps)
Wednesday – 1 hour elliptical
Thursday – Hour Walk with Dogs Along Lake James
Friday – Walk with Ryan and Dogs Along Lake James
Saturday – Lake Brandon Swimming for over an hour, Weight Lifting at Gym for an hour

To Week 30
Monday – Kayaking 3 hours
Wednesday – Elliptical 40 minutes
Thursday – Walking (To and From Car at Grandma’s House)
Friday – Walking (Route Across Bridge)
Saturday – Swimming 50 Laps, Walking (To and From Car at Grandma’s House)
Sunday – Walking (Craft Fair and To and From Car)

To Week 31
Monday – Elliptical 1 hour
Tuesday – Bicycle 1 hour
Wednesday – Bicycle 1 hour
Friday – Swimming – 1 hour 10 minute (34.5 laps)
Saturday – Walking (To and From Car at Grandma’s House), Grandma House Work
Sunday – Weight Lifting, Grandma House Work

To Week 32
Monday – Walking (Grandma’s House, Bridge)
Thursday – Elliptical – 1 hour
Friday – Bicycle – 1 hour
Saturday – Swimming (40.5 laps)
Sunday – Weight Lifting

To Week 33
Monday – Walking (Grandma’s House, Bridge)
Thursday – Walking (Tennis Courts to Larry’s one way)
Friday – Walking (Larry’s to Rachel’s and Back)
Saturday – Swimming – Sharks and Minnows with Kids
Sunday – 7.5 Mile 1200 Ascent Hike to McAfee’s Knob

To Week 34
Monday – Walking (Grandma’s House and Back)
Tuesday – Bike 1 hour. Level 17 2 miles, Level 15 2 miles.
Wednesday – 30 Minutes Bike and 30 Minutes Elliptical
Friday – One Hour on Elliptical
Saturday – 46 minute walk with the dogs (Across Bridge Loop plus Edgehill)
Sunday – 1 hour swimming (32.5 laps)

To Week 35
Monday – 50 Minutes Weight Lifting, Walking From Grandma’s (0.5 miles), Walking To and From Fireworks (~1 mile)
Wednesday – Walking to Post Office and then Car (~0.5miles)
Thursday – Bike 50 minutes
Friday – Walking Mount High Street with Dogs (29 minutes)
Saturday – 50 laps at pool, walking to Farmer’s Market and Back
Sunday – 4.3 mile hike in 90 degree heat, Walk Back from Grandma’s House after Parking Car

To Week 36
Tuesday – GAVE BIRTH

I am pleased with my activity level, but if you are looking for a role model who was substantially more active than I, check out One Fit Mom: Pregnancy, Cross Fit and the Paleo Diet.  She was one week ahead of me in her pregnancy and WAY more bad-ass.

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