How Your Fitness Habit Can Make You a Labor & Delivery MVP
It’s an overly simplistic metaphor, but giving birth isn’t all that different from athletic endeavors you’ve already tried.
If you’ve ever completed a half marathon, a triathlon, adventure race, or even just a really challenging workout class, it took:
Sweat equity. You put in physical work while you were there.
Mental perseverance. You get to a point - mile 10, or squat #237 - where you think “I can’t do this. This is insane.” But you can’t just stop on the side of the road and wait for a race marshal to pick you up or walk out of that hot yoga class 20 minutes early.
Success, endorphins, and exhaustion. You reach the end, you’re hit with a rush of pride and relief and disbelief and joy...and complete and total physical exhaustion.
Recovery. You spend a couple days fighting muscle soreness, maybe some small injuries. And then you begin to feel better and live to do it all again, or at least tell the tale!
Go back. Read that list again.
Sound a little like labor and delivery?
Practicing this cycle - sweat, perseverance, success - before we actually give birth will make us more resilient, better at coping with the physically, mentally, emotionally, and logistically tough situation that is labor and delivery.
How can you practice sweat, perseverance, success before heading to the hospital?
Keeping up with your fitness routine is a great way to do this. Each time you hit a spin class or drag yourself to bootcamp, you’re got an easy and complete way to practice the sweat, perseverance, success mentality that will get you through giving birth!
*Of course, it’s important to discuss your exercise plans with your primary care provider before beginning or continuing any fitness routine during pregnancy.