Fitness During a Second Pregnancy
So you’re pregnant, for the second time. You have one child to care for, and another one on the way. How do you maintain your fitness during a second pregnancy? Read Molly’s tips below!
Hi! My name is Molly and I have a one and a half year old son and a daughter due this fall. I am also a PhD student at Purdue and blog about my fitness and life experiences at joggingwithjack.com. Working and studying at a desk, I especially appreciate the time I make for body movement, and am fortunate to lead others in their pursuit of fitness and health as a an indoor cycle and TRX instructor.
Fitness during pregnancy is arguably more important than fitness at any time during your life. Many doctors claim that staying fit during pregnancy can lead to an easier delivery and quicker recover. Sign me up! Despite changes in my body and waffling energy levels during my first pregnancy, I was very focused on staying as much “like me” as possible and making fitness a priority.
A second pregnancy is different in many ways. Mainly, I am not as hyper-focused on myself and on being pregnant. I feel so much love for this baby, but often forget that I’m pregnant until I feel a kick. I can only image how much different third pregnancies and beyond feel!
With a toddler who demands as much attention as I will give him, I have fewer opportunities for downtime. I have found that making fitness a priority first thing in the morning makes me consistent and gives me more energy throughout the day. Sure, the 5:30 am wake-ups can be rough, but being able to start the day with some time of my own feels like a treat. I also take advantage of as much family active time as possible. My husband, son and I love to go for runs together (love that jogging stroller!), bring the TRX to the park to mix playtime with fitness time, and take the little one on the back of our bikes for evening bike rides. We all get some outside time and are showing our son that fitness is a fun part of our lives.
That being said, prenatal fitness the second (or third or fourth) time around might requires some adjustments. Here are my recommendations to make your fitness journey successful:
- Make your fitness a priority and set dates with yourself to meet your goals. Let your partner know about your goals so that you can get support as needed.
- Choose fitness activities that you enjoy and are a treat to yourself. If you’re going to be away from adorable little faces, it might as well be for something really fun.
- Involve your family. It might be easier to bring your little people along rather than arranging for outside care, plus they will likely have a great time sweating with you.
- Don’t be afraid to modify your activities as your body changes and your energy fluctuates – even if you didn’t have to the first time around. Runs starting to feel wonky the second trimester? Try an indoor cycle class for your cardio.
- Don’t look to set any new goals. This is good maintenance time until delivery or “race day”.
Happy and healthy pregnancy, fitness mamas!
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