Parenthood changes a lot of things. One thing I noticed was that I had less time for exercise, or so it seemed to me. A recent study I saw confirmed that my suspicions were correct and that I am not alone. The study also confirmed that the reasons I most often skipped my exercise times were also named by study participants. Those reasons (excuses) would be: lack of time, tiredness, and lack of child care options. Another reason for me: finances. With 5 children, I simply can’t justify spending the money I used to spend on a gym membership that I may or may not be able to use depending upon who has the stomach flu this week.

For a while, I was very depressed about the whole thing and critical of myself. I should be making the time and finding the money to do this for me! But the reality is that my husband travels frequently with work, and I am, for many days of the month, a single parent. In between homework and caring for the baby and driving the older children to their activities, there’s not a lot of time to devote to an exercise program.

I decided to try and think outside the box for a solution to my problem. Ok, so my life had changed, but that didn’t mean that I had to give up my life because of that. I just had to find a way to fit exercising into my daily life given my constraints on time, money, and energy. I found that while I just didn’t have the energy to do an energy charged aerobics workout anymore, I did like Tai Chi. Yoga was not only exercise, but it helped calm my nerves too! I found that Pilates workouts were wonderful too.

I discovered DVD’s for Pilates where you could squeeze a mini-workout into 10 minutes! It’s true that I couldn’t find an hour long block in my day to devote to exercising, but I could find a 10 minute segment! I have to admit that some days, I don’t even find the time for 10 minutes, but I’m working on it.

The best part of my new exercise routine is the cost. I can loan a DVD from the library for no cost and I can try a different routine each week if I choose to do so. I have purchased several DVD’s for my own collection, but they are still cheaper than a gym membership! I walk the children to school instead of driving them, and I try to be as active as I can during my daily routine. Just hauling laundry around for 7 people should count as exercise, right?

Not only am I exercising more, but my children are learning that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. They are also learning, just like I am, that sometimes we need to be creative when looking for solutions to our problems!

Yoga and Pilates are both great exercise options for pregnancy, and many gyms offer classes geared specifically toward pregnant women. Tailoring yoga specifically for pregnancy is important because some poses aren’t safe for pregnant women. These poses include ones that have you lie flat on your back, which decreases blood flow to the baby. Downward-facing poses, like the downward dog, crane pose, cobra pose; upward facing poses, such as the upward dog; and inverted poses; backbends; and poses requiring you to lay flat on your stomach should all be avoided.

Wait! Don’t give up on prenatal yoga because of that long list! If you practice yoga in your home, you can try a prenatal yoga video; this is an easy way to ensure you perform safe poses. In addition, it might shake up your regular routine enough to work new muscles you might not usually work.

There are similar precautions for performing Pilates while pregnant. As long as you avoid the positions described under the yoga section, Pilates offers pregnant women a great workout to exercise and strengthen core muscles, many of which suffer increased strain during pregnancy and labor. If you work with an exercise ball or a reformer, be extra cautious as your changing weight can throw off you balance, this is not a good time for falling.

Another point to consider while doing either Pilates or yoga is that your ligaments and tendons become more pliable during pregnancy, due to hormones, so it’s wise to be cautious of overstretching. Try working in a small range of motion, and consider focusing more on your breathing techniques during this time.

Although there is a lot to consider, Pilates and yoga are two excellent choices for exercise throughout your pregnancy; both are extremely tailorable to a variety of situations. Just ensure to discuss exercise routines with your doctor or midwife, and get help from trained professionals if you are not familiar with Pilates and yoga to begin with.

References:

http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesforeverybody/a/pregnancyBasics.htm

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