Category: Pregnancy

Pregnancy

Navigating Pregnancy during COVID-19

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Navigating Pregnancy during COVID-19

Being pregnant is something that I’ve always looked forward to. Never in a million years did I think we would end up in a global pandemic during my first pregnancy. Has it ‘benefited’ me in certain ways? Sure. But has is also been a nightmare in certain ways? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Things that would usually be considered normal are simply no longer options. Husband coming to an OB appointment? Not allowed. Husband coming to an ultra sound? Not allowed. Birthing or parenting classes at your local hospital? Cancelled. Hospital tours? Cancelled. So many things are just plain different. Even having visitors at the hospital is questionable. I have time for things to change, but currently one support person is allowed and that is it. I am extremely grateful for this because I know some mamas have had to go without anyone earlier on.

Navigating through something so new during such an uncertain time has certainly had its challenges. I’ve mentioned before that I have my down days. It’s hard to feel completely lost, and without any resources to help. For instance, my hospital used to do ‘birth by design’ appointments where you could go in to work with someone in the birth center to make a birth plan, go over questions, they would show you around, etc. They are no longer doing this – and understandably so. But now I feel like I’m left to figure this out all on my own. I’ve seen a few pictures of the birthing area online, but otherwise don’t know what I’m walking into. Though, it’s not like I would be changing my mind and picking a different hospital post tour… It just seems so reassuring to sit with someone who does this every day to have that open conversation. I feel like I don’t even know what I should be thinking about. I’m sure I can find sample birth plans or templates online to help. But still… this is foreign!

It’s also a bit nerve-wracking to try to best prepare for the birthing/hospital experience when things can change at the drop of a hat. It just takes a re-tightening of the rules to completely change all of the restrictions that are currently in place. I’m a planner and like to be prepared, and it is so hard to do so when you don’t know what is to come. I guess that’s life. 🤷‍♀️

It’s also been hard to plan for family to get here. Of course my mom wants to be here for her new grand baby’s arrival! It’s just a bummer that flying isn’t the safest option right now, especially before being introduced to a newborn. Seattle to Denver is a quick 2 hour flight, but we would hate for her to have to self-quarantine for two weeks after getting here; that would defeat the purpose of coming early to help out! My doctor confirmed that driving would be safer as it poses less risk for exposure to others. Poor mom has to endure another 18 hour drive. 😭 She must really love me or something! 😉 I know we will make it work, and I know it will be great to have her here. I just wish it wasn’t such a headache to work it all out!

To end on a more positive note, while the pandemic has caused a tremendous amount of added stress and uncertainty to this time, it has allowed me to be at home, and truly take care of my body. Summer is normally an incredibly busy time for me at work, being wedding season. I spend many long days at work on my feet, and outdoors in the heat running around. Being home, I’ve been able to rest, fuel my body with healthy meal choices (usually 😂), and exercise at my convenience. I’ve been extremely lucky to have a pretty darn easy pregnancy so far. Though I don’t know how things would’ve turned out had I been working this whole time, I have to be grateful for how amazing I’ve felt, and the extra time I’ve had to focus on myself and this precious baby girl that will be joining us in just a few short weeks.

Hoping all of the other pregnant mama’s are hanging in there! We’ll all get through this and have some wild stories for these little ones once they arrive.

Laugh Often – Rachel

 

 

Pregnancy

32 week update

by Rachel Stoops2 Comments on 32 week update

Now that I am getting so far along in pregnancy, the changes are easier to notice. The aches and pains are setting in, and I just feel big.

I am fully aware that from here on out, I’ll only be growing more and getting more uncomfortable, and I am probably ‘small’ in comparison to the end result, but I figured if I documented every few weeks, I might be able to better remember everything I’m feeling!

On the more exciting side of things, I am starting to feel baby girl moving so much more. She must be running out of space in there. Up until the last week or so, I mainly felt her first thing in the morning if I could relax in bed after waking up, and again right before bed as I was laying down to relax for the night. I wasn’t sure if I just had a lazy baby, or if maybe when I was busy moving around most of the day I just wasn’t noticing her movements.

Now I’m noticing her way more throughout the day, whether it’s while I’m sitting in the car getting kicked (or punched) in the ribs, (that was a new and very different feeling to experience….), or just some rolling movements as she adjusts. The movements are also spreading out into all different places. I initially only felt little movements on the right side, but now they can be in the middle, left, up high, or down low. Mike and I are both tall, so I am expecting a long baby. Maybe she’s experimenting with stretching out finally. 😂

Also – hiccups!!! I feel like she gets them 1-2 times a day. It’s a faint little feeling, but very rhythmic and repetitive in comparison to the other movements. It’s just so cool!

It’s so fun to just focus on the movements when I feel them. Sometimes it will be a quick few and then she goes quiet again, and other times she will carry on for a bit; really moving and grooving. I wish I could see what she was doing in there!

On the not-so-fun side have been the new aches and pains. Over the last two weeks, the lower back pain has really started. Along with… groin pain? I’m not sure if that’s exactly what it is, but it is my best guess! The back pain has been most noticeable after a walk – not always immediately, but sometimes if I sit in one position for too long, then I pay for it. And the groin pain tends to be on workout days.

I’m sure my body is just not used to having all of this new weight pulling forward. It is an adjustment for sure! I have noticed that warm baths help, along with stretching. It’s never good for muscles to get too tight, and I can certainly feel it more now!

I would LOVE to go for a prenatal massage, or even a visit to the chiropractor. I’m just not sure how safe I feel doing those right now. Oh well – a girl can dream.

OB appointments are every two weeks now. We are really starting to get into the nitty-gritty; talking about labor now! It always felt so far away, but I guess it is just around the corner. 😳

32 weeks

Here’s to two months left!

Laugh Often – Rachel

 

Pregnancy

Stretch Mark Prevention during Pregnancy

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Stretch Mark Prevention during Pregnancy

Stretch marks seem to be a huge topic/fear during pregnancy. Just one of the many side effects that comes along with growing a perfect little human! While many people say they are genetic and can’t truly be prevented, I think everyone *tries* to avoid them. Plus, I don’t think there’s a downside to moisturizing!

Some things that I’ve been trying so far are:

Burt’s Bee’s Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil. First of all this smells SO good – like fresh lemony goodness. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not big on scented products, but this is something that hasn’t bothered me so far. The bottles are fairly small, but so worth it in my opinion! I tend to focus this product mostly around my hips (for now) because I feel like there’s got to be some stretching going on around there. This is in hopes of making the product last a bit longer. As I grow, I’m sure I’ll start using it more generously. This day is quickly approaching. 😂

Burt’s Bee’s also does a Belly Butter that I purchased as well, but don’t use as often just yet. I’m sure I will go through this too, but just like to get use of everything!

burts bees

I also love this stretch mark cream. It was actually gifted to me from a dear friend. It also smells DIVINE. I typically use this more on my belly after the Burt’s Bee’s Oil for extra protection.

stretch mark cream

In the shower/tub I’ve been using Bioderma Shower Oil. This is something you put on while in the shower or bath, and then rinse off. This is a pretty big bottle, so you can be very generous with application! I feel like it really helps to lock in that moisture.

My typical everyday lotion is the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. I’ve always found it to be very gentle, yet moisturizing for my very sensitive skin. It doesn’t have any weird greasy feeling, and I’ve used this for years. This can be used anywhere, but I tend to use it on my legs (especially after shaving), arms, hands, etc.

I’ve also recently purchased the Palmer’s Coconut Oil Body Lotion, as another option. This one is thick and takes some extra effort to get rubbed in all the way, but I assume that’s a good sign!

stretch mark collection

I wanted to be able to have a variety of products to use that way my skin wasn’t getting too used to one product and clogging pores. These really leave me feeling nice and moisturized, almost like a post spa experience, but without feeling overly oily.

I’ll be honest, I don’t apply these every single day, but aim for a few days a week at least. Hoping it helps, but if I end up covered in stretch marks, then so-be-it. My body grew a tiny little miracle, and stretch marks are just trophies for creating life. Truly something to be proud of mamas!

Laugh Often – Rachel

 

 

Pregnancy

Glucose Test Part 2

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Glucose Test Part 2

After the dreaded call that I failed the one hour gestational diabetes test, I was determined to get part 2 over with as soon as possible. I was a little bit more nervous for this part, because it does involve fasting and drinking that sugary delight on an empty stomach. 😝

The call came in on Thursday afternoon, so I decided to go first thing Friday morning. The lab opened at 7:30 am, and I wanted to be there right around then. I walked into the hospital dawning my favorite mask, to a temperature check, which has now become the norm (thanks COVID!). There was already a short line forming at the lab door. I was one of those people. 😂

I got all checked in and was ready for my fasting blood draw – the first of four. The lab tech explained how the process would look for the three hours, and then we began. After the first blood draw, she gave me my drink to again sip down in 5 minutes or less. This time I was offered orange or fruit punch and went with orange. The drink for the longer test has even more sugar, so it tasted a bit thicker, but again, just like a flat orange soda. Not terrible.

I then headed out to the waiting room to start my first hour wait. The first hour was probably the hardest. I had moments of nausea and dizziness, but tried to focus my mind elsewhere. Wearing a mask didn’t help these feelings, making it a bit harder to breath, and I felt warm. Luckily it would only come and go, and eventually passed. I couldn’t help but think the worst: what if I vomit and void this whole test?!

I downloaded Netflix episodes onto my phone to keep me busy during my wait, and set my alarm for about 55 minutes, so I could head back in time for the next blood draw.

My alarm went off, and I was back for blood draw number 2! Back and forth I went for those three hours. After hour two the tech asked what I was planning for lunch afterwards. Must be a common topic among pregnant ladies during this test. 😂

Once my alarm went off for that third time, I was so happy to be finishing up! I’ve never wanted someone to draw my blood so badly. I survived!!!

I packed some snacks in the car, assuming I would be starving after this. Peanut butter crackers came in clutch. Normally I reward myself with Chick fil A after leaving the hospital because it is right across the street. But, in the event that I did indeed have gestational diabetes, I decided maybe I should go for something just a little bit healthier? Luckily there is also a Panera nearby, so I went with a salad.

Again, to my surprise, I felt pretty ‘normal’ after the test. No headache, and any dizziness had passed earlier on. I was able to have sips of water during my wait, so that helped with the dryness in my mouth. As soon as I left the lab, I chugged the rest of the bottle. I’m sure eating a nutritious meal immediately following also helped with avoiding any unpleasant feeling for the remainder of the day.

I did take it easy for a bit after lunch and snuggled with the dogs, but then did a solid prenatal workout later than afternoon!

I assumed because I took the test on a Friday that I would have to wait all the way until Monday to receive the results. How was I not going to think about this all weekend long? Luckily by mid-morning on Saturday, I had an email notification that new test results were in my portal. I have never been more nervous to click on test results in my life. 😂

I PASSED!!!!! All four draws were under where they needed to be, and I was so relieved.

It seems fairly common to fail that one hour test, so if I’ve learned anything, it’s not to freak out about that for next time. 😉

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Apps

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Pregnancy Apps

The second I got that positive pregnancy test, I was on the hunt for the perfect pregnancy tracking apps. I downloaded a ton to see which ones I liked the best, and ended up keeping a couple.

My very favorite is the Ovia Pregnancy App. As many do, this one tracks how far along you are, lets you know what fruit your baby is the size of (😂), gives you daily updates on how your baby is developing, and also allows you to input a variety of information to track symptoms, weight, feelings, etc.

My favorite is at the start of a new week, you get a longer explanation of what’s going on and it is always so fun to read.

I found this app to be the most user-friendly, and easy to browse. It has a number of useful tools such as a kick counter, contraction timer, food safety look up, and medication safety lookup, among other.

It also has a community tab, where you or other mamas can post questions with a poll, and space for answers/comments. People ask questions from symptoms they’re experiencing, to baby name advice, dinner ideas, and more. I find myself scrolling through there in my free time, answering polls. It’s fun to see if others are experiencing the same things as you. It can also be plain entertaining… some of those questions… 😳

Another favorite is Baby Center. This one felt a bit harder to navigate for me, but maybe I just need to play around with it a little bit more. It also offers the weekly updates, fruit/veggie size, fun facts about baby, etc.

I don’t find myself in this app quite as much, though it does have some similar tools to take advantage of, and a fun section: ‘Bumpie’ where you can upload a weekly bump photo and add the little fruit icons to it. I have been utilizing this, and it’s fun to look through!

I do really like the community section of this app a lot. It’s called Birth Club in this one, so it puts you in a group with other moms due the same month as you. I really appreciate this because we are all generally at the same point in pregnancy, so often going through the same things. For example, you could tell when everyone hit the third trimester and were posting about the glucose test. It really helped to put me at ease because these were questions that were running through my mind as well, but were already posted with plenty of comments with others experiences.

I also have the What to Expect app, but really only find myself checking in at the start of a new week to see if there is any different information or fun facts that I might have missed in the others.

Are there any apps that you’ve loved and I am missing? There are so many great resources out there – it can be hard to find them all!

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

The dreaded glucose test – 28 weeks!

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on The dreaded glucose test – 28 weeks!

I have officially survived the dreaded glucose test!!! And I am here to report that it is nowhere near as bad as everyone makes it seem……… I’m still not sure what all the fuss was about.

At my 24 week appointment I was given my little bottle of Glucola to take home to refrigerate before the 28 week appointment. The options were fruit punch, orange, or lemon lime. I chose lemon lime. Should be like flat Sprite; right?

It stared at me every time I opened the fridge for four whole weeks. As the day grew nearer, I was so nervous! I kept googling how to prepare, what to eat for breakfast beforehand, etc.

I tried to eat pretty healthily the day before. Nothing crazy, just not too much added sugar. The morning of, I set my alarm for 7am, and got up to make scrambled eggs. Just two plain old scrambled eggs. The thought of drinking something sugary on a completely empty stomach, sounded nauseating. I also had some ice water as usual. Then, went about my getting ready routine/typical morning.

9:15 am was when I needed to drink this wonderful beverage (45 minutes before my appointment). I sipped it down – making sure not to chug as I didn’t want to induce any unnecessary nausea. You are supposed to finish within 5 minutes, and I think I took about 3 minutes.

I then waited until it was time to leave, and proceeded to my appointment. I met with my OB, and then had my blood drawn exactly one hour after finishing the drink.

To my pleasant surprise, I didn’t feel too terrible after the beverage/blood draw. I assumed I would feel light headed/dizzy, or have a bad headache, but neither was the case! Moral of the story: don’t listen to the horror stories that are out there. 😂

The nervous wait was now on to receive the much anticipated results…

Annnnnnd I failed by 3 points. 3. freaking. points. What a disappointment! After all of my friends and family reassuring me that it would come out just fine because I’m a generally healthy person; boy were we all wrong.

Stay tuned for part 2: the three hour glucose test!

In the meantime… hello third trimester! I cannot believe we are nearing the finish line. The feelings of excitement, terror, nerves, joy, and all of the unknown is upon us.

28 weeks

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Skin Care

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Pregnancy Skin Care

Something that I’ve failed to mention so far: my skin has been a nightmare! Okay – I am probably being dramatic here. It could be so much worse, but for me it’s bad!

I have always had dry skin. And when I say dry skin, I mean like eczema status, dry patches. I have always gone for the richest, creamiest, most moisturizing of face lotions, that still barely keep my face moisturized for more than 5 minutes. I quickly realized that my skin is changing, and this is too much for me.

I’ve also realized that I need to wash my face a whole lot more now. I might be gross, but I have never been a wash my face when I wake up and before bed type of person. Morning was always just about moisturizing for the day, and night time, I would typically just remove my makeup with wipes, and only truly wash my face on the nights I was taking a full shower. In hindsight… I’m starting to think I’m gross.

Being away from work has helped in that I no longer wear makeup daily. I’ve been doing my makeup about once a week (for picture day 😂). I’ll sometimes do it a second time if I have an appointment, maybe for a FaceTime call, or if I just want to feel extra pretty – because let’s be real; I have no where to go!

It’s also a huge bummer that most acne fighting products that you would normally lean toward are frowned upon during pregnancy. You’re stuck with pairing mild product upon mild product, and hoping for the best in a fight against crazy pregnancy hormones.

The face wash I’ve turned to is the Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser. I don’t entirely remember how I came across this one, but probably was searching for sensitive skin, combination skin, and pregnancy safe. Plus I have a love of foaming soaps. 🤷‍♀️

After face wash, I’ve started using a facial toner. I have two that I like and switch back and forth between – they seem to be pretty similar. The first is Thayer’s Witch Hazel Facial Toner. I go with the unscented one (because hello sensitive skin!), but upon perusing Amazon, I’m intrigued by all the different options they have! The second is Clean Beauty Witch Hazel Facial Toner. This one has apple cider vinegar which I thought sounded interesting! I believe I found both of these at TJ Maxx. I always peek through their skincare/beauty section to see what looks good. The only problem is that it can be hard to find the same product again if you love it! Thank goodness for online shopping! Especially during this pandemic…

The cool thing about the toner is that you can see how much product your wipes or face wash left behind! Adding this step seems to crucial now in getting all that gunk off your face!

For face lotion I also turned to Cetaphil – Daily Hydrating Lotion. It’s very gentle and doesn’t seem too thick. I am so far liking it. Again, I am a huge pro of fragrance free products, especially on my face.

For any super dry patches that might pop up, and ALWAYS for my lips, I swear by Aquaphor. Yes – the straight up ointment. I’ve tried their lip products, but didn’t find them moisturizing enough for me. This you can pop on in the morning (almost like a lip gloss), and it lasts well into the day. I love these little tubes, because they are easy to throw in your purse.

Lastly, the makeup wipes I’ve been loving for a long, long time are the Simple for Sensitive Skin Face Cleansing Wipes. As I’ve admitted earlier – I still recommend washing your face afterwards, or using a toner to get any leftovers off, but these do a really great job at getting mascara off (and yes I love to layer mascara on 😂), along with the rest of the makeup that I paint on. I will usually do a quick wipe with these before getting in the shower especially just to make the face wash a little more helpful. 😊

skin care

This whole skin care journey is kind of new to me. I’m hopeful that it’s simply a pregnancy phase, and will clear afterwards, but who knows? I worked really diligently to take great care of my face, and was seeing daily improvement to the point where it was *almost* gone, but it is back with a vengeance! My chin seems to be my biggest problem area, and it can go along my jaw line and up onto my cheeks as well.

I’ve also been trying to wash my pillowcases more frequently to see if that will help. Now that I’m supposed to sleep on my side, my face is constantly pressed into my pillows. I was team back-sleeper pre-pregnancy.

Here’s to hoping for clear skin ahead! Or not…

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

2nd Trimester Wrap Up

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on 2nd Trimester Wrap Up

Bump Pics – As of 16 weeks, I have officially been consistent with taking my weekly ‘bump-dates’! All thanks to my trusty photographer (husband 😇 – he is SO professional and complains every time 😂). I picked just a few because man this second trimester is long!

17 weeks

Cravings/Aversions – I definitely jumped on the pickle train in the second trimester. So cliche; right? I was going through jars of pickles and we couldn’t get to the grocery store enough in quarantine to keep up with the demand. 😂 We finally put in a delivery order with Costco and I got a two pack to hold me over. Photo below for reference – this was a LOT of pickles. One jar successfully down and working on #2. I’m sad to say I don’t eat pickles daily anymore… but we sure have enough! Also they HAVE to be the baby dills. Small, crispy, and so refreshing!!

pickles

I still don’t have a ton of crazy cravings though. It’s more if someone mentions something and it sounds good, then I will really want it. Things don’t just pop into my head. And no weird combos. I’ve been loving blueberries and have some with breakfast every morning. I was doing blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries for a while, but kept getting moldy blackberries – UGH!!! So now it’s just been blueberries and strawberries.

My guilty pleasure is cookie dough… also from Costco. It’s vegan so you can eat it raw, but you can certainly make cookies out of it. I don’t know if I should be proud or ashamed to say that I devoured the whole bucket without baking any cookies. In my defense, I ate it over 3 months so that’s not soooo bad right? 😂😳😋 IT IS JUST.SO.GOOD.

cookie dough

Sticking to the unhealthy side of indulgences, you also can’t go wrong with extra toasty cheez its, or sour patch watermelon. Just sayin’…

Body Changes – My body is a changin’! The bump has become a bump, albeit some days seemingly small. I’m still waiting for it to become that perfectly round, basketball under the shirt, looking bump. I just want to be a cute pregnant lady! Though as you can finally see in the week 27 photo – I think it is starting to pop out!

Okay every pregnant lady is beautiful. But it is SO hard not to compare your body to others. Does body image need to be its own post? Probably. But to keep things short, it is so hard to look at pictures of other bumps and not compare. But bodies are all so different and we are growing a tiny little human life!

I try to weigh myself once a week, maximum. It’s hard not to obsess over that number that is constantly rising. It’s scary! I did find a pregnancy weight gain calculator that lets you type in your stats, and tells you if you are within normal weight gain range. Again, I know it is completely fine to be outside of this, but it gives me piece of mind that I’m on track (for now).

In all reality whether I end up gaining 25 pounds or 100 pounds, all that really matters is having a happy and healthy baby, and a happy and healthy mama. 😘

Symptoms – I am lucky to still feel really good most of the time! Some days I’m exhausted by the end of the day, but I think this is to be expected.

Some aches and pains are starting to show up, but again pretty minimal and nothing a warm bubble bath can’t solve. This is the absolute best way to unwind after a long day. So relaxing.

Getting in and out of bed is proving to get harder. I find myself groaning on occasion. 😂 Even something as simple as rolling over in bed can be a challenge, and I know it is only going to get worse as I continue to grow.

Baby kicks are still far and few between. Every time they start getting stronger, she seems to reposition herself and they are super faint again. She must have found a hidden cave in there or something. 😂

There was one week that I could feel the kicks on the lower right side of my belly, so I would rest my hand there to feel them. One day I could even visually see the kick, and quickly called Mike over and he got to see one too. This was literally the coolest thing ever, but has only happened that one time. I can’t wait for this to be an every day thing!

The second trimester has been another enjoyable one! Looking forward to the last leg, and what I’m sure will feel like the longest yet!

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

Nursery Furniture

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Nursery Furniture

I got so lucky and happened to pop on Target’s website over Memorial Day Weekend to find that they were offering a $40 gift card if you spent $250 on baby furniture!

I was planning to get my crib and dresser from Target, so figured this would be the best opportunity. After all, who knows when that offer may come up again.

I ordered each piece individually to get multiple gift cards. Is this cheating the system? Probably… but heck! I was spending some money! I ordered the crib, followed by the dresser.

The rest of my baby registry was on Amazon – with the only other piece of furniture being a glider. I did a quick search on Target to find that they had the very same chair available at the same price! You better bet I bought this from Target too for yet another gift card!

This was my first big purchase for baby. My poor, poor credit card needed to be put away after these purchases. 😂 But I was so excited for them to arrive!

We had been working on painting the nursery, so I decided it was okay to order furniture now to fill the space. It had just been an empty room for so long now. Making it feel more ‘baby’ made the excitement SO REAL.

The dresser was the first to arrive. Mike and I assembled it in no time and didn’t even yell at each other!

Delta Children Farmhouse 3 Drawer Dresser with Changing Top

dresser

The dresser/changing table was the one thing I went back and forth on the most. We were fairly concerned about finding something that would be tall enough to comfortably change diapers on. Mike and I are both tall, and didn’t want to be bending uncomfortably, especially during those middle of the night, sleep deprived changes. Upon arrival, it seems like this one will be just fine!

Next came the glider – no assembly required!

DaVinci Olive Glider and Ottoman

glider

As you can see – the dogs already approve!

Last was the crib. Don’t you hate when you get that out for delivery notification, and it takes alllllllll day to arrive? It said it would arrive by 9pm, and sure enough at 8pm – there it was.

Delta Children Farmhouse 6-in-1 Convertible Crib

crib

So many great options, and after reading what felt like hundreds of reviews, these were my choices! So far things are looking great and the nursery is coming together.

Aside from this, the nursery is still a work in progress. I have commitment issues when it comes to decor so I am on a pause (and also to help my wallet 😂). I will definitely be posting photos of a more completed nursery down the road. 😊

Laugh Often – Rachel

Pregnancy

Health & Fitness During Pregnancy

by Rachel StoopsLeave a Comment on Health & Fitness During Pregnancy

I’ve made it a goal to stay active during pregnancy. Being furloughed from work has certainly made it easier, having immense amounts of free time. I really don’t have an excuse to not do something active each day, but to be totally honest – it doesn’t happen every single day. And that’s okay.

I’ve been pretty consistent with 4-5 days per week of doing either a workout or a walk; sometimes both. There have been days that I haven’t wanted to get out of bed. It can be hard to be stuck inside, with seemingly no light at the end of this tunnel. But I’ve found that on the days I give in and lay in bed watching tv for half of the day, I stay in that slump and find it much harder to kick.

Waking up at a decent time, having a good breakfast, and getting a workout in early seems to make for the best of days. And then I have the rest of the day to do whatever I please!

YouTube has been a great source for finding fun workouts and has a plethora of options. It all started with wanting to keep my core tight, so I searched prenatal core workouts. I first found FIT by Larie and her 20 Minute Prenatal Core Workout. I loved this one because not only did she target the core (mostly obliques to make it safe), but she added in some bonus booty which I always appreciate! She also has some great HIIT workouts if you’re feeling up to it, or some lower impact options.

Shortly after I was searching prenatal workouts just to see what was out there and stumbled upon Body Fit by Amy. I instantly fell in love. 😂 She has so many workouts to choose from – many of her prenatal workouts are filmed while she is pregnant, so I always feel I can relate and keep up with her pace. She has some videos by trimester, and others are more general, but I can always find something fun to try! I almost have too many videos that I love to mention! A recent favorite was the Full Body Soup Can Workout – who knew soup cans could add so much of a challenge?! This is not prenatal specific, but she always makes sure to offer modifications to stay safe for all fitness levels. Prenatal Bodyweight Tabata was another one I really enjoyed – this format is great because it moves quickly and if one of the moves is hard, you know you’re almost done and won’t have to come back to it. 😂 A few other mentions that I find myself repeating are standing pilates, prenatal core, and cardio kickboxing. But check out her page because there are SO many great option, and plenty for non-pregnant mamas too! I hope to continue her workouts postpartum and beyond. She also has the best personality and positive attitude – you can’t leave her workouts unhappy!

A third favorite mention is GlowBodyPT. I started with her Prenatal Cardio Workout. It was hard. She goes pretty quickly and after I finished I remember telling myself I’d never do that again. 😂 A week or so later, I gave it another shot and found myself keeping up with her much better! I actually enjoyed it! So it’s been on repeat. It’s quick, but gets you moving. I also love her Low Impact Legs & Booty Workout – she has a handful of great thigh/booty workouts. I do like that she has videos targeting specific muscle groups/issues – such as your muffin top or saddlebags! Another favorite is the Prenatal Calf Shredder Workout. The first time I did this one I couldn’t walk for two days afterwards.  😂 Now I’m not so sore from it, but still feel a good burn.

Because many of these videos are quick, I tend to do about 4-5 for around an hour of a workout. I’ll usually start with one of the cardio options or tabata/hiit – something full body that really gets my heart rate up. These also tend to be on the longer side (sometimes). Then I’ll move to focusing on the core or booty, and the lower impact videos for some strength training. It’s worked really well and I always feel so accomplished afterwards! Not to mention it makes me want to eat healthier after my hard work!

workout
Featuring makeup-less Rachel 😂 26+ weeks

Our living room has turned into my mini home gym. 😂 We actually have quite a bit of workout equipment down in the basement and plenty of space, but I prefer to be on the main level with the bigger tv and some light of day coming in.

Laugh Often – Rachel