Before I got pregnant with Daniel & Rebecca, I was working out somewhat regularly with a personal trainer. But between the miscarriage and the specter of a high-risk twin pregnancy, I was quickly spooked and did not exercise a single time while I was pregnant.

On the one hand, I can’t really say I regret the fact that I was very physically cautious during my last pregnancy.  I took it easy on stairs, stopped doing the grocery shopping and hauling the laundry to the basement, rested when I could, etc.. I felt like I listened to my body.  And while I obviously can’t prove any kind of direct causality, I was never threatened with bedrest or any other restrictions, so I won’t complain.

The down side of that, obviously, is that I was completely sedentary. Out of shape. Achy. Weak. So very uncomfortable for my entire pregnancy, and so physically unprepared for carrying two infants around. It took me more than two years to get into a regular exercise routine and lose the pregnancy weight.  I didn’t want to drop it all the moment I got pregnant again.  This first trimester, though, almost did me in.

From the very first weeks of this pregnancy, I realized I had to stop running.  Running is, for me, the most intense exercise I can get.  Even after months of regular running, it was still incredibly hard for me, even at my slow pace and relatively short distances.  The heat and humidity of summer hit, and I suddenly realized how much I actually liked running in 20-degree weather in January.  That, combined with the exhaustion that is my one major pregnancy symptom, and I was all done.  It didn’t just feel hard, it felt awful.  Not worth it.

Even without running, the heat, exhaustion, and general routine upheaval of the summer meant I exercised once or twice in about 3 or 4 weeks.  If that.  But somehow I managed to convince myself to crawl back.  Not only was I determined to cling to my exercise routine, but I gave myself permission to feel good about each thing I did, even if it had been three weeks since I last did anything at all.  Every day of exercise, I tell myself, is one more day that I didn’t do last time.

So, I’m back in a routine, more or less.  At the moment, it’s Spinning and Yoga.  The teacher I like does Spinning three days a week, and there are two Yoga classes a week that work for my schedule (one Hatha, one Prenatal, soon to be both Prenatal).  I don’t generally manage all five of those days, but I try to do at least three.  And some weeks, it doesn’t happen. But I drag my ass back the next week.

Why am I doing all of this? I certainly don’t harbor any illusions about being that svelte little pregnant girl with the basketball belly. (HAHAHAHAHA)  I will always be the one who turns into a small beluga whale during pregnancy, and my current eating habits are doing nothing to alleviate that. Whatever.  If, as a result of the exercise, I end up putting on fewer pounds than I might otherwise have done, great.  If not, ah well.  I can blame the ice cream.

No, mostly I just want to keep everything moving for as long as I can.  Try not to let the muscles atrophy, try to keep the heart pumping, try to prevent the joints from becoming too stiff.  It’s already getting hard. I wear a heart rate monitor to Spinning and have had to cut WAY back on the intensity.  That bike seat is less and less comfortable on the pregnancy-modified lady parts (ouch).  But still, I go. This morning, I was about 60 seconds from taking a nap on my couch instead of hitting the gym. But my head laid down right next to my socks and towel, and I sat up and dragged my tired self out of the house and off to class.  I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to stick with it, but I’m going to keep going until I just can’t anymore.

The yoga is a new addition to my routine. I had always liked it when I tried it, periodically, but never added it to my previous weight-loss-focused routine, because I was so fixated on cardio and burning calories.  But now, it’s great. I’m still moving, I still break a sweat.  But it also gets me to stretch and work the supporting muscles that Spinning doesn’t really get into.  And with the prenatal classes, I know I can safely keep going for as long as I’m still upright.

So, that’s where I am today. 19 weeks more exercise than I got last time, and counting.  Hoping to keep moving as long as I can. Hoping to be able to get back on the wagon without too much of a delay after this baby arrives. Hoping it won’t take two years this time.

Anyone have any good (or bad) pregnancy exercise stories to share?