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Hey mamas!

This month I’m turning the focus to one of my favorite topics, fitness. I’ve been a Lululemon loving, gym-going, group fitness class gal for a very long time now. Working out was a daily practice before I was pregnant, while I was pregnant, and as soon as I was doctor approved post-pregnancy. I teach a cardio & sculpt class at a local studio and plan to get certified in postpartum instruction as well. All of that to say, hang onto your hats ladies, I’m about to totally nerd out on this one.

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Before we dig in, let’s clear the air around a few things. First, everyone’s experience with fitness is different. I know some of you may love it like I do and many of you may absolutely hate it. Likewise, your experience with pregnancy weight gain and loss is going to be very personal. I’m happy to share mine but by no means am here to prescribe any direction other than the one that makes you feel your best.

I gained 30 lbs with Libby and ended up in bed rest for the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy. That, plus the 6 weeks after delivery were the longest I had gone without exercise since high school. It was emotionally taxing and it made me very nervous to get back into exercising once it was doctor approved. I slowly eased my way back in with the help of all the suggestions I list in this newsletter. As I regained my confidence, I increased the intensity of my workouts and ultimately, worked my way back to feeling even stronger than I did before I was pregnant. It was a process, one that took months (a year!) but I feel great about the journey.

If you have specific questions about my workout program, nutrition plan, or anything else fitness related, hit reply and ask away. Otherwise, I hope you find this newsletter helpful in getting you back to feeling excited about working out as a new mama.
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P.S. I also have a totally unrelated free download at the end. I’ve had this thing in my files and simply wanted to share!

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APPS & WEBSITES

When the big C word hit, I, like many, had to quit going to the gym and find alternative methods of working out. I had already dabbled in using workout apps but this sudden change put my dabbling into overdrive. I’ve experimented with many and, when it came to choosing the best ones to ease back into postpartum fitness, there were a few that rose to the top.

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​Sweat​

If you were ever a BBG Girl working out with Kayla Itsines, then you might be familiar with the Sweat App. It features Kayla along with a few other instructors and offers 12 week long programs you can follow along with. One of these programs is Kayla’s 12 week postpartum plan. This was the first fitness program I used when I was approved to start working out again after delivering Libby. It had been the longest I hadn’t worked out in years and I was very nervous about getting back into the swing of things. Kayla’s program made it feel very very doable. The routines start out extremely simple, modestly progress each week, and have a focus on strengthening your pelvic floor. After you complete these 12 weeks you’ll have worked up enough strength and endurance to begin her regular 12 week routine. From my experience, Kayla’s workouts are some of the absolute best for getting you into great shape.

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​FitOn​

This is an app I discovered during the pandemic and it quickly became a favorite. In the early stages of my pregnancy I was able to keep up with the HIIT and cardio classes that I typically turn to. As I moved into my 3rd trimester, I transitioned to prenatal classes taught by instructors who were pregnant themselves. The classes offer the right amount of challenge when you’re toting around the added weight of a growing baby. They also offer postpartum classes though I didn’t dabble in these as I was committed to the Sweat program. An added bonus of this app is that it’s absolutely free. You can upgrade to get bonus features like premium music and meal plans but it’s not at all necessary.

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​The Bloom Method​

I only recently discovered this website and wish I would have known about it sooner. The Bloom Method is dedicated to providing on demand workouts for mamas at every stage of pregnancy. They also offer access to pelvic floor therapists to help with questions and healing.

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​Every Mother​

On that note, another site I wish I would have known about sooner is Every Mother. This website is all about helping mamas heal their core and pelvic floor postpartum. They do this through a variety of exercise programs that address specific issues like diastasis recti, pelvic pain, and c-section recovery.

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​Fit4Mom​

As much as I enjoy working out with my apps, I also found that I was craving a workout community that I could meet up with in-person. After a bit of research I discovered Fit4Mom. Heard of Stroller Strides? This is the brand behind that. They actually offer a variety of group fitness classes for moms including running, barre, conditioning and more. It’s a franchise model which means there are local groups across the country all operated by local moms. The website homepage has a location finder so you can easily search for a group in your area.

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GEAR

Clothing

​Blanqi has probably targeted you at some point during your pregnancy. The brand creates supportwear for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. I bought a few pairs of their leggings and sportsbra-like nursing bras and let’s just say, 18 months later, you can still find me working out in them. I love the colors and styles which don’t come across like maternity clothing and the support for both the tops and bottoms is great. Bonus - you can pretty much always find items on sale. Right now they're offering 40% leggings!

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Underwear

If you’re like me, one of the barriers to getting back to exercise after delivering was simply the fact that I could not stop peeing on myself (sorry TMI!). I had a relatively smooth birth but my pelvic floor muscles were shot. Running and jumping were out of the question unless I planned to wear bulky pads, which let’s be honest, are not cute under compression leggings. With time and the incorporation of pelvic floor exercises into my routine, things eventually resolved themselves but somewhere along the way I rediscovered the period panty. A few brands make them including these FSA approved ones: Proof, Thinx and The Period Company. The underwear is designed to stop leaks so it serves really well when you’re easing back into exercise and things are a little unpredictable.

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Weights

You guys, I know I’m a little late to the party on this one but I fell in love with Bala in my postpartum fitness journey. They make very cute workout accessories like weighted bands, bars, mats, and yoga blocks. My intro into the brand was a pair of 1 lb bands that can function as arm or leg weights. At some point I realized that the simple act of being a mom is a ridiculously good workout (just thinking about all of the running, jumping, carrying & pushing). That said, if you really want to kick things up a notch, strap on these bands while going about your normal routine. Your stroller walk will leave you sweaty, carrying the baby will become the best arm toner imaginable, and added to the diaper bag, you’ve got a serious heart pumping challenge on your hands.

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Carrier

While scrolling TikTok one day, a video of moms exercising with babies strapped to their chest showed up in my feed. They were in a group fitness class and, let me tell you, the class looked so challenging. It was the first time I’d considered that you could get in an honestly good workout with the baby in toe. All you need is a good baby carrier to make it happen. We have the Ergobaby 360 and love it. Besides that, I’ll link to a few Youtube channels that offer classes you can follow along with. Baby hangs out or sleeps on your chest, you get a great workout in, it’s a win win.

• ​Pregnancy & Postpartum TV​
• ​CariFit​
• ​Fit with Sally​

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FREEBIE

I remember one doctor's visit where our pediatrician began running down a long list of things I was supposed to be doing for Libby every day. It felt like over night the daily to-dos had exponentially grow. The idea of trying to remember everything without dropping the ball felt daunting. To make life a little easier I created a daily checklist to remind myself of all of the tasks that needed to be taken care of between nap and play time. You can access an editable version here. It's a simple tool but sometimes those can be the most helpful! I hope this one is for you.

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Missed previous newsletters? You can find the archive here.​

• November (nanny job descriptions, checklists, photography, books)
• December (travel tips part 1)
• January (travel tips part 2)
• February (3rd trimester & postpartum)
• March (all things naps)
• April (babysitters)

Looking for all the resources in one place?

• ​Newsletter resources folder​
• ​My Amazon shop

Do you know mamas who would love this newsletter? Send me their email and I’ll add them to the list!
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Got a tip / tool / document you want to share? Email me and I’ll loop it into a future newsletter.

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Thanks mamas!
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Jen

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