Weeks 2 - 4
I was feeling so tired I thought I was coming down with something, falling asleep by 8pm on the sofa leaving jobs unfinished very unlike me little miss potter!!
I felt hungry and sick and craved sugary drinks not my normal water it had to have sweetness to it.
I wanted comfort food like mashed potato and toast with butter not my usual healthy diet and not my usual control it was like something was taking over.
So I did a pregnancy test on the 6 day of missing my period I waited 6 days because the month before I had been 10 days late then had a suspected miscarriage so I couldn’t bear the thought of getting excited again and then the let down if it said not pregnant and although I had all the symptoms you start to think they are in your head as the months before trying I’d think “I feel sick this month” I must be or “I feel tired I must be” you drive yourself insane!!!
But it was with a sense of euphoria this time we found out we were pregnant and 5 pregnancy tests later it actually started to sink in.
I called my husband to tell him the news and he was delighted but at this stage there are no clear physical signs just feelings so it’s hard to believe you are and seems such a long way to that scan date at week 12-13.
I just continued to feel tired, hungry and my breasts were so sore mainly the nipples.
For the next 2 weeks life became an effort. I gained 0.8kg in weight and just found my job harder.
Weeks 4 - 8
I noticed at this stage that my energy level had increased and I was able to do more physically without feeling so drained.
So I carried no teaching my classes Insanity, Body Attack, Body Combat, Body Pump, Core and Yoga Flexibility as I had been but I just made sure I only taught 1 cardio class a day at any kind of intensity.
I knew my body was used to working at such extremes and teaching is much harder than participating as you’re talking the whole way through but I just reduced the amount of times I did this a day so I could enjoy that 1 class and so could the members.
I got all my advice from my friend David Kennett who is an osteopath but so much more, we decided I had Patella tendonitis and rest was the best cure so only 1 cardio class a day was what the members were told.
I also brought Ashley Horner American fitness models book (creating a miracle) she is an inspirational woman who has 3 beautiful children and has carried on exercising at a high level through all her pregnancies despite a lot of negative opinions from people that are not qualified to pass judgement.
I decided to follow her weight training plan, do my x1 cardio class a day and adapt my nutrition. Previously my diet was as follows;
Instead my body wanted little and often and salty things to avoid the sickness so I had:
By eating like this I could get through the day without feeling too sick and keep my energy levels up high enough to teach and train, without too many people guessing I was pregnant, that’s the hard part!!!
You feel like people will notice because your normally so disciplined with your food and you also have this little voice in your head questioning yourself should I be doing this should I be doing that.
I kept asking myself should I still be exercising at the level I was prior to finding out I was pregnant. I knew I physically could the energy was there and I knew mentally from the courses I had done that I could continue into the second trimester but even though you know it all something inside of you becomes so protective over that little bump that’s starting to form that you doubt yourself.
I decided that having noticed how tired I was in the first 2-4 weeks and how good I felt now I would do as much as I could but listen to my body and my baby and believe me that little person tells you, if I ever thought I can do these last 20 burpee’s and baby thought “no” I just all of a sudden couldn’t I didn’t get any pain or any discomfort or feel out of breath I just felt like I couldn’t and I would find myself walking around the class subconsciously shouting encouragement. You just have to trust yourself and your baby. I was now 1kg heavier than when I started.
Weeks 9 - 12
This has been by far the hardest 4 weeks to date as not only are you desperate for that 12-13 week scan to come around so you can meet your little person, you are starting to show and you are paranoid people are beginning to guess.
I noticed that my lower Ab’s now looked bloated and I had a little bump. My breasts were a lot bigger being an avid exerciser I had never really had a bust I’d always been an A cup but I was now easily a B.
My nipples were so sore if I got cold I would be in agony hoping I could warm them up without anyone thinking I was a complete weirdo.
My skin also broke out in spots from my nose out and down my chin. I felt disgusting certainly not blooming like you here from other women. In the fitness industry I was thinking people were going to be thinking “she’s put on a few pounds” I became really conscious that people were talking about me and I had a constant need to urinate but there was never really anything there!!!
I was sure with all these signs people were going to guess soon. Exercise wise week 10 I went back to teaching all my classes my osteopath was happy with how my pregnancy was going and we discussed that as long as I listened to my body I would be ok, it also stopped all the gossiping as suddenly my knee injury was better so maybe I wasn’t pregnant?
I could see the confusion my first week back to a full diary!!! I took all my weights down and just completed more reps and I hung in there desperately for scan day!!
I was now 1.2kg heavier than when I started.
Week 13 - 16
At this stage my weight actually dropped by 0.7kg but I think this was due to loss of muscle as I had dropped all my weights and the sickness had stopped so my food was going back to normal.
The only real difference was my bump was now 100% there and along with my enlarged breasts I could finally tell everyone!!
I felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders, I felt that at last if I needed to drop the intensity in classes I could and not feel guilty, like they thought I was losing my fitness or letting myself go!
What I didn’t expect were a few participants looking at me with anger saying I shouldn’t have been doing certain classes and that I was harming my baby.
So now I had to deal with a new emotion “guilt” I’d read and researched exercise and pregnancy once I found out I was pregnant and realised that there really isn’t much out there for women who train to help back you up against these opinions.
But what I had read and learnt prior to my pregnant from pre and post-natal courses and reading books like Ashley Horner (creating a miracle) and Paula Radcliffe and other athletes that blogged about their training during pregnancy I knew I was fine.
I felt fit and healthy and I’d been teaching these classes all my life my body was so used to it and I knew it was pushing me to my limit so I was ok to carry on. I wasn’t about to go and do an iron woman but I knew I could carry on with daily life.
But even so those comments do play on your mind, you love your baby, you want to give it everything and more.
I had already changed my diet, I’d listened to my body from the start, I’d accepted the physical changes taking place and now I had this guilt like I should justify myself.
After a few sleepless nights and some soul searching I decided for my state of mind I needed to carry on exercising it was good for me and my baby, it kept me sane and it kept us both healthy.
I decided from now on I was going to trust my instincts as a mother and my knowledge as a fitness expert as many of my clients do and have throughout their pregnancies, I knew I was the one that knew my body better than anybody else and if people wanted to judge that was up to them but I was doing what was best for the two of us!!!
Weeks 20 - 24
I am now 11lbs heavier than when I started and I can really start to feel it!!! I feel heavy and constantly bloated like I need to unzip my abs to create space.
Exercise is getting difficult because I am out of breath and feel so heavy and slow. I also feel I need to wee all the time. I am still doing all my classes at present but I am definitely starting to find it challenging!!!
By week 24 I am going to lose a few classes and look into doing more swimming and weight training.
I can now feel baby move which is amazing I love sitting at home at night feeling him wiggle about it is such an amazing feeling.
I had my 20 week scan which was breath taking seeing him so close up and seeing all his tiny little body parts. We found out we are having a baby boy which is amazing, my husband is over the moon. I would have been happy either way as long as he is healthy that’s all I care about. I have been so lucky up to now with everything, but I am beginning to find that being fit and healthy it’s more of a mental struggle feeling yourself become out of breath more easily as baby is now using up 30% of my lung space.
I feel heavy in all my movements and its given me a real insight into how beginners and overweight clients must feel during a class. I feel so bloated and tight in my waist like I’m going to pop and wonder if without exercise this would have been a less intense feeling its really quite uncomfortable.
I still have no pain anywhere just a slight lordotic curve developing where I feel that I can longer engage my lower abs without needing a wee and any planks or press ups are now out unless I wish to wet myself!!!
Weeks 25 - 28
I am now 16lbs (7.3kg) heavier than when I started and I have a proper bump. It literally exploded over night at about 25 weeks!!!! I am still doing my classes, except I have dropped Insanity; this was mainly due to it being on the days I also teach other classes and at 24 weeks pregnant I decided 1-2 classes a day was my max with that consisting of 1 cardio class per day.
I feel really full of energy now and am really enjoying my pregnancy. Although I feel massive for me and feel like my stomach needs to stretch some more, my energy is through the roof so I’m making the most of it while it lasts!!!!
I still don’t have any real cravings except for oranges and orange squash; I may turn into an orange!!!! I also love cottage cheese with pineapple, but I feel no need to vary my diet at this stage.
I have started to get a little bit of morning sickness weeks 26 & 27 but this seems to subside with a nice glass of orange squash and a tangerine. I have just started to think about Maternity clothes as some of my clothes are getting a little snug but to be honest I live in my gym kit and that still fits perfectly.
I’m enjoying showing off the bump and I look pregnant now so it’s nice to not feel like people aren’t sure either way. I have picked up a bit of back ache brought on by Body Combat so I think at this stage if I was a participant I would stop but I am lucky enough to have Kerry who is taking over from me joining in my classes so I just use her where necessary.
I am thinking ill reassess my classes at 32 weeks as at present I feel like I can keep going and am enjoying the social aspect and think the movement is good for me and my baby.
The main class I’m struggling with is teaching Flexibility because I can’t get into the stretches like forward fold and any twists anymore, I am lucky I have a good group who know what they are doing otherwise I would have had to give this up.
My Fitness DVD went live 2nd April; I’m hoping this will inspire women to carry on exercising all the way through their pregnancy. I was 16 weeks at the time of filming and I do the pregnancy option all the way through, it would have been nice to have access to something like this for me throughout, something to give you a clear guide on what you can and can’t do .
I have trusted my instincts though and luckily have the knowledge of what I should be feeling; doing etc. but I can see how scary it would be for people that have no idea, and why stopping is sometimes the only answer.
I can feel baby now a lot everyday he is going to be a little devil I can tell, kicking my ribs and wiggling all over the place.
I had to have my 28 week injections because I’m negative blood type and this may affect me and baby should our blood cross, but this was fine, it was in my upper arm and didn’t hurt at all.
I did experience a bit of nausea and diarrhoea just in case any of you have to have it and go back to work, it might be worth booking the day off after!!!
Weeks 29 - 32
I am now 19.8lb (9kg) heavier than when I started and baby bump is really growing. I felt like I had a massive growth spurt last month but again this month I feel like the bump is getting huge!!!!
I am now starting to feel like I have massive pressure around my stomach, baby is sitting under my ribs and sometimes it’s very uncomfortable I feel like I would like to unzip my stomach to give him some more room to move.
I am starting to get lots of little movements this is normally at lunchtime and just before bed, it feels like kicking near my ribs and also lots of twisting and turning on my right hand side this is where the bump changes shape a lot.
Exercise wise I have again cut down, I moved Gym’s due to a change of circumstances so it has enabled me to reduce my classes again so I am now only teaching 5 classes a week.
I am definitely ready for this as cardio classes are becoming more challenging, as the bump gets bigger I feel like I can get less oxygen in and thus can feel myself becoming short of breath, something I am not used to.
Energy wise I still feel great I am finding day to day work and life fine in fact sometimes I think I have more energy than I did before. I wonder if this is because I am doing less exercise than I have ever done but I am consuming similar calories to those that I was eating prior to my pregnancy.
My hair, skin and nails feel great and if I carry on like this I won’t mind the remainder of my pregnancy at all.
I have really enjoyed my pregnancy so far and don’t feel like I have suffered from some of the traditional problems people face like lack of energy, sickness and food cravings and although this is my first baby and things may be very different should I be lucky enough to have another I am putting a lot of this down to my active lifestyle and healthy balanced diet.
I haven’t really changed my food intake at all except for smaller meals more frequently but very similar foods and water is always squash as this keeps the sickness away and the blood sugar levels stable water alone just doesn’t cut it at the moment.
If I do eat rubbish I feel rubbish the next day and crave bad food just as I would if I wasn’t pregnant so I think a lot of food cravings are probably linked to blood sugar regulation, dehydration and poor food choices thus leading to low energy levels starting the vicious circle off again of poor food choices.
My website and fitness DVD have been live for nearly a month now and it seems I have inspired many mums and am getting lots of lovely feedback I hope this will continue post pregnancy as I intend to do a prenatal blog as well.
Not only pregnant mums but lots of people buying the DVD or training at my gym are inspired to push themselves from seeing my continue “even in my condition” as they put it, it makes me smile as to me this would have always been my choice to continue as long as my body and baby would allow.
Week 33 - 36
OMG I feel like I have been hit by a steam train!!!!! I have now at week 35 22lb (10kg) heavier than when I started, begun to feel the tiredness and lack of energy kicking in. The bump is really big now, my belly feels really stretched and I feel like I would like to take it off and have a break for a few hours!!!!!
Baby when he moves can get himself into some very uncomfortable positions as he is getting really quite big so any movements can cause mild discomfort and lead to back ache or painful stomach tightness under my ribs.
By the end of the day I’m ready for my PJ’S and slippers and my little eyes are ready to hit the pillow as soon as hubby is ready for bed.
I feel really quite unattractive now as I have begun to waddle about and sitting, standing, lying etc. are no longer elegant and can require assistance. I am getting back ache and some slight discomfort in the pubic area which can make day to day activities more difficult especially teaching classes as I now can’t do all the movements and am having to rely on my coaching ability to get participants into position.
I am still teaching 5 classes a week but feel in hind sight this would have been a good stage to give up teaching completely and take up swimming and gentle cardio.
This is not an option for another 3 weeks so I am getting on with it but just spending much more time floor walking and correcting technique than actually teaching.
My food is still very clean and healthy and is keeping my energy levels up throughout the day but the exercise is what is wiping me out alongside our social calendar.
I am now at the stage when I would rather stay in on a Friday and Saturday night but hubby is making me attend all our social commitments to stop me feeling sorry for myself and although I hate him for it at the time I do appreciate it once we are out as seeing friends and catching up with people does perk me up.
I do get over the “I don’t want to go out, I have nothing to wear” diva strop I throw very quickly once I’m out and about and friends are very complimentary of how good I look so close to baby’s due date, there is a real sense of girl power from one mum to another and I love it.
I hope that when I stop work at 38 weeks the tiredness will reduce and I will have some time to spend nesting and getting ready because at present every moment I have to myself other than work and paperwork all I want to do is be on the sofa or in bed!!!!
Week 37 - 40
I am now on maternity leave, and I have just a number of days left until due date. I have gained a total of 13kg (2 stone) I waddle and struggle to put my socks on, but in general I feel really good and healthy.
I have now stopped teaching but I am making sure I do something every day for my own sanity as well as to keep my body moving.
I have been doing a lot of swimming, light cardio on the bike, cross-trainer and treadmill and also doing Bodypump in the garage.
I am still enjoying training and I think that it's keeping me sane. Being on maternity leave when you're used to being a very active person and constantly on the go can be very boring - without exercise I think I would go insane!
I have spent most days cleaning - my craziest cleaning episode involved hoovering the garage..... They call this nesting; I think I have gone slightly crazy.
I am going to try really hard to relax over the next few days, and put my feet up as I know as soon as my little boy arrives, life will be turned on its head, and I do now feel like I have cleaned and prepared everything as much as I can.
I have set a small gym up in my garage for after the baby arrives, as I know every minute with him will be precious, so traveling to and from a gym won't happen.
I have bought myself 2 kettlebells, a step, a mat, a set of weights, a Swiss ball and have downloaded all my BTS programs onto my iPad, so I can escape to the garage even for 30 minutes a day to have some me time.
I know exercise will make me feel better, no matter how tired I am. This is my plan anyway, but I'll keep you posted on how that goes!!!
I can't believe how true everything is that women tell you about that maternal instinct kicking in, and how Mother Nature takes over - it's amazing - I feel the same with how my body has guided me on my pregnancy journey over the last 9 months.
Let's just hope it does the same post baby.