The Longest Race Ever: Lessons I learned during my first pregnancy

Taylor has been a Coach at CrushCamp since we first opened our doors in December 2017. We celebrated with her when she married her “Sweet Prince” Geoff in January 2019, and then again when she told us that her “little bean” was on the way! As the first CrushCamp Coach to not only continue Coaching, but also attending class during pregnancy (and right up into the 8th month!) we asked Taylor to share - in her final days of waiting - her thoughts and experiences with her changing body and “learning to move again” with a whole lot of new limitations!

Thanks for sharing your story Taylor - we can’t wait to meet your little Wolf Cub!

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First of all, just a disclaimer - I am not a doctor, so obviously please enjoy my story and listen to yours (unless they are terrible and old-fashioned - then find a new one!) I have always been active and very physically motivated so becoming pregnant was going to be a huge change, or so I thought! I was extremely fortunate throughout my pregnancy, my body responded and adapted well. No morning sickness, no food aversions, no back pain. During my 20 week scan I was told I had a condition and my doctor recommended only low impact exercise so I power walked → Speed walk PR achieved! I was able to continue taking Crush classes throughout my entire pregnancy and was cleared at 30 weeks to resume impact. Being able to stay active was amazing not only for my mental health but also for preparing me for the biggest athletic event of all: BIRTH! At 39 weeks pregnant I still feel pretty amazing, I’ll often say “I feel the same” and then I look in the mirror and laugh - definitely not the same! This is my story and it may not be even remotely similar to yours but I hope that wherever you are reading this from, pregnant or not, there is something in here that resonates (or if not - that you can share it with someone who might appreciate it!)”

It Takes a Village

 From the moment I found out we were expecting, my whole world was consumed with baby information. I read so many books and blogs. I listened to all the podcasts and talked to everyone about babies. Nearly every conversation I had revolved around pregnancy for basically an entire year. Even when you are the centre of most conversations, it can be really lonely and awkward. It’s strange to be on display and have your body be at the forefront of most conversations. Finding ways to feel good about that body and cultivate the mental strength to respond with lightness was really important. I can attribute a lot of my ability to stay positive to having supportive people around. I am so grateful for my family and the CrushCamp community for helping to keep me sane when pregnancy could be somewhat isolating. Staying active during pregnancy helped me so much to stay positive and to feel good physically and mentally. Every class and every time I was in the studio I was reminded I had a whole Crush family to support me. 

Listen to Your Body

So often as movers and fitness driven people we tell ourselves to “listen to our bodies” - but not always are we able to respect and hear what our bodies are asking for. Despite being able to continue a very similar fitness routine through pregnancy, the way I thought about what I was doing wasn’t similar at all. The intensity, the speed, the muscle activation were all still there but the way I treated myself regarding it was so different. I found ways to genuinely give my body everything it needed and leave out anything that it didn't need. I had a very round permission slip to only do what felt good. The thing about “listen to your body” and what I learned, is that I always had a permission slip (mind you a less obvious one) but I wasn’t using it when I should. It is still possible to work hard, challenge yourself and hit PRs all while being able to say no if something isn’t serving you, try it! 

 

Trust the process

I find life always presents itself in waves and forces us to either slow down or speed up. Adjusting to slowing down is always a challenge for me and pregnancy was no different. I found myself feeling like I wasn’t doing enough and I was a bit lost when it came to goals and looking ahead to the future. It’s really challenging to envision what you’ll want, how you’ll feel and what you can do to get yourself there when you’ve never done it before. It took some time but I realize that this is one of those times where life was asking me to slow down, asking me to be patient and trust the process. So instead of setting goals for my future and trying to create a vision I allowed myself to be in the moment and let life create what it would for me. I still have no idea what my life will look like once the baby arrives but I’m trusting that everything that happens will be exactly as it should be. Sometimes you can read and research every detail and still, it’s only you that will experience the next part. When all you can do is wait and see, be patient and manifest positivity. Trust the process and trust yourself, everything happens for a reason.

Be in the moment

It is awkward and isolating and slow and heavy but with the right tools and the right mindset pregnancy is just another awesome new experience. You only have one first pregnancy and so like they always say, enjoy the moment. All of the things that make it challenging are the same things that make it worth it. No matter what situation you find yourself in, a community, a strong body and a strong mind will get you to the finish line every time! 

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Are you newly expecting and wondering how movement fits into your new life? Check out our Pre and Post-Natal Hub to find resources and info about how to modify your workouts and stay active during pregnancy, mat leave, and beyond!