Guess what? My husband and I have a wonderful surprise in store – we’re planning for our fourth baby! At the age of 35, I’ll be welcoming our fourth bundle of joy at 36. With this exciting journey ahead, I’m dedicating significant effort to enhance my well-being as I prepare for baby number four. This blog post will delve into the adjustments I’m making to my fitness regimen to ensure a smooth path towards conception and a healthy pregnancy!
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Preparing for Conception:
Here are the key areas I’m concentrating on during our preparation for conception:
Resolving Lingering Concerns from Previous Experiences: I’m committed to resolving any residual issues stemming from my prior pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. I’m striving to enter my next pregnancy with minimal discomfort and pain.
Implementing Preventive Measures: I’m incorporating exercises designed to prevent recurring problems that I encountered in previous pregnancies, particularly issues related to SI joint pain. Taking proactive steps now can help me mitigate such concerns in the future.
Engaging in Pelvic Opening Exercises: To best prepare for pregnancy and the birthing experience, I’m including exercises that focus on opening each pelvic level, particularly the lower pelvis.
Tailoring Training to My Menstrual Cycle: I’m fine-tuning my workout routine to align with the phases of my menstrual cycle. By adjusting the intensity of my workouts in sync with my cycle, I’m optimizing the recovery process and promoting overall well-being.
As I embark on this exciting path towards expanding our family, these focused adjustments to my fitness routine are pivotal in ensuring a healthy and comfortable journey through conception and pregnancy. Stay tuned as I share my experiences and insights in this blog series!
Prevention Exercises: Pelvic Girdle Pain
In my prior pregnancies, I have dealt with SI joint pain. I was able to manage and resolve the pain with exercise in all three pregnancies, but I would like to minimize or prevent it before going into this pregnancy. It is much easier to do my exercises outside of pregnancy too!
The main reasons for pelvic girdle pain include:
- Pelvic Asymmetry
- Uneven pull on the pelvis from the surrounding musculature
- Muscular Coordination (or lack thereof)
- The muscles supporting the pelvic girdle are not synchronized during movement
In my preparation phase, I’m concentrating on achieving muscular balance to ensure even tension across my pelvic girdle. Additionally, I’m integrating myofascial sling exercises to enhance muscular coordination.
In my case, I’ve noticed that my right glute and quad are comparatively weaker than those on my left side, while my adductor and hamstring on the right are weaker than the left. This is a common occurrence for many individuals. To address this muscular imbalance, I’ve incorporated exercises that target the single-leg strengthening of the right glute and quad, as well as inner thigh and hamstring strengthening on the left.
And then to address muscular coordination, I’m emphasizing posterior oblique sling exercises that focus on stabilizing the SI joint region. These exercises involve the simultaneous engagement of the lat and the opposite glute. Among my preferred exercises for this purpose is the reverse lunge row.
I make an effort to include these exercises and similar variations multiple times a week. This proactive approach is aimed at preventing pelvic girdle discomfort during my subsequent pregnancy. I find it more manageable to explore diverse exercise variations outside of pregnancy, when I’m not contending with the nausea, fatigue, and physical adjustments of the first trimester, as well as a growing belly.
Right Leg: Bulgarian Split Squats
Left Leg: Copenhagen Planks
Posterior Oblique Sling: Reverse Lunge Row
Increase Workout Volume
During my previous pregnancies, the initial three months were quite challenging. I experienced intense nausea and fatigue, which significantly limited the frequency of my workouts, if I could even manage any. Therefore, as I prepare for trying to conceive (TTC) again, I’m focusing on increasing the volume and frequency of my workouts. This will help me establish a strong fitness foundation before pregnancy, anticipating the possibility of taking a break during the first trimester, be it a few weeks or the entire duration. By doing so, I aim to facilitate an easier transition back into exercise during the second trimester.
In my preparations for TTC, I’m taking a more intentional approach by scheduling dedicated workout time and setting weekly objectives for the frequency of my workouts. I’m also collaborating with my husband to ensure that the time blocks I allocate for exercising are practical and feasible.
Pelvic Opening Exercises
Much like the pelvic stability exercises, integrating a wide array of exercise variations is more straightforward before the onset of pregnancy. During this phase, I’m placing significant emphasis on specific areas – including opening the lower half of the pelvis and lengthening the backside of the body.
However, as pregnancy progresses, certain aspects become more challenging. This can include finding a posterior pelvic tilt (rounding in the back and tucking the butt under) and internal rotation at the hip. Initially, the growing belly can hinder the ease of achieving a posterior pelvic tilt. Furthermore, the common postural tendencies of external rotation can restrict our capacity to achieve internal rotation.
As I ready myself for conception, I’m incorporating movements specifically designed to promote internal rotation and practicing posterior pelvic tilts. This deliberate strategy is being executed while my body still maintains higher levels of flexibility and mobility. By introducing these movements during this pivotal phase, I’m taking proactive steps to bolster my physical preparedness for the upcoming journey.
Posterior Pelvic Tilt: Back Expansion Breathing Drill
Internal Rotation: Staggered Stance RDL
Train With My Cycle
Lastly, I am training with my cycle! This involves tailoring my workout intensity according to my varying capacity for recovery, which shifts in tandem with the different phases of my menstrual cycle.
The menstrual cycle has a few phases:
- Menstruation
- Follicular Phase: Day 1-14*
- Ovulation
- Luteal Phase: Day 15-28*
*Please be aware that not everyone follows this precise cycle, and ovulation can occur earlier or later, with cycle lengths potentially extending beyond 28 days.
Throughout each phase, our capacity for recovery undergoes fluctuations, necessitating corresponding adjustments in our workout intensity. During the menstrual phase, energy levels might be initially low but gradually increase, resulting in improved recovery towards the end of the period. This heightened energy and recovery capacity continue to rise until ovulation. Consequently, during the first half of the cycle, we often find ourselves capable of engaging in moderate to high-intensity workouts and recovering more efficiently. In alignment with this, I’m incorporating heavier weights and more challenging, lengthier workouts in the initial phase of my cycle.
Conversely, in the latter half following ovulation, energy levels start to diminish, making recovery more demanding. Hence, I’m modifying my workout intensity to a lower to moderate range. This adjustment ensures that I’m still allowing adequate recovery between workouts.
By embracing this strategic workout approach, I’m maintaining my adherence to my chosen workout plan—currently centered around our Beyond Postpartum Strength Programming —while finely tuning the intensity levels to harmonize with my menstrual cycle’s dynamics.
Prepare for Your Conception Journey
My husband and I are planning to try to conceive our fourth baby in early 2024. Consequently, my current workout regimen is geared towards this goal. I’m actively integrating exercises that bolster pelvic stability and promote pelvic opening, taking advantage of this period when my body is more amenable to exercise and movement. Simultaneously, I’m ramping up both the frequency and volume of my workouts, recognizing that I’ll likely need to temporarily halt my exercise routine during the initial trimester due to the anticipated challenges of nausea and fatigue.
Furthermore, I’m aligning my workout routine with my menstrual cycle, a strategic choice aimed at optimizing my recovery and refining my performance as we gear up for the conception process. This holistic approach ensures that I’m not only physically prepared but also adapting my training to various phases of my cycle to attain the best possible outcomes as we embark on this exciting journey.
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