Labor is a Marathon

Would you go out and run a marathon tomorrow without training for it? Just lace up your sneakers and be like, “alright, let’s see how this goes!” Personally, I would not. And we need to be thinking about labor the same way because labor is a marathon!

Here’s the thing – the female body was made to birth babies. We know this. However, our modern lifestyles are not conducive to birthing anymore...

We spend the majority of our time sedentary in some way.

Hospitals favor pushing positions that are beneficial for the medical providers over what’s best for the person actually pushing a baby out of their vagina. And education about what is happening to the body during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is not widely available (or always accurate).

So in today’s post we’re going to talk about why preparing for labor and childbirth is just like training for a marathon.

Remember this – labor is a marathon, and birth is the finish line. 

If we are meeting for the first time – Hi! Welcome to Vibrant Mama Wellness! My name is Megan, and I am a prenatal and postnatal personal trainer and mom of two. I am certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, with a specialization in pre+postnatal fitness through Pronatal fitness. 

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. This blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. This blog post is based on my own research and experience – please consult a medical professional before starting or making any changes to your exercise program).

So let’s think back to running a marathon for a second…

When you start out, you’re feeling pretty good! You’re getting into a good rhythm, and your breathing is even, but you hit that 5-mile marker and you might start to feel a little crampy. You hit 10 miles and your quads might be burning….basically the further along you get THE HARDER IT BECOMES. This is why you’ve spent months and months training for it – so that your body and mind can tap into that muscle memory, stamina, and grit and you can reach that finish line.

Now I’m not going to sugarcoat this – the process of labor is very strenuous. It can be long (sometimes days) and requires endurance and strength (just like that marathon!) to make it to the finish line (i.e. pushing a baby out of your body).

So how the heck do we train for labor and birth? 👇

The combination of physical exercise and mental toughness.

Let’s take a squat for example:

You’re getting up to 10-12 reps, you’re starting to get tired, your heart rate is up, and your muscles are burning….

Then you get a period of rest. During this period of rest, you want to bring your heart rate down, focus on steadying your breath, and conserve energy before heading into the next set.

Now let’s think about how that compares to contractions!

The further you get into labor, the more intense and longer the contractions become. But you get small breaks in between the contractions where you want to conserve your energy and steady your breathing before you head into the next one.

THIS is how we train for birth. We want our workouts to mimic these periods of work and rest, while simultaneously building strength, to both physically and mentally prepare you for the demands of labor.

We also want to think about how you can get the body into a variety of different positions that are going to be optimal for helping the baby move through the pelvis, as well as relaxing the pelvic floor to reduce the risk of severe tearing and damage to the pelvic floor.

Our bodies are made to birth, but the way we prepare can make a huge difference. Remember, labor is a marathon!

Need help? I gotchu covered. 

In my Vibrantly You® Custom Prenatal Coaching, you can expect:

Personalized prenatal fitness program that adjusts to constantly changing symptoms and energy levels

• I customize every workout plan to your and your pregnancy! I also take into account any prior pregnancies/births/postpartum experiences 

Quick, effective workouts that fit into your busy schedule

• On average you can expect 2-4 workouts per week that are anywhere to 30-60 minutes. I program these based on what is realistic for you!

Confidence that you’re exercising safely for your body as it continues to change 

• All of your workouts are hosted in an easy to use app with video demos and written instructions.
• You will submit form check videos 1-2x per week and I will review them and send back video feedback with my thoughts and adjustments I want you to make!

An arsenal of evidence-based tools and techniques to help you have an empowered birth 

• I’ve taken my years of experience (both professional and personal) and woven this into my coaching. I also provide you with bite sized educational videos interspersed in your programming

Daily accountability and support at your fingertips to help you stay on track with the ebbs and flows of pregnancy

• Unlimited text/voice memo access to me with any questions. I’m also there to be your personal cheerleader, tough love when you need it, and motivation when you’re having a tough week 

Learn more and apply here. 

While we can’t control how birth will play out, we can control how we mentally and physically prepare our bodies. Working out during pregnancy has been associated with positive birth outcomes such as fewer medical interventions and a shorter labor overall! 

Like this post and want more?

Download my FREE Prenatal Cheat Sheet: www.vibrantmamawellness.com/cheatsheet

Download my FREE Postpartum Guide for returning to exercise:

https://vibrantmamawellness.com/whatnow

Check out my pregnancy and postpartum online programs: 

https://vibrantmamawellness.com/programs

Apply to work with me 1:1:

https://vibrantmamawellness.com/vibrantlyyoucustom

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Disclaimer: This blog does not serve as medical advice. Please consult your medical provider before starting a new fitness routine. This blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.