My son knows way to much about pregnancy.  He was a baby when I career switched into prenatal education.  So, when I was drawing a blank on blogging inspiration, I turned to him.  He knocked this one out of the park!

”Does it feel heavy carrying around all that extra weight being pregnant?”

My response, “oh my goodness, yes, so heavy.”

The fact of the matter is that gaining 20+ pounds in a short period of time is difficult on your joints and muscles.  Plus, unless you are lucky enough (or perhaps unlucky enough) to add some extra junk in your trunk the balancing act that is created by having most of the weight coming out in front can add to all of your aches in pains.

So, what can you do about it? Here are a few tips and tricks to help keep that extra weight from weighing you down.

1. Excercise: I know, the last thing you want to do when you finally get a chance to relax is excercise.  However, building your core strength is so important to support your growing tummy.  Prenatal yoga is a great option, but something as simple as walking will also do the trick.
2. Water: The bouyancy of water really helps to relieve your joints of the extra weight you are carrying.  So, if you have access to a pool, give it a try!  You may choose to spend the remainder of your nine months there!
3. Massage: Your muscles are tired, relieve some of the tension by getting a massage.  Please make sure to go to someone who is trained in prenatal massage so they know which acupressure points to stay away from!
4. Diet: No, I’m not recommending you lose weight!  However, watching the foods that you are eating can help with water retention and indigestion.  Next time your tummy growls, grab the veggies instead of chips or crackers.
5. Sleep: Make sure you are getting enough sleep at night.  This is the time our muscles use to heal.  So, if you are up multiple times in the night you may want to consider an earlier bedtime.
6. Avoid heavy lifting: When I was pregnant this one drove me bananas! I regularly said, carry this XXX is not going to hurt my baby. I was right, but it was more likely to hurt me. The ligaments holding your joints together are looser due to an increase in the hormone relaxin (this will help baby come through our pelvis), this increases the likelihood that you may hurt your back lifting heavy objects. If your back is already sore, even more reason to ask for help.
7. Posture: Throughout the day, pay close attention to your posture.  It is best if your shoulders are balanced above your hips.  Do not let the weight of your baby pull your posture forward or backwards, this will add extra strain on your back.
8. Invest in a belly bra: There are all sorts of contraptions available to help your manage your extra weight in the front and I’m certain their is a better name for it than a “belly bra,” but let’s face it, that is what it is.  And it is LOVELY.

And just for fun, here is a picture of me with my second (just past 40 weeks) in what is referred to as the “largest pregnant person (several of my friends) have ever seen.”  Hang in there Mama, you’ve got this!