So, here we are, 37.5 weeks pregnant.
The fact that we’ll have another kiddo in less than 3 weeks is CRAZY to me…I’m still not mentally prepared (or physically prepared, for that matter) but it is going to happen whether we are ready or not!
But anyway, that’s not the point of this post 
I wanted to chat a bit about fitness in the third trimester, specifically doing CrossFit in the third trimester.
Working out the first trimester was a little tough, mainly due to fatigue. I was just super tired. Growing a person requires a LOT of energy, not leaving a whole lot to be expended in a workout. It was tough, but most days I would power through and end up feeling better than before I went, so it was a win-win!
The second trimester was a little tricky because things started growing and moving around and boobs got a bit bigger. I wasn’t showing a whole lot then, but that doesn’t mean there is a uterus the size of a cantaloupe taking up room, or a tiny human bouncing around on my bladder.
The third trimester has been a bit more of a bear. Belly is a whole lot bigger, boobs are bigger, butt is bigger….pretty much everything is bigger. Not to mention it feels like I constantly have on a weight vest that I’m lugging around. So that said, workouts have been a bit more difficult and weights have become increasingly light.
Movements like a clean (above) have been more difficult because of the path the bar needs to take, I have a big ‘ole belly in the way. I’ve still been able to clean normally, but any bigger than I am now and I would probably need to switch to dumbbells.
Squats are more difficult, mainly because of balance issues. I’ve got a 20lb weight on my front-side that causes my body to pull forward when I drop into a squat. I try to combat it but it is just kind of how it is. I scale my weight down for squats and do what I can.
My view. Hah.
How I’ve been scaling:
Pull-ups: I wasn’t able to do strict pull-ups before I got pregnant (or kipping, for that matter) without a band, and with the added weight, I definitely cannot do them now, so I do ring rows whenever pull ups are programmed
Push-ups: It’s not that I can’t do push ups because of being pregnant, I just suck at doing push-ups. Especially now that my belly hits the floor before my chest. So I scale by doing push-ups inclined on a box.
Knees-to-Elbows/Sit-ups: I’ve never been able to nail a toes-to-bar, so I usually do knees-to-elbows, but hanging from the bar is just not comfortable anymore (it stretches my belly and just feels weird). I’m decently good at sit-ups, and was able to do them until about 2 weeks ago. Now, there is just too much pressure with that crunch, so I do mainly planks when sit ups are programmed.
Box Jumps: I stopped doing box jumps in the 2nd trimester and switched to step-ups, which is what I’m still doing. No need to risk slipping on the box.
Burpees: I am doing a modified burpee: instead of flopping on the floor as fast as I can and getting back up, I have to be a bit more careful, so I basically step down into a plank push-up position, then jump back up. It takes longer, but feels just as difficult, especially at this stage.
Lunges: I’m still okay with these, as long as they aren’t weighted…my balance is too far gone to trust myself in a weighted lunge!
Double-unders: Singles. All the way. Jumping right now is comical. Jumping high and fast enough for double unders is impossible.
Running: I row instead. Rowing is still difficult because B2 is so high still in my rib cage, and my form is terrible (arms inside my legs, leaning back, etc.) but running is just not an option at all.
Weights: There haven’t been any lifts that I can’t do (only bench press, which my Dr told me not to do just in case the bar slipped and were to drop on my belly – no good!). I’ve been squatting, cleaning, pressing, deadlifting, snatching, and more. I am just very mindful of what weight I am using and don’t push it too far. I have maxed out a couple of lifts in the past few weeks, but I have felt good and always stop when I feel I’ve hit my limit.
CrossFit is an intense workout, for sure. It is as hard as you make it. Right now, I’m doing what I can to make it manageable, but still tough. My heart gets pumping for sure, and I do wear a heartrate monitor to know when I need to slow it down. It is incredibly important to listen to your body and know when something is too much. I’m getting to the point where I am just ridiculously uncomfortable and tired, so I have only been going 2 or 3 times per week and taking it pretty slow. I imagine next week will be my last week for a while, unless I get some random surge of energy I will just try to do some walking (probably on the treadmill, considering the cold front that is powering through)
All that said, I am so glad that I have stuck with it for as long as I have throughout this pregnancy, and truly hope that the strength I’ve gained (even though I’ve surely lost some) will help me during labor and maybe aide in a quicker recovery. And who knows, maybe I’ll be able to get back into the gym sooner!
Be sure that if you are reading, and pregnant (or thinking about getting pregnant soon) that you talk with your doctor about your goals for fitness during pregnancy so that the two of you are on the same page.