That's Fit

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

With what my OBGYNs claim is two weeks to go until I give birth, I think I may be, like my unborn offspring, DONE. Done in the sense that I don't think I can do anything else until this baby is born. In addition to feeling like a beached whale at this point the weather has been terrible and I've been sick. It goes without saying the time change also completely threw me for a loop, as it does every year.

The week started out promisingly. The weather was nearing 70 degrees, even though it was March, and I took full advantage of it by walking every morning. Three days in a row I got up in the darkness and headed out with my husband for a shortened route. The most I can walk at once is about two miles at this point, which is still fairly respectable considering I am in my 38th week of pregnancy. Then I proceeded to commute in to work and get through the workday of my last week before disability kicked in. I was tired, sure, but I figured it was all part of the final stretch of pregnancy.

Then I got sick. My glands were a little swollen. My head was killing me. I was a human faucet. I could barely think about getting out of bed and getting through work, much less working out. Just the thought of stretching out exhausted me. I managed to make it to and through work but that was it. I just didn't have it in me to do anything more. "Wow," my inner voice said, "you're giving up?" Well, not necessarily.

I never give up, at anything. Some liken that to stubbornness but to me it's a positive trait, one that allows me to be challenged and get things done. In this case, rather than giving up, I was merely--am merely--giving in. Just a little bit. Why push myself with all the cards stacked against me as they are? I know eventually several things will happen:

1. The weather will improve. This is March, after all. You know--in like a lion, out like a lamb. Living in New York I've muddled through patches of deplorable weather before. The only difference is that this time safety is more of an issue than feeling like a wuss because I chose not to hit the park for a lap with the other brave souls hoofing it up in 20 degree weather.

2. I won't be sick forever. I've had colds before and while in my experience they've lasted longer during my pregnancy they aren't permanent. Generally I don't get sick. When I do I know I need to slow down and take care of myself.

3. I will have this baby. Worse case scenario is for the next few weeks I won't be able to do anything, either from exhaustion, size--really, I feel like a beached whale--or out of anxiety over the impending birth, but eventually all that will change with the arrival of my little one.

I'm not a big believer in signs per se but I do believe in what my body is telling me. Right now it's telling me to calm down, de-stress, sleep some more and chill out. And there's nothing wrong with that. The old me, pre-pregnancy, would've scoffed at the thought of taking a week off due to something as silly as being tired. The new me, the one who is about to have a son, who's been carrying him around for 9 months and doing her darnedest to be as healthy as possible about the entire process says otherwise. She says to take things in stride, to let things go and to move on.

Sure I feel a little guilty for not being able to keep up with my entire workout routine during my pregnancy. That said, I've done a lot better than I might have, and it's paid off. I didn't gain more than the recommended amount of pregnancy weight (25-35 pounds for those neither under nor overweight pre-pregnancy), and I didn't succumb to bad habits like sitting around eating bon bons. And while it bothered me that even something as simple as walking has become more of a challenge these last few weeks (between my cold and the baby pressing against my diaphragm even a walk to the deli is a workout) I firmly believe that I will be able to return to my pre-pregnancy level of fitness.

A friend of mine who recently had a daughter commented on something that gave me incentive to keep going. She told me that after she gave birth to her daughter her level of cardiovascular fitness shot through the roof. Why and how? Well, I don't know the mechanics of it, and I am certainly no expert or professional, but she said that basically carrying around all that extra weight made her lungs and her body have to work harder. The result was that once she had the baby her load was lightened but her lungs and legs were in better shape than ever.

Another incentive I have is my enrollment in the 2007 NYC Marathon. After getting pregnant last year I rolled over my entry for this year. They recently sent me an email reminding me to sign up. I may or may not end up running the marathon this year, but at least it's out there if I want it. Right now, despite the cold and the weather and my gigantic tummy, I want it. Check with me two weeks from now when I'll either have a newborn or be well on my way. Until then I'm going to do my best to take care of myself.