JESSICA H.
You’re currently pregnant and due in October. Do already have an idea of how long you will take off from CrossFit after you have your baby?
I am already looking forward to coming back asap! So far I think I will take a couple months off, but as soon as my doctor gives me the go ahead I will be back ? I’m so excited to get back to making PR’s (personal records) and maybe doing some burpees (or maybe not ha ha).
As a new mom what was your biggest concern about doing CrossFit while pregnant?
I think being a new mom I was really nervous about over doing it. But thank goodness for the coaches and for all the CrossFit White Bear moms, they encouraged me to listen to my body and only do as much as I can handle. If I was feeling too tired or something didn’t feel right I’d make sure to slow down and take it easy. But other than that, I just keep going.
Did your doctor give you any advice or have concerns about CrossFit?
My doctor is so awesome! At one of my first appointments I mentioned to her that I did CrossFit and would like to continue throughout my pregnancy. I was so happy when she encouraged me to continue working out! She said as long as I feel good and that I listened to my body I can continue with what I’ve been doing.
What was your favorite thing about doing CrossFit while pregnant, and most frustrating?
My first favorite thing is how much I have surprised myself. I was surprised at how I could keep doing many of the same lifts and WODs and still gain strength in some areas! When I started really listening to body and how much I could handle during workouts, I didn’t have to modify the movements too much until the third trimester. I owe a lot of credit to CrossFit for having no back pain throughout my pregnancy, and I feel like keeping good strong posture throughout the WODs, and lots of mobility has helped a lot.
My second favorite thing is just telling people that I kept up with CrossFit while pregnant. People say how inspired they are that I can keep doing this throughout my pregnancy. That has motivated me so much to keep at it!
My most frustrating thing is modifying my movements! Especially the strength portion of the day. On the days I see Hit a 1rm front squat on the white board, I would love to go all out and hit that PR but I know I can’t push myself to much. But soon enough I will be back at it!!
How have you scaled back your workouts to fit your needs?
First Trimester- I really didn’t scale at all. Getting my butt to the box was hard enough because I was sooo tired. But when I got there I was always glad I came.
Second Trimester- I still didn’t scale much but I stopped doing burpees and situps (because my core was pretty much gone) and any other movement that was on my stomach. To scale sit ups I did knees to elbows and to scale box jumps I did step ups. I was also really glad that I could continue running!
End of Second trimester and into Third trimester- I was back to feeling great with lots of energy and I felt even better after the WOD was done. About the start to mid way through third trimester I stopped squatting below parallel. I am almost 38 weeks now and I just recently stopped running and only row. All of my Olympic movements are from the hang position.
Anything else you would like to add?
I would just like to thank everyone at CrossFit White Bear and all the coaches for making my pregnancy journey so great! I am overwhelmed by your constant encouragement and motivation, and for that I am so grateful. Thank you coaches for always helping me to scale my movements and keep me moving even if its just walking 200m, it helps so much!
Thank you also to all the CrossFit White Bear Mamas! Your support and encouragement means the world to me! Thank you for always being there to answer my million prego questions! It’s so great to be surrounded by such an amazing group of people at CrossFit White Bear!
MARCI M.
You just had your first baby! How long do you plan on waiting before starting back up at CrossFit White Bear?
Well I plan on returning this week (7 weeks after delivery) as long as I can find sometime in my new crazy busy schedule!
How did you feel doing CrossFit while pregnant? How often did you attend?
I felt amazing doing CrossFit while I was pregnant, it kept me energized and more mobile. I went to CrossFit White Bear about 4 days a week sometimes more and sometimes less. I would listen to my body and go from there.
What scaling options did you do to make sure you were staying safe while exercising?
One of the main changes I made was when my bump got in the way; instead of lifting weight from the ground I went from the rack. I also rowed instead of running mainly due to my leg veins worsening during pregnancy.
Did your doctor give you any advice or have concerns about CrossFit?
I was lucky I had a doctor who just started CrossFit and he commended me for keeping up the hard work while pregnant. He said I was the healthiest pregnant lady he was taking care of. He also couldn’t believe the PR’s (personal records) I made while pregnant. I was saddened the day he told me I had to be done and he knew how hard it would be…but like he said you made it 39 weeks.
Anything else you would like to add?
I remember the day Shawn told me about CrossFit and asked me if I wanted to go with him for the intro class. Me being me I said yep I am so in but boy was I scared to death. I never worked out and I was a swimmer for 10 years…dry land I was not sure about it. After that one class, I was hooked, and have loved every minute of it. While pregnant I don’t think I could have made it without the CrossFit White Bear community you all are amazing and such inspirations.
ABIGAIL J.
How long were you doing CrossFit prior to being pregnant?
I had been doing CrossFit for nearly two years prior to becoming pregnant.
What was the hardest part for you doing CrossFit while pregnant?
The hardest part of doing CrossFit while pregnant was holding myself back and not going too hard. It is a stress reliever for me to push myself hard in a workout, it was very challenging to reign that in during pregnancy.
Did your doctor give you any advice or have concerns about CrossFit?
My doctor was very supportive about CrossFit. When I told her the types of movements done during a workout she said, “Well, that is all stuff more people should be doing.”
How has your CrossFit experienced differed from before you were pregnant?
My Cross Fit experience is different than my pre-pregnancy days. Before my daughter was born, I could really focus on the workout and I took my time at the gym for granted. Now, getting to the gym is more complicated, trying to juggle nap and feeding schedules. However, it has also become incredibly fun to bring her with me to the gym and watch her make friends with the coaches and other members, and see them welcome her into our CrossFit family. It is gratifying to know she is seeing so many great examples of people valuing strength and being physically fit in all stages of life.
KRISTIN E.
How long have you been doing CrossFit and did you have children before starting CrossFit?
I have been doing CrossFit for 3 years. I started 3 months after my second child, Declan was born.
You just had your third child, when do you plan on returning to CrossFit White Bear? What are you looking forward to and what are your biggest concerns? I’m hoping to be back to CrossFit White Bear as soon as I’m able! I’m not quite 6 weeks post-partum yet, so I need to have the okay from my OBGYN. Due to the fact that each of my deliveries were via C-section, my re-entry to the world of WODing will be gradual, but I’m looking forward to having CrossFit White Bear as part of my normal routine again.
I have a very competitive personality, so I do need to keep in mind that I will not be able to lift the weight or do the movements that I was able to do before getting pregnant with my daughter. It does give me motivation to get back to the gym and put in the work so that I can get back to where I started. I just need to have the patience!
What was the hardest part about doing CrossFit while being pregnant?
Lugging that gut around!
What are some of the biggest challenges about being a mom, pregnant and doing CrossFit and how did you face those challenges?
For any Mom, finding a balance can be challenging. As a Mom of three, I tend to put myself last on the list for a variety of reasons, but I’ve learned that I need to prioritize my time at CFWB to contribute to mine and my family’s overall wellbeing. I have an incredibly supportive husband who also does CrossFit and understands the addiction. We work together to balance our daily family and work schedules, adjusting as we need to so that we both can get to the gym.
What advice did your doctor give you about being active while being pregnant?
My OBGYN was fully supportive of me doing CrossFit through my entire pregnancy. She was thrilled that I was taking the time to maintain an active lifestyle throughout my pregnancy as it was beneficial to both me and my baby. I did understand that I needed to listen to my body and not push myself in a way that I would have pre-pregnancy.
Anything else you would like to add?
My experience with doing CrossFit throughout my pregnancy was extremely positive. The coaching staff and members of CrossFit White Bear were incredibly supportive and my post-partum recovery has been much smoother this time around thanks to CrossFit. I’m looking forward to being back in a few short weeks!
JENNA W.
How long have you been doing CrossFit and did you have children before starting CrossFit?
I started 2.5 years ago – about 16 weeks after having our 2nd child and became pregnant about 1.5 years after starting CrossFit.
What was the hardest part about doing CrossFit while being pregnant?
Knowing you have to back down – it’s you against you, right? but in this case it’s you against 2 of you :). Your endurance, strength and mobility all change significantly. I have super loose ligaments while pregnant, so I had to modify all of the squatting movements with significantly lighter weight and range of motion. I also noticed it in my arms/shoulders when kipping. I even had to modify my box step ups because my right hip/pelvis would hurt so bad after doing them. Your body does strange, yet amazing, things when growing a human. I learned quickly that it’s not worth being in constant pain and best to modify. Thank goodness I had an awesome Chiropractor to keep me feeling good when I pushed it a little too far.
How long before your delivery did you stop doing CrossFit? How soon after did you start again?
I worked out through the whole 9 months. My last CrossFit class before delivering was 4 days before! I got back at it about 8 weeks after.
How did you feel on your first day back at CrossFit White Bear?
Holy endurance drag. I lost a lot of endurance and I realized I was going to have to take a few steps back to regain my strength again. It had been almost a full year since I worked out not pregnant!
What advice did your doctor give you about being active while being pregnant?
He gave me the traditional, “Listen to your body” quote – but I don’t think he really understood what CrossFit was about.
Anything else you would like to add?
I think CrossFit totally helped me in this pregnancy both mentally and physically. I had two c-sections with my first 2 kids, and I really wanted to avoid having major abdominal surgery for a 3rd time if I could. CrossFit prepared me both physically & mentally for what would be the longest WOD of my life (12 hours of labor :)) – I was actually kind of excited for it. Physically I was strong, but mentally I was stronger. I knew I could do it, and I am a firm believer that positive thinking goes a long way.
The support at CrossFit White Bear is/was AMAZING throughout – it was encouraging to hear “wow, you are strong”, “I hope I can do that”, or the best was “there’s nothing that says strong than watching a pregnant girl front squat (or pull up, press, etc)”. It helped fill the positive thought bucket – and was incredibly helpful when I felt large & pregnant ?
My regimen was CrossFit 3-4x a week, I ate well, I had a very supportive OB, and I went to the Chiropractor almost every week during the last 8 weeks to make sure I was in complete alignment – specifically my pelvis.
Needless to say, I had a successful VBAC after 2 C-Sections and delivered a beautiful 8lb 9oz baby girl on her due date which was Mother’s Day. A rare and awesome accomplishment! I am glad my husband is a CrossFitter too, as he needed the same amount of endurance for those 12 hours + the next 30 years ?
SARAH T.
How long have you been doing CrossFit and did you have children before starting CrossFit?
I joined CrossFit White Bear in the summer of 2011 and I had two kiddos before joining. My son Mason was almost two years old at the time and my eldest daughter Stella was just 6-months old.
Did your pregnancy differ from previous pregnancies when you did not do CrossFit?
Overall, my pregnancies were fairly similar in the sense of how I carried though I must say I just felt better in my mind and body while doing CrossFit during my third pregnancy. During my first and second pregnancies I did prenatal yoga and lots of jogging/walking and body weight movements.
Did your doctor give you any advice or have concerns about CrossFit?
I shared with her briefly what I had been doing at CrossFit before my pregnancy and that I planned to continue with it during my pregnancy. She advised that I continue doing what I had been doing before, but to not allow myself to get overheated, to stay hydrated and modify my movements as necessary as my pregnancy progressed.
How long before your labor did you stop doing CrossFit? How soon after did you start?
I actually went to the box the morning my daughter Evie was born and got in my last overhead squats for awhile! I didn’t return to CrossFit White Bear until 11 weeks after Evie was born.
What are some of the biggest challenges about being a mom, pregnant and doing CrossFit and how did you face those challenges?
For me, the biggest challenge was getting to the box. Being a mom is an amazing job and it can sometimes be hard to put yourself first. Getting my children ready and out the door so I could get to class was a feat at times and honestly felt selfish, but it was always a joy to get there. Plus showing my children that their mom is healthy and strong is a wonderful feeling! Doing all of that while pregnant, well…that just added another layer of complexity:)
For me, the best way to face the challenges that come along with being a mom and doing CrossFit is really taking advantage of the community at the box. Having the support of other members and coaches is beyond motivating to get to the box and get in a wod. A community that sweats together, stays together!
Anything else you would like to add?
Joining CrossFit White Bear has changed my life. I am a stronger and healthier person than my previous self and I look at life’s challenges in a different way. I lift my children, a load of laundry, the stroller into the car, etc. with better form to protect my body – utilizing all those functional fitness movements we use at the box!
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