Fit4Baby Prenatal Exercise Classes start this weekend!

And its not too late to join us for Spring Session 1! Pregnancy is the perfect time to commit to you and your baby's health. Exercise is an important component to your pregnant well-being, as well as your strength as a new mom. Our instructors want to help you be FIT FOR MOTHERHOOD!

What is Fit4Baby?

Fit4Baby is a prenatal fitness program that teaches women how to exercise safely and effectively throughout their pregnancy. Each nationally certified instructor is trained in providing pregnant women with exercises that are safe and appropriate for their changing bodies. Fit4Baby classes are interval based, combining elements of strength training, cardiovascular exercises and stretching and balancing exercises.

When are Classes?

9am-10am on Saturday mornings... perfect for the working mother-to-be! Classes meet in 5 week sessions and cost just $60/session.

Spring Session 1: April 2nd-May 7th (no class Easter weekend)

Spring Session 2: May 14th-June 18th (no class Memorial Day weekend)

Summer Session 1: June 25th-July 30th (no class on July 2nd)

Where are classes held?

Classes meet outdoors at the NC Museum of Art Park and utilize the park and greenways as our open-air exercise studio!

Who should sign up?

All pregnant moms who have been cleared by their physician to exercise. All fitness levels are welcome. Please make plans to leave other children at home with a caregiver as this class is a special time for moms and moms-to-be only!

How do I register?

Register below with Paypal and you will be contacted within 2 business days with Registration confirmation and additional information.

Fit4Baby Registration

Spring Session 1 $60.00 Spring Session 2 $60.00 Summer Session 1 $60.00

Registrant's Name

Email Address & Phone #

Unused classes may be rolled over into future Fit4Baby sessions or credited towards future Stroller Strides classes. Please feel free to contact the office with any questions at (888) 760-0142 or missycurrin@strollerstrides.net.

Registration is now open for Fit4Baby Prenatal Exercise classes!

What is Fit4Baby?

Fit4Baby is a prenatal fitness program that teaches women how to exercise safely and effectively throughout their pregnancy. Each nationally certified instructor is trained in providing pregnant women with exercises that are safe and appropriate for their changing bodies. Fit4Baby classes are interval based, combining elements of strength training, cardiovascular exercises and stretching and balancing exercises.

When are Classes?

9am-10am on Saturday mornings... perfect for the working mother-to-be! Classes meet in 5 week sessions and cost just $60/session.

Spring Session 1: April 2nd-May 7th (no class Easter weekend)

Spring Session 2: May 14th-June 18th (no class Memorial Day weekend)

Summer Session 1: June 25th-July 30th (no class on July 2nd)

Where are classes held?

Classes meet outdoors at the NC Museum of Art Park and utilize the park and greenways as our open-air exercise studio!

Who should sign up?

All pregnant moms who have been cleared by their physician to exercise. All fitness levels are welcome. Please make plans to leave other children at home with a caregiver as this class is a special time for moms and moms-to-be only!

How do I register?

Register below with Paypal and you will be contacted within 2 business days with Registration confirmation and additional information.

Fit4Baby Registration

Spring Session 1 $60.00 Spring Session 2 $60.00 Summer Session 1 $60.00

Registrant's Name

Email Address & Phone #

Classes will be canceled and tuition refunded if minimum enrollment of 4 participants is not met by the Wednesday prior to the beginning of the session. Unused classes may be rolled over into future Fit4Baby sessions or credited towards future Stroller Strides classes. Please feel free to contact the office with any questions at (888) 760-0142 or missycurrin@strollerstrides.net.

Pregnancy is the perfect time to commit to you and your baby's health. Exercise is an important component to your pregnant well-being, as well as your strength as a new mom. Our instructors want to help you be FIT FOR MOTHERHOOD!

Space is limited- register early!

What do I do about...?

What do I do about...? Have you ever had to deal with...? What do you say to your child when...? Can you recommend any books about...? Motherhood presents many challenges and being able to seek advice from fellow moms and moms-to-be is priceless!

They are in the trenches with us and know just what we're going through. Sometimes, though, it can be isolating to be a mom and hard to reach out to other moms for advice. Maybe you don't know any other moms, your friends' kids are too much older or younger, or you're too afraid to ask for fear of looking silly or negligent. We have some blogs and websites you might enjoy reading...

Check out this list of FitPregnancy Magazine's "Best of the Web" list of mom blogs and mom-related websites for some solid advice from all over. Stroller Strides even made the list!

http://www.fitpregnancy.com/yournewlife/motherhood/best-of-the-web-103143829.html

We'd also love to have you and your child(ren) at a Stroller Strides class or playgroup activity soon. You'll meet lots of new moms with kids of all (stroller) ages and make new friends while getting exercise and fresh air- join us MWF at 10am at the North Hills Mall in Raleigh!

A Prescription for Prenatal Exercise

Years ago, women were told to decrease their physical activity during pregnancy. Now, we see that this may have contributed to the obesity epidemic. Almost all experts now agree about the numerous benefits of exercise during pregnancy. We know that it lessens or alleviates almost every discomfort of pregnancy. It helps create better childbirths and healthier babies. Yet, many pregnant women are still uncertain about how much exercise is safe and often feel it is better to abstain. Recent studies indicate that it is the doctors who are most likely to influence how much or even if their clients exercise during pregnancy. For this reason, I hope that doctors realize their tremendous responsibility in educating their clients about safe prenatal exercise.

Interestingly enough, the approach for exercise prescription for pregnant women does not differ much from that of non-pregnant individuals. Women who didn’t previously exercise can begin exercising during pregnancy so long as they start slow and build up gradually. I would recommend the same to someone who wasn’t pregnant! Of course, you should check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Here are some good recommendations for a woman experiencing a healthy pregnancy:

• Exercise most if not all days of the week.
• You should exercise approximately 30-minutes per day.
• You can participate in most physical activities. Of course, you should evaluate risk of falling or abdominal trauma in a sport (and Scuba diving should be avoided).
• Heart rate is not reliable for determining exercise intensity. Instead use a talk test or an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) scale.

Remember, exercise during pregnancy has many benefits. Consider prenatal exercise classes with educated professionals to support you through a healthy pregnancy. Talk with your doctor and find out what is right for your pregnancy. When you take good care of yourself during your pregnancy, you give your baby a first gift of health. You are not only getting fit for you, but Fit4Baby® and fit for motherhood!
Orginal article by Lisa Druxman, Founder of Stroller Strides.

Fit4Baby class registration is now open! Email Missy at missycurrin@strollerstrides.net to register or for more information!

Do I really need to workout during my pregnancy?

Did you always picture your pregnancy to be the time where you could finally have an excuse to stop exercising and eat for two? Unfortunately, you need to erase that picture. Pregnancy may be one of the most important times of your life to exercise. The benefits go to both you and your baby! First off, exercise alleviates or lessens almost every discomfort of pregnancy. Isn’t that reason enough to keep exercising?

What we won’t do for ourselves, we will do for our children. Research has shown that the babies of exercising mothers are born healthier, have less body fat at birth (this is a good thing), are calmer and may have cardiac benefits of a lower fetal heart rate. Basically, when mom exercises, the baby gets similar benefits from the training.

Here are some tips to get started:

1. Visit your doctor or midwife to get the "all clear" to exercise... just to be on the safe side!
2. Look for a prenatal exercise class when possible just so you know your instructors are specially trained. Of course, we would love to see you at one of our Fit4Baby classes!
3. If you weren’t working out, start slowly and build up gradually.
4. Drink enough water. While this is true for the non-pregnant population as well, it’s important for the baby’s health that you stay hydrated.
5. Listen to your body. While exercise is safe, it is important that you don’t overdo it and don’t get overheated.
6. Be consistent. Being inconsistent with your workouts can be harmful to your baby. Your workouts may change but you do want to maintain a level of fitness throughout your pregnancy.
   

Remember, ACOG recommends that pregnant women exercise at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day on most days of the week so long as you are having a healthy pregnancy. This is your first step to being a “healthy role model” for your child
Original article by Lisa Druxman, Founder of Stroller Strides.

Fit4Baby class registration is now open!
Please email Missy at missycurrin@strollerstrides.net to register!

Benefits of Prenatal Exercise

A well-meaning friend recently asked me this question, "So, is your new Fit4Baby class going to be easier than Stroller Strides, more of a love-my-body-deep-breathing type thing?" Um, no. I'm all for love and deep breaths but Fit4Baby class is about getting fit for motherhood! We're going to get our heart rates up, strengthen and stretch our muscles, and learn how to take care of our bodies so that we're ready for motherhood when it inevitably arrives! Do you know what prenatal exercise can do for your changing body? Check this list out!

Benefits of Prenatal Exercise:
Exercise can help decrease or prevent:

• Constipation
• Swelling of your extremities
• Leg cramps
• Nausea
• Varicose veins
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Gestational diabetes
• Pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Pelvic and rectal pressure
• Surgical or medical interventions in delivery
• Urinary incontinence
• Postpartum weight retention
• Anxiety
• Depression

Exercise can help improve or increase:

• Circulation
• Self-esteem; sense of well-being
• Functional capacity
• Muscular strength and endurance
• Energy levels during pregnancy
• Cardiovascular fitness
• Posture and biomechanics
• Recovery time

Join us for Fit4Baby classes this fall at the North Carolina Museum of Art: Museum Park on Saturdays at 10am! Contact Missy at missycurrin@strollerstrides.net to register.

Luna Moms Club Tip of the Week:

Fact: One in seven newborn babies could be at risk for brain damage and learning difficulties due to mercury exposure in the womb. Women and children are exposed to dangerous levels of mercury when they eat certain fish.

Action: Eat small fish and use the mercury calculator at www.gotmercury.org to find out how much is safe for you.

Fit4Baby is coming to Raleigh!

Stroller Strides of Midtown Raleigh is bursting with excitement to announce the

Grand Opening of our

Fit4Baby prenatal exercise classes!

Saturday, October 9th @ 10am

NC Museum of Art/Museum Park

Preregistration required- please email Missy at missycurrin@strollerstrides.net to register.

For class schedule & tuition information please visit our website at www.strollerstrides.net/midtownraleigh

Fit4Baby Prenatal Class Description (60 min)

Stroller Strides has developed Fit4Baby a prenatal fitness program that teaches women how to exercise safely and effectively throughout their pregnancy. Each nationally certified instructor is trained in providing the pregnant woman with exercises that are safe and appropriate for her changing body. Fit4Baby classes are interval based, combining elements of strength training, cardiovascular exercises and stretching and balancing exercises.

Pregnancy is a time of beauty and wonder. It can also be a time of discomfort and trial. Regular activity such as Fit4Baby classes can help to reduce many maternal aches and pains, increase energy during pregnancy and may speed the labor, delivery and recovery process.

Pregnancy is the perfect time to commit to you and your baby's health. Exercise is an important component to your pregnant well-being, as well as your strength as a new mom. Our instructors want to help you be FIT FOR MOTHERHOOD!

Space is limited- register early!

Placenta Brain and what YOU can do about enhancing your brainpower!

If you’ve ever spent any length of time around a pregnant woman, or been one yourself, you may be familiar with the term placenta brain. A common affliction (not an actual medical term, mind you), placenta brain is characterized by forgetfulness- temporarily being unable to recall your brother’s name, where you put your car keys, or how to get somewhere you’ve been many times before. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to completely subside once you’ve delivered your baby (and therefore also the placenta). I’m sorry to report that you may suffer from a mild form of placenta brain, known after delivery as mommy brain, for the rest of your adult life- or at least until your children are adults themselves!

Aside from attempting the Sudoku puzzles in the paper and taking detailed notes whenever you make an appointment or meet someone new- is there anything we can do about it? Yes! Recent research has shown that exercise can do great things for toning up your mood, memory, and ability to learn!

In the August 2010 issue of U.S. News & World Report author, Deborah Kotz, identified these 5 things that exercise can do to enhance your brainpower in her article “Exercise Your Body- and Brain”:

1. Reverse the detrimental effects of stress by boosting levels of “soothing” neurotransmitters and reverse the signs of aging at the cellular level.

2. Lift depression! Exercise as effective as an antidepressant? We’re not going there. Please don’t stop taking your medications as a result of reading this post! But it does stimulate the growth of neurons in certain regions of the brain damaged during depression. How much exercise to feel the effects on depression? Burn 350 calories, 3X/week, through sustained, sweat-inducing activity.

3. Enhance learning! Exercise increases the level of brain chemicals that help make new brain cells and establish connections between cells to enhance learning and upgrades the capacity to learn by enhancing attention and concentration skills. It is best achieved by complicated activities such as playing tennis or taking dance class- or combination moves at Stroller Strides class!

4. Build self-esteem and improve body image as you see your fitness successes. This isn’t necessarily a change in your body shape but running a faster mile, lifting a heavier weight or using a more intense resistance band, or holding your plank longer, among others.

5. Leaves you with a feeling of euphoria known as a “runners high” and is best achieved through interval training such as sprint bursts while running, biking, or swimming

Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning. Even 10 minutes of activity changes your brain.

-John Ratey, Harvard Medical School psychiatrist and author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #7: Discomfort or Pain in your Wrists

Every couple of months I know my son is going through a growth spurt because my wrists and thumbs start to ache. What does one have to do with the other, you ask? When suddenly there's more of him to carry around my wrist strength seems to take about a week or so to catch up.

Many women experience carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy and others during the postnatal period. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition wherein swelling in the wrists puts pressure on the nerves and causes pain, discomfort, tingling, and even numbness.

Bending at the wrist can exacerbate the problem but we can't just not pick up our babies for a week until it subsides. So what can you do about it?

In her book, "Lean Mommy", Lisa Druxman suggests first trying to rest your wrists whenever you can if you're feeling any of the symptoms above. When you are using your wrists make sure you are maintaining proper alignment. Take a look at your wrists when you pick up your baby and his/her stuff, push a stroller, or feed your baby. If they are not in a neutral alignment with your forearm then readjust and try to be aware of your alignment throughout your day and make small readjustments whenever necessary.

Some pregnant women find it helpful to wear a wrist brace to alleviate carpal tunnel symptoms during pregnancy. Your obstetrician can advise you regarding that piece of equipment if you think you may need it.

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #4: Uncontrolled Peeing & Leaking

Fortunately I have not had any personal experience with bladder control problems- yet. However, there are plenty of women out there with this issue- the data says 1 in 3 women will have bladder control issues and your risk of incontinence later in life increases the longer you experience it postpartum. Bladder issues come in many forms from a complete lack of control, to a constant urge to pee even if there's nothing there, to the occasional leak when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or pick up your stroller. This is a topic that no one likes to talk about (uncomfortable!) but more often than not someone in your group of mom-friends is dealing with it- maybe even you(?).

There are lots of products and interventions out there for women with uncontrolled peeing and leaking issues- from adult diapers, to surgery, to pessaries (google it- you'll be shocked), to bladder training, and so forth and so on. None of it sounds particularly pleasant.

I recently learned that there is a new product that is perfect for active and/or pregnant moms- pretty panties with built-in light leak protection. The product is called STRIDE Femme™ and if you're peeing your way through Stroller Strides class this might be the product for you.

But I digress... the real question is: how do we prevent or start to repair pelvic floor damage done by pregnancy, childbirth, and age?

For many new moms, doing pelvic floor strengthening exercises, or Kegel exercises, will reduce or eliminate incontinence! If you've never done them before- here is a brief description (some excerpted from Lisa Druxman's book, "Lean Mommy") and you can always ask your Doctor or Midwife to help you verify that you are exercising the correct muscles during your regular checkup too.

First we need to isolate the muscle that you should contract during this exercise. While you're peeing tighten up your muscles to stop the flow of urine. THAT is the muscle you should contract when you're doing Kegel exercises. OK- resume peeing because the toilet isn't the place to practice on a regular basis as it may irritate your urethra and cause other urinary issues.

So now that you know where the muscle is and what it feels like to squeeze it- it is time to exercise! Squeezing these muscles in 3 different ways will help you train all of the muscle fibers effectively.

1. Hold the squeeze without letting go for as long as you can, gradually working up to longer and longer time spans- but don't hold your breath!

2. Squeeze hard and then completely relax, turn some music on and squeeze to the beat. Breathe normally and work your way up to 20 reps. This would be an easy one to practice in your car at red lights- squeezing to the beat on the radio!

3. Speed up the contractions- do a lighter but faster squeeze-release.

As an added bonus- many women report enhanced sexual functioning- bring on the next baby!

How soon can you exercise?

I had a 9 lb 8 oz baby boy in January of 2009 via c-section. It was a matter of fetal distress, lack of dilation, fetal positioning, etc but he came out big and healthy and I have no regrets. Well, maybe I regret gaining so much weight during those 10 months- but thats for another post!

Those first few weeks after my c-section are pretty much a blur in my mom-memory. But I do remember how good it felt to get out of the house and push my new baby around the neighborhood in the stroller. At first I made it only to the corner and back. But day by day I went a little further and felt better and better. Was it the change of scenery? the fresh February air? Regardless- it felt so good and I made it a habit to get out daily for a stroll.

I couldn't tell you what my doctor recommended for exercise those first few weeks (blame the mommy-brain) but I'm pretty sure the advice was simply to wait until my postpartum checkup. Even though I'm not currently pregnant I think a lot about how I want things to go next time around. I think I'd like to try a VBAC (a vaginal birth after cesarean) mostly so I can get back to teaching Stroller Strides class faster. But whichever way it works out for me- what kind of exercises will I be able to do during those first 6 weeks? Here is some great info on that very subject...

Click the link!

Are you getting enough protein in your diet, moms-to-be?

Luna Moms Club Tip of the Week:
Protein provides materials for the growing tissues, including the placenta, the mother's blood, and the baby. You can get more calcium into your diet by adding in eggs, fish (avoid those high in mercury), poultry and beef, tofu and cottage cheese. Aim for 74 grams of protein daily during pregnancy.

Staying Hydrated During Pregnancy

Luna Moms Club Tip of the Week:
During pregnancy, more fluids are necessary for a multitude of functions including providing for the expanding blood volume that helps to carry nutrients to mom & baby. Nursing moms need the extra fluid to maintain a healthy flow of breast milk for your baby. Drink about eight to ten 8 ounce glasses of non-caffeinated, non-caloric fluids per day. Caffeine in excess can be dehydrating and high caloric drinks such as soda and juice can add up extra calories. Plus the added bonus is that drinking a lot of water is the best way for your skin to get that healthy glow!