give me the strength

[Jamila Bey]

Well I had been the poster chick for pleasure-filled pregnancy, just this past week I've noticed that I'm as weak as a kitten and I keep needing to sit down. I'm at 6.5 months now and I stopped lifting about four weeks back. I tried to lift a bag that was about forty pounds and I seriously had to put effort forth! I understand I'm growing someone inside me now, but I don't know if this weakness is attributed to pregnancy or recent inactivity.

Non-lifters I know are no help about this so I've come to my strong and wise friends here. I'm embarassed that I need to ask Hubby to lift stuff for me! It used to be the other way around. Should I make myself do maybe what used to be my warmups with just the bar and some 10s? I'd been trying to "listen to my body" and the body likes sitting and rowing and stretching only these days. I've only gained 24 pounds so I'm not even that much bigger.

The hormones are sucking dry my brain power why must they sap my muscle power too???

[Allen Yeh]

I would definitely listen to your body at this point.

When my wife was pregnant with Connor she just wasn't able to workout at all, prior to this she was an exercise fiend 5-7 days a week...etc. During the pregnancy she was miserable. The first trimester was the morning sickness that lasted all day and the 2nd and 3rd trimester was intense pains in her back that the doctors couldn't figure out. At this point we definitely were not stressing that she wasn't working out like she used to.

[Garrett Smith]

Wish I could help, but I/we aren't into the third trimester yet.

Listening to your body is the best thing you can do. Rowing and stretching sounds great to me.

[Mike Donnelly]

Good luck during the rest of your pregnancy, Jamila. My wife is at 8.5 months now. The car is loaded and all warmed up.

She was experiencing a lot of muscle pain and discomfort - particularly in he back and legs - as this pregnancy moved into the secong trimester. I ended up giving her nightly massages. From her report, it was a good relaxation fit, but also kept the blood flowing and gave some stimulation to the large and small muscles that she had not been working out/activating when not pregnant. Certainly did not improve "strength" per se, but did make her feel more capable of carrying and moving throughout her daily activities.

(Either that or she just liked massages and knew that the functional component would motivate me to keep giving them.)

Throw in a little mobility stuff throughout the day as well to keep everything activated and to help your body to remember its ROM.

Your body is going through some major systemic adaptations right now, so everything from walking stairs to lifting groceries to rowing and stretching will tax your entire system more. (Even the hardcore studs around here would take off their 24lb. weighted vest when they could.) Listen to your body and focus on your recovery needs as well.

[Dave Van Skike]

Love how a bunch of dudes are attempting to answer this?

[Jamila Bey]

Originally Posted by Dave Van Skike

Love how a bunch of dudes are attempting to answer this?

Well look at the forum where I asked!!!

(Though I would like a mommy or two to let me know if/when I can expect to get back to where I was...)

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Jamila Bey

Well look at the forum where I asked!!!

(Though I would like a mommy or two to let me know if/when I can expect to get back to where I was...)

Who cares where you were? Look where you're going!

[sarena kopciel]

I would love to say I can relate but my baby is turning 17 in April. And although I have four kids, one grandbaby and one on the way, I wasnt even remotely fit when I was pregnant so I cannot relate. All I know is sleeplessness and all that comes with pregnancy is really meant as preparation for all those times you will be up with a child--whether that is feeding, a teething or sick child or later waiting for the teenager to get home!!

Best of luck! Sorry I cant help any more!