In late January I sat on my bathroom floor after taking three positive pregnancy tests and realised my life would never be the same again. I was going to be a mum. Fear followed joy, followed fear, followed joy, and if I’m honest this has pretty much continued throughout the last nine months. Every ounce of ego I’d attached to my single life I’ve been teaching myself to forget – all of those small things we do daily, that mean so much to us when we don’t have children. I’ve been learning to try and leave these neurosis at the door, because I soon realised that there was something bigger than me going on – I was no longer the centre of my universe.
One of the biggest aspects of my life that had to be adapted was training. My exercise routine always had a certain ferocity about it – I would use sentences like “I killed myself on the treadmill earlier”, or “that HIIT class has broken me”, it was all about how hard I could push myself and how sore I’d feel the next day. This had to change. For the first three months my exhaustion levels were so high and my morning sickness so bad that I genuinely couldn’t do much more than the odd Pilates class. On reflection, I’m so glad that I listened to my body and didn’t try to fight against it, especially because I learnt the most about myself in those initial 12 weeks. Being kind to myself and putting all of those body image insecurities to bed was a sharp learning curve as I started to nurture this little bean growing inside me. After week 13 I was back to my usual self, with a spring in my step and a much wiser, calmer head on my shoulders. I could spin, gently, do HIIT sessions at 50 percent and tackle free weights without trying to compete with the person next to me. My final trimester has been full of swimming, yoga, uphill walks and leg extensions and if I can’t find the energy on a certain day, I drink a green juice and walk to the shops instead.
In hindsight, slowing down has taught me so much – not only have I given myself the time to love and bond with my little girl before she arrives, I have also learnt how to do this with myself, something I will keep with me forever.
Zoe’s top pregnancy tips
#Just keep swimming
Swimming is an absolute must during pregnancy. I know it’s often perceived as being too slow and boring but, believe me, it’s been a godsend. Not only has it saved my back but it’s kept me toned when I couldn’t bash it out at Barry’s Bootcamp anymore.
#Let’s bounce
Bounce on an exercise ball for at least 15 minutes at the end of your workout to strengthen your pelvic floor – it’s genius! Such a simple movement is actually strengthening and tightening all of the right muscles in this area without you even noticing.
#Carry om
Pregnancy yoga is such a great way to get ready for the birth, especially if you’re a bit of a fast pace loon like me! The breathing techniques kept me calm and opened my eyes to hypnobirthing. It also keeps my muscles loose and supple when everything else is sore, tight and uncomfortable.}
