Changing Shape

Last night I went to a "Changing Shape" class at the hospital for moms-to-be to learn about different ways to deal with the physical changes of being pregnant? What did I learn? That I already knew 95% of what the physio told us from my own reading (books and articles) and discussions with doctors and educated new moms. All the same, it was nice to attend the class and interact with people who are due at close to the same time as me, for their first times as well. It also confirmed something I knew already about all the information we hear and read - that all the experts still disagree on everything.

What I observed of the other moms was perhaps more telling than the few things I learned from the class. 

1. Although a few seemed to be familiar with some of the information too, more than half did not know some simple things that I had already heard or read over and over again. For example, a lot of them did know not to lie or sleep flat on one's back during the second trimester and beyond. 

2. Not sitting on my butt all day gives me far fewer problems and less pain than most of the women seemed to have. With the exception of one who said she had a job where she stands all day, a lot of them seemed to desk jobs or were students. They were all having back pain and swollen feet and vein problems and other things, of which I have so far had none. The physio said the best way to get rid of or lessen these symptoms was to move around as much as possible. I get the occasional minor aches and pains, and I have my own neck pain issues from time to time that I already had before getting pregnant, but for the most part I have been very fortunate and had very little pain.

3. Being a physically active person before I got pregnant has helped me out a lot. I seemed to be the only one that was still comfortable with wider range of motion. I was the only one getting up and down off the floor when I needed to write on the chart paper or try some of the exercises, the rest of the women just sat the whole time. Everyone laughed when I said I found a way to get up by kind of commando rolling onto my side (getting up from sitting or lying down was something they all said they were struggling with and needed help from others), until the physio said that's one of the things we should try to do so as not to strain certain muscles. 

I suppose this post sounds a little braggy, but I don't mean it to. I mean more to highlight two things that most of us already know, but many people have a hard time following through with. It's good to educate yourself about something you are dealing with to find the best strategies for you to deal with it on a daily basis, whatever that issue might be. And, being regularly physically active pays off in a multitude of ways over time. Both of these things make your life easier.