Oh Baby! Fitness Blog

You may have seen the headline, “Exercise May Not Limit Pregnancy Weight Gain.” The story comes from a new Brazilian study of obese women who joined a study group half way through their pregnancy (around 3 – 5 months). The researchers split the women into two groups. Half went to weekly exercise classes and got counseled on nutrition, weight gain and home exercises or walking they could do daily. The other women received standard prenatal care advice, but no extra information on exercise.

Regardless of whether they were assigned to do group and at-home exercise, about half of the women gained more weight than recommended upper limits. Read the full story on the study here.

What do these findings mean?
1- Exercise during pregnancy isn’t about weight loss, it’s about establishing good habits.
Pregnancy is the perfect time to build habits that will last for the rest of your life. As the study states, pregnancy is an “ideal time for behavioral modification for the benefit of both mother and the baby.” Becoming pregnant can inspire women to make important, healthy changes to their lifestyle that can become a model for their children. At Oh Baby! Fitness, we’ve watched lots of women start exercising for the first time during their pregnancy. A healthy habit is created, and after pregnancy, women continue to exercise and feel great and the weight truly starts to come off.

2- Being in shape before getting pregnant matters
Weight is harder to control during pregnancy. Starting your pregnancy at a healthy weight is a great way to lower your risk for c-section and having a large baby. If you start your pregnancy obese or overweight, start an exercise program as soon as your doctor advises. As the article says, “starting an exercise or diet program mid-way through pregnancy probably isn’t as useful as intervening very early in pregnancy — or better yet, before.”

3- Doctors recommend 30 minutes of exercise a day for ALL pregnant women, regardless of weight
Even obese and overweight pregnant women are advised to exercise for 30 minutes a day on most if not all days of the week. These 30 minutes can help you deal with pregnancy complaints (everything from swelling to heart burn to back pain to insomnia can be helped by exercise) while also preparing you for labor and being a new mom. Take the time during your pregnancy to create the healthy habit of exercise and activity that you can pass on to your child.

Dear Oh Baby! Fitness,

As we finish my first session of Oh Baby classes, I just wanted to send you a quick note of thanks. I have absolutely LOVED my Pilates, combo, and water aerobics classes these last two months. I have learned so much about my body, my pregnancy, and all that goes with that from your great instructors and fellow classmates. Even on the days that I thought I would fall over from exhaustion, going to class renewed my energy and my spirit. I knew that I would enjoy being around other pregnant women, but had no idea how much information and support I would take from everyone.

I started my pregnancy with too much weight already, and I had great concerns about risking my health and our baby’s by gaining too much more. The classes have helped me to stay in shape and stay motivated to watch my food intake as well. My OB and my husband are both thrilled with my progress. I feel amazing, and give lots of credit to these classes for helping me stay active and in great spirits as so much in my life is changing!

Kathleen and Elizabeth are wonderful, and I’m so excited that I’ll be able to continue the same class schedule with the same instructors. They are so supportive, educated, interested, and funny. They make even Pilates side series and combo lunges fun! You have done an excellent job in staffing with lovely women that inspire and educate us. Even my makeup classes with various instructors have been so welcoming and helpful.

I wanted you to know that I am a walking advertisement for your program. My friends and family are amazed at my progress and commitment to classes 3 days a week, and I highly recommend your program to every pregnant person I run into! Thank you so much for developing such a great outlet for pregnant women. I look forward to starting the next session with your team!

Sincerely,
Heidi
20 weeks pregnant

Awesome article from Workout of the Week on an Oh Baby! Fitness Pregnancy Pilates class.

I’ve copied the entire article here because I think it’s so great!

Pregnancy Pilates
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 | Writinggal

I decided that, since I’m pregnant, it would be fun to try and feature some prenatal classes. Now, if you’re not pregnant, don’t click away! You’ll want to read this in case:

-You become pregnant

-You know someone who is pregnant

-You know someone who may become pregnant

Now that applies to just about everyone, right? Okay, then. Read on:

I took Pregnancy Pilates through Oh Baby! Fitness which offers pregnancy and mom & baby exercises classes. I expected the class to include very similar moves to a regular Pilates class but with a lot of modifications and cues of, “Be careful! It’s not safe for your baby if you do this! Just do two reps because after all, you’re pregnant!”

I was surprised and pleased that I was wrong. Our instructor, Corrinna Edwards, is a doula who is training to be a midwife. That means she knows tons about pregnancy and childbirth. She’d often mention how a certain exercise could help us to have a more comfortable pregnancy and/or a better delivery. All the moves seemed to be designed for a pregnant woman’s body but they weren’t easy by any means. In fact, they were pretty challenging.

We started with seated work where we did a lot of moves that really felt like they were stretching and strengthening our backs. We did leg-lift moves while lying on one side (very challenging). We did Pilates push-ups and finished with standing work. Sure, she offered modifications but never did I feel like being pregnant meant I had to hold back. If I felt strong enough to do something, I could do it. It wasn’t watered-down Pilates; it was truly pregnancy Pilates!

I would recommend a pregnancy or pre-natal Pilates class to any pregnant woman, especially if it’s designed the way this one was. You can learn the moves in class and then do them at home too. Not only could it help you become flexible, strong and relaxed, but it’s a great way to bond with your baby.

Thanks to the cooperative pregnant ladies in the class for posing for this picture. Look at our good balance!

Instructor Corrinna is on the left. And then there’s me—the girl who lost her balance. Better practice more!

EIGHT Oh Baby! Fitness Babies at a Playdate!

These are the kinds of pictures that make me stop and smile and feel so very proud of what Oh Baby! Fitness has accomplished. Not only do we give women a challenging and safe workout during their pregnancy and after.. we help build a community, foster a support network and forge friendships!

I know my closest friends I have today are moms and dads I met in a new parents’ support group I joined after I’d had my baby in 2004 (that was pre-Oh Baby! Fitness). They’re the friends I call now when I need to discuss parenting issues, vent, or ask for a favor or play date. Some of my daughter’s best friends today were babies in that original group. I don’t know if it’s the vulnerability women feel during this time that makes the friendships they make while pregnant so special and deep… but you truly forge special bonds and long-lasting relationships during that time.

Over the five years of Oh Baby’s existence, we’ve heard from hundreds of moms that the community, conversations and friendships in their Oh Baby! Fitness classes have been life-changing. I’ll go out to restaurants or parks and see moms and babies hanging out.. and they tell me .. ‘We met in an Oh Baby class, and we’re inseparable!’ Facebook conversations abound between our new and expectant moms. Sharing advice, fears and excitement is the norm in an Oh Baby class and later online.

Come join us and see for yourself. And Moms, please keep sending these great pictures and stories! They melt my heart.

Best-
Clare Schexnyder
Owner and Founder of Oh Baby! Fitness

Oh Baby! Fitness classes are coming to Savannah in March 2011! Oh Baby! Fitness offers the widest variety of pregnancy and mom & baby exercise classes in the country. On March 5th, pregnancy and mom & baby water aerobics classes will start at the Chatham County Aquatics Center. Stroller Workout classes will be offered at nearby Lake Mayer park starting March 7th.

This is a first step in a national expansion for Oh Baby! Fitness. We’re so excited! Moms are already signing up. Register online today for your class at www.ohbabyfitness.com

Check out Oh Baby! Fitness owner, Clare Schexnyder, on Trust Dale TV talking about reinventing herself from a TV producer to entrepreneur and how the idea for Oh Baby! Fitness was born.

Oh Baby! Fitness CEO & Founder Clare Schexnyder