Training Through Pregnancy How I Stayed Strong Before and After Kids
If you had asked me years ago what pregnancy and fitness would look like together, I probably would have assumed they didn’t.
Like many women, I grew up believing pregnancy meant slowing down, being careful, and putting your body on hold until “after.” Strength training wasn’t part of the conversation especially for moms.
What I didn’t know then is that strength would become one of my greatest supports through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and motherhood.
Strength Training Before Pregnancy Changed Everything
Before becoming pregnant, lifting weights was already part of my life.
Not in a competitive or extreme way but consistently enough that my body was strong, resilient, and used to movement.
That foundation mattered.
Because pregnancy doesn’t suddenly erase your strength it builds on what’s already there.
Instead of starting from zero, my body knew how to move, brace, and recover.
Building a Home Gym and Training Through Pregnancy
Life didn’t slow down when I became pregnant and neither did movement.
We built a small gym in our basement:
A treadmill
A squat rack
Dumbbells
Nothing fancy.
I continued training through both pregnancies, adjusting intensity, listening to my body, and respecting my limits.
This wasn’t about pushing harder.
It was about maintaining strength, mobility, and confidence during a season of massive physical change.
Gaining 55 Pounds With My First Pregnancy (And Why That Wasn’t Failure)
With my first pregnancy, I gained 55 pounds.
At the time, I didn’t judge it the way many women are taught to.
I was growing a human. My body was doing its job.
But postpartum, I felt the reality of it.
I was tired. Heavy. Weak in ways I hadn’t experienced before.
And like many new moms, I was eager to feel like myself again.
Postpartum Movement Started With Walking Not Weight Loss
Six weeks postpartum, once I was cleared, I didn’t jump into intense workouts.
I started with walking.
Outside. Slowly. Intentionally.
Those walks weren’t about burning calories.
They were about:
Reconnecting with my body
Supporting recovery
Creating space for my mental health
Only after that foundation did I reintroduce strength training.
This is where so many moms go wrong rushing fat loss instead of rebuilding function first.
Learning the Hard Way: Core and Pelvic Floor Matter
Looking back, there’s something important I didn’t fully understand then.
Core recovery.
Pelvic floor health.
In that season, it wasn’t talked about. It wasn’t taught. And it certainly wasn’t prioritized.
I trained through pregnancy and postpartum without truly addressing deep core function something I would pay attention to much later in my journey.
That gap would eventually shape how I coach women today.
My Second Pregnancy Was Different And So Was My Recovery
By my second pregnancy, I approached things differently.
I trained smarter. I fueled better. I respected recovery.
I gained about 25 pounds nearly half of what I gained the first time.
And yes I worked out the day I went into labor.
Not because I was chasing a look.
But because movement made me feel grounded, strong, and capable.
Strength Training Was Never About Bouncing Back
I never believed in “bouncing back.”
I believed in moving forward.
Stronger. More informed. More connected to my body.
Training through pregnancy wasn’t about control.
It was about:
Trusting my body
Supporting recovery
Protecting my mental health
Maintaining a sense of self
What I Want Moms to Know About Training During and After Pregnancy
Here’s what I wish more women were told:
You don’t need to stop moving you need to move intentionally
Strength training can support pregnancy when done correctly
Walking is powerful postpartum
Fat loss should never come before function
Core and pelvic floor health matter more than aesthetics
Pregnancy doesn’t make you fragile.
It asks you to be smart, patient, and supported.
Strength Was the Thread That Carried Me Through Motherhood
Strength training didn’t just help my body recover.
It helped me navigate:
Sleep deprivation
Identity shifts
Emotional overwhelm
The demands of motherhood
It gave me an anchor.
And it would eventually become the foundation of how I help other women rebuild strength after having kids.
In the next post, I’ll share the moment I found out I was five months pregnant — and how learning to listen to my body changed everything.
