If you ran into me at the gym last year, you know I didn’t shy away from exercise, very often hard exercise, while I was pregnant with my son. I always caution that it isn’t for everyone and I had the benefits of being a physiotherapist, trained and monitored by top fitness professionals, with the blessing of my ObGyn. I was cautious and scaled back my weights and activities according to not only my stage of pregnancy but also to how I felt that day.
Recent research has suggested that exercise is not only key in healthy weight gain during pregnancy but prevents long term weight gain contributing to obesity. Anecdotally, I am convinced it made a huge difference in my labour and more importantly my recovery. I’ve been able to return to physical activity faster following this pregnancy and while the baby weight is not completely gone, I am much further ahead than I was at this stage in my first pregnancy.
Naturally when Kara Stewart Agostino of KSA Personal Training, who trained me following the birth of my daughter, asked me to model for her Girls Gone Strong piece “Why You Should Squat During Pregnancy”, I jumped at the chance to help out. As a physiotherapist, squats are one of my favourite exercises. Not only to they target multiple muscles including your core, they are functional in motherhood. You may not realize it but when you have kids, especially small kids, you squat all the time.
So if you would like to know where to start and the right form to keep you safe, reading Kara’s article is a great place to start.
+Melanie Stevens Sutherland, Clinic Director & Senior Orthopaedic and Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Melanie is a graduate of McMaster University and brings 20+ years of experience as a senior physiotherapist to Body Co. She has enjoyed a long tenure working with active populations at prestigious sport medicine clinics. Past clients include Provincial, National and Olympic level athletes as well as members of the National Football League, the Canadian Football League, the Ontario Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the National Lacrosse League and Major League Soccer.
Following the birth of her own children, Melanie developed a strong interest in women’s health. She has taken specialized courses in pelvic floor physiotherapy and women’s nutrition. She is passionate about helping women find strength and confidence in their post-natal bodies following pregnancy and delivery.
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