Just in case you would prefer to do my prenatal workout on your own or at the gym, I created a printable of the workout for you.
Author: Jessica Marie
Professional copywriter, NASM certified personal trainer, mom of 2
Full-Body Prenatal Workout
I did it! I finally uploaded my very first workout video!!! I’m so excited! It has been a huge goal of mine to start uploading workout videos for people to use for free. And I could see blatantly that prenatal workouts were a pretty lacking area. It’s hard to find good prenatal workouts online for free.
Today, I’m sharing my very first prenatal full-body workout video with you.
Remember to warm up before you do this workout with at least 5 minutes of light walking, marching in place or something similar. Also, I would recommend a little more stretching at the end if you have the time. I know my body gets so stiff lately, it could use more stretching.
If you’re feeling really energetic, you can do this workout twice through. If you don’t have as much time, you can either choose the standing or the mat portions of the workout and just do those. During pregnancy, you generally don’t want to work out too intensely or get too hot. You should be able to keep a conversation going. If you’re huffing and puffing, you’re probably working too hard. Always always always check with your doctor to see what’s appropriate and recommended for you. By doing this workout you are doing so at your own risk.
Introducing my pit bull pup, Titus, where he video-bombed me at about 7:48. You can hear him whining a few times in there as well. The dangers of filming outside! Haha. And let me just share that it’s Hubster’s job to mow the grass and it’s been growing like crazy! Don’t judge…
What do you think? Leave me a comment on here or YouTube to let me know what else you’d like to see in the future.
Wisconsin Dells Vacation (Part Two)
Read about the first half of our Wisconsin Dells family trip in Part One.
We saved Tuesday of our family trip for Noah’s Ark. It was pretty quiet when we got there, which was perfect. Peanut started out with being reluctant to ride any of the big rides, but after being coerced a little, tackled them like a boss. Of course, like every other child in history, he said, “let’s do it again!” He even did this Stingray ride that would’ve even freaked me out:
I couldn’t do many of the rides due to the current state of sharing my body with another human, but I just loved finding a shady spot to read while Peanut and his Da spent some quality fun time together. I plowed my way through #Girlboss, btw. Anyone else read it? It’s such an easy, amazing read.
On Wednesday, we decided to hit up Timbavati Wildlife Park. This brought back some interesting memories. As a child, my family and I made a yearly trek to a waterpark called Waterworld. As we were entering Timbavati, I saw the old, eerie overgrown Waterworld sign and the mystery of where that waterpark disappeared to was revealed. It is now Timbavati.
There were a lot of baby animals to feed, pet and coo at.
And a few big cats to watch. I felt a little bad though, cuz these pretty beasts only had a small sandy cage to spend their time in. (I always have these ethical conundrums at zoos).
We watched some comical pig races.
In the baby nursery, they allowed us to bottle-feed the baby goats and sheep. This is the kind of thing Peanut lives for. He’s got a huge heart for animals.
We even got to hand-feed giraffes and camels.
After the wildlife park, we found another miniature golf place that was mostly in the shade (thank God!) and had some more competitive fun. Hubster and I both like to gloat a bit when we’re in the lead.
On Thursday we indulged in a little bit more mini golf at our campground before packing everything up and heading home, wondering, of course, where the time went.
Peanut’s picture of our camper
My favorite part of the whole trip was when the three of us snuggled into our bed after dark and put a movie in the portable DVD player. Our nights got later and later as we all hunkered down and read and watched movies. Pretty sure we traumatized Peanut with All Dogs Go to Heaven (huge heart for animals, remember? He once cried inconsolably when he saw a squashed seagull in a parking lot and just about died when he witnessed a neighborhood crow pick up a baby bunny for lunch). But it was so much fun to relive Ferngully and a few other Oldie Goodies with him.
Next time we head back to Wisconsin Dells, we will be a family of 4. I wonder where we’ll go/stay next.
Wisconsin Dells Trip (Part One)
A few weeks ago, we planned our last family vacation before baby, while it was still manageable to do so without an infant, while we’re still just a family of three. We decided to head to Wisconsin Dells after finding a great camping deal there and wanting to spend more time in our new little toy. We got 15 total attraction tickets, which amounted to 5 different attractions for the three of us: Noah’s Ark, Timbavati Wildlife Park, Pirate’s Cove Miniature Golf, the Ducks, and the Deer Park. More than enough to keep us busy for an entire week!
We took a Saturday through Thursday trip in order to avoid some of the weekend crowds at these places. In the Dells, many things are cheaper Sunday through Thursday, so it’s helpful to know that. That time span also left the following weekend open for lounging at home. You know, the whole vacation from vacation thing.
Anyhow, we left on Saturday, after Hubster got done with work. It was quite later than expected. After getting settled in, I took Peanut down to the play area that the campground provided, including a giant blow-up jumping pillow. Peanut could hardly be torn away from that contraption. If I wasn’t so preggo, I would’ve been right up there with him:) After dark, we heard a bunch of loud booms. After investigating, we got treated to a fireworks display from a nearby racetrack that was pretty darn good.
On Sunday we got up and took a Duck tour right away. It’s amazing how they make those vehicles to drive on the road and the water. It’s like something out of a movie that’s totally a real thing. Peanut was quite enraptured by the phenomenon.
After the Ducks and a quick bite to eat, we hit up the miniature golf course. Pirate’s Cove has some great golfing, and they take the best care of their grounds than any other I’ve seen. I think this year’s theme for our family is miniature golfing. We’ve done it quite a few times now and can’t seem to get enough. Peanut is getting pretty good at the rules and lining up his ball. And he loves it!
Pirate’s Cove also has a Family Play Center that we indulged in for a little bit. They had a huge playground, giant jumping pillow, giant chess and checkers, a racetrack, and trampoline basketball.
Pedal Go-Karts
Giant Chess
Giant jumping pillow
On Monday, my parents came to visit for the day and we treated them to the Deer Park, one of our favorite Dells attractions. You get to hang out with deer and feed them out of your hands! We always take our time there and buy lots of animal food because it’s so rare to get to experience that experience with deer. Later on, we took mom and pops to our campground for hot dogs and S’mores and a little pool time. Poor dad had chemo scheduled for the next day, so they couldn’t stay overnight.
After all that fun, the whole family hit the campground pool for a cool off.
It always amazes me that we keep going back to Wisconsin Dells. It’s such a touristy town, but it’s also totally insane. It’s one of those towns that is so unique, you just have to go there. Where else can you drive down the street and see an upside-down White House, miles of snaking waterpark tubes, rides and roller coasters of every kind, piles of neon summer clothing and weird statues of all kinds? And if you only live 2 hours away, you might go there every year cuz your kids are enraptured by it all.
Stay tuned for Part Two of our family vacation to Wisconsin Dells.
Baby To-Do List
This week, I enter my third trimester, and with that, the to-do list has been weighing more heavily on my mind. I guess it’s true what they say about your second-born. We have been quite lax this time around. No baby magazine subscriptions, no intense Google searches (except for my heart palpitations), no rush to completely baby-proof every nook of our home. I’m even having a hard time getting interested in baby literature this time around. Certainly some things have changed in the last six years, but most of the baby guidelines are much the same. I’m excited–certainly! Just a little more lax. But, that to-do list is creeping up on me:
- Decide on a name. I’m already through the “K” baby names and have found absolutely nothing I’m happy with. Once we settle on a name, don’t ask what it is though. It’s our only secret:)
- Prepare and freeze extra meals for when the baby comes. Now’s the time to start clipping recipes that I can double or triple and freeze. Any good resources?
- Pick out a new car seat. Our old one is obviously expired by now, but I’m hoping to find one that’s compatible with our still-useful travel system stroller.
- Make a list of what to pack in my hospital bag. Then, eventually, pack it.
- Sew a baby bunting thing. I have a lot of sewing projects on my Pinterest board, but this is the only one that I’m hell-bent on finishing.
- Find furniture for Peanut. Poor boy has had a girl’s vanity dresser for far too long. We want to get him a new wardrobe and desk instead of the girly dresser and changing table-turned-bookshelf. Scouring Craiglist every day.
- Along with that, we really need to get a move on Baby Girl’s room soon. What was once our office will now be her nest. We need to get the old furniture out and move the new furniture in. It hurts thinking about it.
- Choose a new pediatrician. Our insurance has changed since news of our Baby Girl hit. Peanut and Baby Girl will both need new care.
- Journal for the baby. I kept a journal before Peanut was born about what I was thinking about, what was happening, current baby news, and how I felt about him. I remember all the news about BPA in polycarb bottles was just coming out and I’ve got a clip about that in there, along with our choice to use glass bottles. I want to do the same for Baby Girl. I think I only have one entry so far. Must. Get. On. That.
- Choose an easy scrapbook format and some simple embellishments for the baby. I don’t want to cheat my second-born of what I created for the first-born. I know I have to stay right on top of it or it will never happen, so purchasing the whole set-up now will save this project.
- Purge Peanut’s baby clothes. I no longer need any boy clothes. This is going to be so hard to do, parting with those little bitty outfits that bring back memories. However, we’re having a family rummage sale soon and it would be the perfect opportunity to clear the attic. Plus, I have friends and family with boys younger than Peanut that might enjoy some of our spoils.
- Figure out the whole breast pump thing with my insurance company.
- Film a prenatal workout video or 4. I likely won’t have anymore children, so I know right now is the ideal time to film a prenatal workout video. I really want to do this because there’s not a whole lot out there. It’s not just a “should do.” I’ve been jotting momma-friendly moves and hope to get something together really soon. Before I lose my baby belly in three months.
- Do some kind of maternity photo shoot.
- Pick up a few more baby girl clothes. This–and the car seat and diapers–are about the only things we need for baby #2. All the big stuff has just been patiently waiting for a new recipient in our attic for the past 6 years.
- Clean out the chest freezer. Gots to make some room for all the extra milk.
Oh geez. Just looking at this list is making me sleepy. Haha. I could literally nap just about anywhere right now. In fact, I’ve been known to steal away on my lunch break for a quick nap. Luckily, nothing will crumble if I don’t get to all of these things–or most of them really. I’m enjoying this time to take things a whole lot slower than my normal Type-A turbo pace, so I’m not as intensely focused on all of that right now. Just making it through a work day and dinner is enough for me. Ideally though, it would be nice to tackle most of them, or at least get a start on most of them. Baby steps (pun totally intended)!
Ticker Update
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I am beyond thrilled to announce that my ticker is in fighting shape. Being a devoted runner and soon-to-be second time momma, I am very reassured by this. My echocardiogram came back completely normal. My pulse was a bit high, but that’s pretty normal for pregnancy. The Holter monitor caught in the 6,000 range!!!!! of PVC’s, or skipped heartbeats, over the 48 hr period I wore it (3,000-something per day). However, no arrhythmia was detected.
My cardiologist said that they have patients with PVC’s in the 20-30,000 range, which is when they start having some concern. On a scale of 1 to 10, my benign “problem” ranks around a 1. However, she did offer a small dose of a beta blocker that’s safe for pregnancy. With her guidance though, I am not going to take them, at least not yet. I have them on standby in case the PVC’s really do become bothersome. Since the meds are not really medically necessary, they’re really only for my comfort, I’d rather wait this thing out and just tolerate it than medicate it.
My blood pressure this time was well back in the normal range–and actually a bit low for a preggo at 110/70. I was starting to worry that pre-eclampsia was sneaking up on me, but I think the higher readings were just because of nerves. Thank goodness. We pregnant ladies sure do worry a lot, don’t we?
It’s kind of neat to understand how my heart is working. I do get lightheaded once in awhile (though it’s a pregnancy-related symptom, not a heart problem-related one). The nurse practitioner explained that my heart is working fast right now, and she used a sponge analogy. If you were to squeeze a sponge long and hard, you’d get more water out of it. If you squeeze it fast and incompletely, not as much water will drain. That’s how the heart is working during pregnancy. It’s not as efficient at getting all that extra blood where it needs to go. Hence, the lightheadedness at times and the PVC’s. Beta blockers help smooth out that heartbeat, so the beats are good and hearty.
Well, I’m just so thankful that that’s out of the way and I’m doing fine. It was a few emotional days being hooked up to wires and waiting for those test results. Now that I know nothing is wrong, I’m not as anxious about or attuned to all the PVC’s I’ve been having. It has made a huge difference just knowing that I’m going to be fine.
Weekend Family Fitness
Our state park system recently offered a free weekend open house where we could partake in their many amenities at will. We chose High Cliff since it was the closest to home. We started with a long trail hike at a pretty slow walking/waddling pace. We actually chose the horse-riding trail for something different, since we’ve frequented the other trails many times before. Plus, we got to meet a few special visitors of the equine variety that way. Horsey kisses? Yes, please. The day was beautiful, bright and bug-less and the trail a healthy 3 miles long. The handsome fellow below was one happy camper, can you tell?
We counted butterflies, listened for cricket chirps and scoped out the wildflowers.
After our long hike, we recouped with some water and snacks and headed to the very tall viewing tower the park provides. Someone had to stay behind with the dog, and I allowed that person to be me. I left those ten flights of stairs to my guys and their non-squished lungs.
Behind the viewing tower is a long railing bordering some steep drop-offs. There’s a secret spot though that a handful of people found behind one of the fence posts. There’s a stone staircase and a series of pathways through neat rock outcroppings and caves. We climbed those fence posts and took the little side trip that happened to also be pretty picturesque.
Find the steps behind the secret railing. Secret hideouts are my favorite!
What you are witnessing are my only prenatal photos so far.
One lone autumn leaf that survived the deep freeze.
Happy boys!
Our day was so perfect. We finished with dinner and more play time. You’d think Peanut would be exhausted, but he never wears out. All day of playing and hiking followed by more heavy play and he probably could’ve kept going. No naps, no time outs. I, on the other hand, feel like napping after simply thinking about this hike again. Haha. I’m still trying to stay as active as my body will allow me to. Sometimes that’s a 6 mile bike ride, a 3 mile hike or a 2 minute stretch session. I’m just letting my body guide me and enjoying my capabilities even in my pregnant state, and I’m enjoying the relaxed nature of it all. No counting reps, no tallying up miles, no tracking calories. I’m hoping to carry some of this relaxed, carefree, exercising-but-not-trying-to, bring-the-whole-family energy into my post-natal fitness approach. I enjoy being hardcore when I’m not pregnant, but there should always be space for serendipity.
Camping Collins Style
Since Hubster doesn’t work on Mondays, we considered Memorial Day weekend the ideal time to take a little mini vacation in our new camper. That way, no one had to miss work or school but we could get out in our new mini home away from home ASAP.
We stayed close to home for various reasons, which turned out to be helpful when Hubster had to run home for a few emergency items, like a cooler since our fridge didn’t work. We booked a reservation at Jellystone Park in Fremont, WI. It’s not the type of camping that’s real secluded and rustic. It’s very open and populated, but also very family-friendly and comfortable. By comfortable, I mean there are showers, a convenience store, and many other amenities that hardcore campers would snicker at. But pregnant ladies and high maintenance husbands need those things, right?
Hey there, Boo Boo
Saturday, we headed out after Hubster got home from work, which was after 4. Peanut and I had gotten everything packed and ready to go and were beginning to run out of patience, ha! We finally got on the road and enjoyed tacos and sunset-gazing before bedtime snuck up on us.
Sunday was full of swimming, hiking, s’more making and exploring. I just love all the mixtures of smells, experiences and sounds when you’re out camping. On Sunday, we also tried out the miniature golf course on-site. We even saw a hummingbird flitting around the bushes. I tried my darnedest to get a picture, but alas, the elusiveness of those birds is what makes them so hard to photograph and also what makes seeing one so special. We visited some cute shops in Weyauwega and went to a diner for dinner and an ice cream shop after. The very best part was lounging, chatting, reading and hanging out with our…um…lap dog?
Monday, we rented a pontoon boat for about an hour. It rained a little bit, but not enough to soak the skin, plus we had the canopy. Then, we rode the hay ride with all three Jellystone bears, Yogi, Boo Boo and Cindy Lou. Peanut thought that was extra special, since the previous days only had one or two of the bears. Then, we packed up and pulled out and made one last stop at one of the on-site playgrounds while Hubster took care of the septic drain.
I have had this insatiable itch to go camping that was finally pacified!!!! And lots of memories made with my three-person, soon-to-be-four-person family. We may not have many more opportunities to head out this summer what with baby coming and all, but we do have at least one long vacay planned for July. I can’t wait to go again! I have such great memories of camping as a kid, always in tents, and it’s so satisfying passing down this favorite pastime to my own son, and eventually my daughter too.
Do you have any favorite memories of camping as a child?
Dollar Store Camping Supplies
My mom usually buys me plants for my backyard garden for my birthday. I am pretty easy to please that way and can never think of anything else that I really want. This year, I’m taking a garden hiatus due to my baby-growing condition. Mom wanted to know what else she could do for my birthday, when it dawned on me. Camper stuff! Since we have a bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms in our camper, we pretty much have to furnish it with things that we’d have in our home, on a much smaller scale. Kitchen utensils, dish soap, sheets, etc.
The first trip she took me on was to the Dollar Store, per my request. Here’s a list of things we furnished our camper with from the Dollar Store.
1. All-purpose cleaner
2. Mini cutting board
3. Scissors
4. Mini colander
5. Hand soap
6. Measuring cup
7. Mini baking sheet
7. Mini baking sheet
8. Aluminum foil
9. Small wastebasket
10. Plastic containers for leftovers (ever gotten caught without a place for leftovers? Total bummer)
11. Tissue
12. Plastic baggies
13. All-purpose cleaning wipes
12. Plastic baggies
13. All-purpose cleaning wipes
14. Fly swatters
15. Hot dog/marshmallow skewers
16. Long tongs
Then, I kept all those Dollar Tree bags and stuffed them inside the garbage can to recycle them as garbage bags.
We hit up Shopko afterwards and got a pretty sweet deal on some basic pillows, $4.49 each.
Last week, I found this lovely quilt and sham set at a rummage sale for $4.
My grandma had an extra usable knife set and a salt/pepper shaker set with covers at her house that fit right in the camper drawers. At work, I nabbed three beach towels, so we don’t always have to bring the ones from home. We already have a stash of matches, basic utensils (can opener, spatula), playing cards and a few other things leftover from when we had the pop-up.
Still on the list:
Essentials
Two twin size fitted sheets
Pillowcases
More blankets
Dog bowls (yep, he loves camping just as much as us)
Bath towels and washcloths
Kitchen washcloths and towel
Foam mattress pad (our double fold-down table/bed is pretty scant on padding)
Pots and pans
Pots and pans
Wants
New pretty curtains
Curtain rod and privacy curtain over our side of the camper
Thrifty and resourceful, I am happy to be called by those names. I will probably hit up Big Lots next to take care of some of some goodies for a good cost. I’ve been scouring rummage sales for the past two weeks for anything else we might need before I go out spending on brand new items. After we get the absolute essentials, I want to tackle some of the aesthetic elements of the camper. The standard issue upholstery and decorations are a bit….um….tacky for my taste. Maybe someday I’ll actually detail and paint some of the woodwork. I’ll make sure to take before and after pictures to document the overhaul if I do. I’m loving all the vintage camper makeovers I’m finding on Pinterest.
I’m so giddy about camping, I can hardly stand it!
Any other ideas where I can get a deal on these items? What else is absolutely essential for camping?
State of the Baby Address
I haven’t been saying much about my pregnancy other than making the announcement, but it’s so true what they say about each pregnancy being entirely different. This one has left me with a lot more worry and has felt like an entirely different experience than the first uneventful one. From morning sickness to anxiety flare-ups to weird heart behaviors to health scares, I’ve been trying to navigate waters that feel completely foreign to me.
First, we had a false positive reading for Down’s Syndrome which sent our world into a bit of a spin of waiting, testing, waiting some more. Everything came out “normal,” but the experience was kind of excruciating and full of questions. We just wanted to know what we had to prepare for and wrap our minds around it, but admittedly there were lots of tears and doubt.
In the last month, I’ve developed some pretty frequent heart palpitations. I had them during my last pregnancy, but they were very different. With Peanut, they only showed up around month 8 during exercise and exertion. They were pretty infrequent. This time, they happen all day, every day, whether I’m sitting in my chair or out hiking. I, of course, reported them to my baby doctor right away.
My OB was not too worried about them. She said they were pretty common in pregnancy considering the extra blood volume a pregnant woman has in her body. She said I could either monitor it for any changes, see my general practitioner about it, or she could refer me to a cardiologist. I chose the cardiologist because I just don’t want to mess around with my heart. And with my anxiety, I have a hard time with worst-case scenario thinking. I just want to be extra cautious and know for sure that everything is fine.
This past Friday, I saw the cardiologist. He told me not to worry about it, but that we were going to be extra cautious and a little more aggressive with testing since I’m pregnant. I appreciate the gesture! My blood pressure was reading pretty high that day, so I was suffering from nervous energy wondering if it was a sign of pre-eclampsia. However, my BP was back in the normal range at Monday’s appointment, so I’m hoping it was just a fluke because I was nervous.
So Monday, I got fitted for my electrodes. Cool, huh? How bionic-womanlike of me. I’m wearing a Holter monitor for 48 hours to detect any abnormalities. Then on Thursday I’m scheduled for an echo-cardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart. As frightening as heart conditions sound and these tests seem (I’ve never had to see so many doctors in my life!), I’m trying to stay positive and take everything in stride. After all, both my OB and cardiologist said everything is likely to be benign.
Despite these “setbacks,” everything is going relatively fine. I feel much better, but I still have no interest in cooking or any type of food prep and my energy wanes big time during the day. Peanut wants me to play the instant I get home from work, and it’s hard to deny him that. My pleading eyes just can’t convey to him the complete exhaustion I feel at the end of the day. I try to give him what I can, but many days are “lets watch a movie together” days. When I’m feeling truly energetic, I can muster a 6 mile bike ride with the family, but that’s only happened once, so…
Well, there are only about 3 months left until we meet our baby girl and I’m hoping things become a whole lot more uneventful really soon. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, would ya? I appreciate every one I can get.