WEEK 25 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - The Fitness Mom

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 25, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 22 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.
 
 
From now on, take comfort in the fact that baby is going to put on more and more weight.  And birth weight is always associated with viability of a preterm baby (Read more about viability in Week 24).  Of course we are still heading towards fullterm, but we also know that our pregnancy is a high risk one. 

You are probably piling on some, too. Weight, that is. If you were a fitness freak who thought you could kickbox your way through to birth day, you may have been sorely disappointed when you were diagnosed with an incompetent cervix as you know then it is no longer possible.  Even for those of us who need not go on strict bedrest, high impact exercises are certainly not encouraged.  And for some reason the flab comes on faster than the muscles don't they?  I mean, it took us ages to tone those thighs and arms, but now 6 months into our pregnancy and perhaps bedrest for the last 3 months and there... the clumpy flabby disgusting looking bye bye granny arms and thunder thighs. UGH!!!! 

Fret not!  First of all, we will probably lose all the cellulite (that's what those clumpy looking thing is, and it's made up of water retention due to our pregnancy and of course... lack of exercise) within the first 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding (I lost mine within 3 months as I was producing something like 18oz of breastmilk every 4 to 6 hours - yea they call me COW).  And of course you can go back to the gym after your period of confinement.  Just to encourage you guys, I gained a total of 24kg for my 2nd pregnancy (I was on modified bedrest since cerclage was in at Week 15 all the way till Week 37 when stitch was off and my appetite was GREAT at all times) but lost 27kg within 4 months after given birth all just through breastfeeding. No dieting (if I was eating like a horse during pregnancy, I was eating like 5 horses throughout my 2 year breastfeeding period) and no intensive exercise.

Ok, that's after confinement.  What about now? Surely there are some exercises we can do now, bedrest or not? Furthermore, totally no movement isn't exactly healthy and may cause side effects like deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.   Here are some exercises which you may safely do even with prescribed bedrest, but DO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR first, as all our incompetent cervix pregnancies are different.

1. Kegels: Draw the pelvic-floor muscles that surround your vagina up like an elevator climbing up to your belly button, tightening them as if you are stopping the flow of urine; do not squeeze your buttocks. Hold for 10 seconds, breathing normally, then slowly release. Repeat 10-20 times. Benefits Helps you identify, control and strengthen your pelvic-floor muscles; this can help prevent urinary incontinence and speed healing after childbirth.

2. Chest and shoulder opener: Lace your fingers behind your head, opening your elbows wide. Sit tall and lean back slightly, lifting your chest as you breathe deeply until you feel your ribcage expand. Exhale as you draw your elbows down toward your knees and relax. Do five times, building up to 10. Benefits Increases lung capacity, improves posture, stretches the chest and shoulders and makes you feel alert and awake.

3. Ribcage breathing: Grasp your upper torso, spreading your fingers wide along your ribcage. Inhale deeply through your nose (feeling your ribcage expand under your fingers). Exhale through your mouth as you gently draw your belly in and do a Kegel. Do five times, working up to 10. Benefits Strengthens your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles; improves breathing and circulation, giving you a boost of energy.

4. Gentle pelvic tilts: Sitting “Indian style,” with knees bent, inhale through your nose as you lift your chest and lengthen your neck, arching your back. Exhale through your mouth as you round your spine, gently tucking your pelvis under, and draw your abs in as you do a Kegel. Return to the starting position and do five times, building up to 10. Benefits Promotes circulation throughout your entire body and gently tones the deep belly muscles, aiding digestion.

5. Upper-body strengthener: Pull your abs in and draw your shoulders back and down as you raise your arms out to the sides at shoulder height and bend your elbows 90 degrees. Inhale, then exhale as you press your arms overhead, squeezing your arm, shoulder and upper back muscles. Keep squeezing as you slowly lower your arms. Repeat 10-15 times. Benefits Increases upper-body strength and stamina (you’ll need these to carry your baby and all her gear!) and improves posture.

6. Lower-leg mobility: Stretch your legs out in front of you and pull your abs in. Roll your ankles clockwise10 times, then switch directions. Next, flex your feet, pointing your toes toward your knees. Repeat 10 times. Benefits Increases lower-leg circulation and helps maintain strength and flexibility.
(Source : http://www.fitpregnancy.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/bed-rest-workout)

If you are advised to refrain from even these exercises, then do so.  After all, we are already at this point, and we do want a healthy fullterm baby don't we?