Peekaboo Nursing Shirt and Coupon Code

I was provided product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are completely mine.

Having nursed four children, (currently nursing my fourth) I understand how it can be a bit of a challenge to do so discreetly when you are a mom on the go. As your baby grows, they wiggle around, lift up your shirt more than you may want, kick off a nursing cover, you get the point...

I have tried a LOT of nursing covers and shirts, and I have found one I really like for more than just the obvious reason. Peek-a-boo nursing and maternity clothes sent me their Cap Sleeve Top in Concrete, and I am wearing it everywhere.

You can see in the pictures above, that it is not only super cute, but it also doesn't appear to be any different than your favorite cap sleeved top, at least not until you very simply lift the top layer and pull down on the bottom layer a bit. Peek-a-boo! There you have it - a discreet nursing top! Hooray!

On top of that, you can also wear this when you are pregnant as a maternity top, and it is flattering after baby. I wish I had a whole closet of these tops!

It is great to wear this top when you are out and about this summer. I wore it while on vacation with my family, sightseeing at Homestead National Monument.

Head over to Peek-a-boo, check out all their styles and experience their great customer service. Do not fret about buying online either. They have risk free shopping because you can always return/exchange the items you buy in case they do not fit right. Make sure to use the code natural20 to receive 20% off, valid until 10-13-2016.

Check out their Facebook Page, find them on Pinterest, and see how Peek-a-boo works on YouTube.

My Fourth Natural Home Birth Story

After waiting 42 and a half weeks for our little baby to be born, Ashton Benaiah Nitz, was born to us at home on January 6th, 2015. He weighed 8 lb. 8 oz. and was 21 inches long. After I held my sweet baby for a while, unfortunately a little drama came our way...but before I get ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning.

January 5th, 9:00 pm - After feeling like I had been waiting most of my life to go into labor, I noticed I was bleeding a bit. I called my midwife, and we discussed why that may be happening: possible infection, labor or just part of my mucus plug. I decided to go and take a shower and relax. However, when I got into the shower, labor contractions really amped up. They went from being irregular (which had been happening for the last month) to coming every 2-3 minutes. My husband called the midwife again and asked her to come over, then called my mom and sister, (who would also be attending the birth) and our birth photographer. Within about a half hour or so, everyone was here, and I could not believe the time had finally come! Soon, we would meet our little baby and find out if we had a new son or daughter!

We had decided to try a water birth this time around, so I immediately wanted to get in the tub to see if it eased contractions. After a little while of trying to add and subtract water to get the right temperature, I was finally able to get in. It did feel nice to relax in there for awhile, but contractions slowed way down to about 10 minutes apart. After a little while of resting, I decided I better get out and get things rocking again. I jumped in the shower, and sure enough, contractions sped up again.

Around this time, which must have been around midnight or so, everyone was getting sleepy. Before I knew it, it was just Adam and I. I was getting so tired and just wanted to sleep. I decided to lie down on our bed and try to get through contractions while resting in between. This was incredibly painful, and while I wanted Adam to rub my back to help relieve the pain, he kept falling asleep too.

I tried alternating getting in the bath with going back in the shower. It was hard to do this as contractions were getting really strong. I knew things were getting really serious when I started shaking uncontrollably and vomiting. I just felt so tired and weak.

Finally, I got in the tub and stayed in the tub. When I felt transition was coming, I asked Adam to go wake somebody up to help me. The midwives came in, and this is where details get a little fuzzy, because I was only focused on getting through the pain.

 I remember being so incredibly tired and pained and just wanting it to be over. But, what mother in labor does NOT feel that way, right? I also remember holding someone’s hand. When I was going through my birth photographer’s pictures, I realized that I was actually holding my father’s hand. I didn’t even know he was there, so this was such a sweet surprise to realize and brought tears to my eyes.

I felt so uncomfortable in the tub trying to figure out how to get ready to push the baby out. Adam started helping support my body by holding under my arms. The midwives and my mom and sister all tried to help hold my legs, so I could push the little miracle out. I also remember calling for someone to make sure my two older children were awake and in the room, because we had decided as a family that they could be a part of this miracle. After several crazy pushes, my beautiful baby was born at 5:07 am! We named him Ashton Benaiah Nitz, and he is so loved!

Seconds after my baby was born, I got to hold him. It is the most mind-blowing feeling to touch the skin and see the child you have been carrying inside of you for almost a year.

 My two midwives were amazing. Thanks Joanna and Jeanne! Also, huge thanks to my mom, dad, and sister, Calleigh, for being so supportive and helping with my other children.

As I mentioned earlier, none of us knew whether this baby was a boy or girl. I had told everyone not to tell me until I could find out for myself. But...my husband spilled the beans while I was holding him. When I heard, "It is a boy!" I didn’t care as much how I found out. I was just too overjoyed to have a son! (For those of you who do not know, we have a 6 year old boy, 4 year old girl and another 2 year old girl) It had been so long since I held a baby son, I was completely excited and happy to have another and for my older son to now have a brother!

After the joy of the moment started to soak in, I began to realize how much pain I was still in. I still had not delivered the placenta, and after trying for a bit in the tub, I got out to try on my bed. Little did I know, I had  bled a lot in the tub.

After getting into my bed and trying with all my might to get the placenta out, it finally did come out. "The worst is over. No more pain." I thought. Not quite...

After enjoying my baby a little more and trying to get him to nurse (which he did), I suddenly felt very faint and started blacking out. Things get a little fuzzy here again, but I do remember the midwives giving me oxygen, trying to get me to eat a mashed banana and drink a special tea, and saying my blood pressure was 50 over 30. I also remember saying, "I do not feel good," over and over again. After nearly blacking out twice, my midwife decided to call 911 and get me transported to the hospital.

When the ambulance arrived, they somehow got pajamas on me, and out we went to the ambulance. It was freezing! We are talking about -25 degrees or so here! They quickly wrapped me up when they got me on the gurney outside my front door. The rest of the day was full of IVs in both arms and resting/sleeping in the Emergency room. Finally later in the day, I was transferred to an OB room.

The thing that saddened me the most was that I was not able to hold and nurse my baby as often as I had wanted. They did not even want him to be there! But there was no way I was going to spend my baby’s first day of life separated from him. I held him several times throughout the day and tried to nurse him a few times. My midwife and husband kept me company that day, which I was thankful for. By nighttime, my hemoglobin was at its lowest of 7 from losing too much blood during the delivery. Since I was able to go to the bathroom myself and walk a little bit, I convinced the doctor to let me go home, where I could get much better nutrition and rest.

Thankfully, my mom had taken our other children, and that was very helpful as I tried to gain some strength the next day or so.

I have so enjoyed snuggling up with all four of my children, seeing the love between them all, smelling the newborn smells on Ashton, and realizing how incredibly blessed I am to have these children call me Mommy.

Thank you to our wonderful birth photographer, MB Photography, for the beautiful memories she captured!

Does Shapewear Work?

I was provided product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I just gave birth to my fourth child last week, which was wonderfully exciting! However, the downside of having carried and birthed four children is that your body takes a little bit of a beating. The amazing thing to me is how fast your body can heal and regain so much strength with a little work. No, it will never be exactly the same as pre-pregnancy, but it can get pretty close.

Besides doing kegels in the days following birth, I decided to try something new that I have never tried with any other pregnancy. I am trying out a belly wrap.

Why?

There are a couple reasons. First of all, I am using it to remind me to try to engage my abs whenever possible. Just pulling in your core can help tone it back up and strengthen those important muscles. Second, I am hoping it will help me heal my diastasis recti. I have a bit of abdominal separation, and I am hoping this helps heal it.

Wink shapewear sent me their new Belly and Hip Shaper. It is actually very comfortable and does not restrict my range of motion at all. I wear it under regular clothes, and it is completely unnoticeable. It is longer than the average band, and extends well beyond hip level. This length provides compression at the waist as well as the hips, helping you compress and tone belly and hips.

They use hook and eye closures on the side of the band that allows for adjustment and tightening as your size goes down. I have had no problems with quality or how it works. It is actually quite easy to put on and off, which is important when you have a newborn.

So, how does it work?

The band I received was almost too big for me when I first put it on. I had one more notch of closures to tighten it up to, and now I am on that last tightest size. I feel that it definitely does help me to maintain better posture and hold my abs tighter than if I was not wearing it. My core muscles are healing pretty quickly, so I think it is a product that is worth trying!

Post-pregnancy bodies can be hard to adjust to, and the Wink Belly and Hip Shaper helps you feel stronger, slimmer and tighter. Plus, I believe it really does work to help your core muscles heal and get stronger by reminding you to contract and pull them in.

Have any of you had experiences with shapewear? What are your experiences?

Tabata 11 - Prenatal or Beginner Workout

It's our favorite day of the week again! Why? Well, because we are crazy about Tabata, and we give away FREE Tabata workouts right here. Yep, it's your lucky day! (If you haven't learned about why Tabata is the workout I recommend most as a certified personal trainer, read all about it here.)

Today, we are going to work your whole body, but in a little less intense way. This workout is perfect for pregnant mommas or beginners. It is also a great workout to add on to another of my Tabata workouts. As you can see, I am very pregnant, 37 weeks pregnant, in fact! Have fun burning a ton of calories and fat! (If you love the prenatal fitness clothing I am sporting, make sure to check out where I got them)

Work hard during each 20 second burst and enjoy the rests in between. Make sure you are giving it 100% to see the best results! Do this workout 3 times this week, every other day, and then I will give you a new workout soon to keep your body guessing and the fat flying off!

Tabata 10 - Prenatal or Beginner Workout!

This is an interval workout that consists of hard work for 20 seconds and then 10 seconds of rest directly following that. You repeat that pattern for 8 sets. That is one round. You can choose to do as many or as few rounds as you would like. This workout contains 5 rounds. Do as many as you can and challenge yourself to finish them all!

Round 1 -  Squat, Curl and Press - 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest - 8 X

 Start in a squat position. Hold weights down by your sides.

 Squeeze biceps and curl weights up to your shoulders as you stand. Then, immediately push the weights overhead to complete one rep.

Round 2 -  Fast Squat to Lunge - 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest - 8 X

From a squat position, quickly tap right leg back into a lunge and then back to the squat. Repeat the same move on the other side for the second 20 second burst.

Round 3 -  Plie Squats - 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest - 8 X

 Start in a standing position with feet wide and toes pointed out the corners of the room. Squat down, keeping hips back and pressing into your heels. Stand back up to finish one rep.
*To make this a more advanced move, jump out of the squat instead of just standing back up.

Round 4 -  Opposite Arm and Leg Lift - 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest - 8 X

 Start in an all-fours position. Lift right arm and left leg. Hold for one count and then set them back down. Go right into lifting the opposite arm and leg. Keep switching as fast or as slowly as you would like to.
*To make this a more advanced move, hold a light weight in your hands or ankle weight on your legs.

Round 5 -  Cat/Cow - 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest - 8 X

This is a great move if you have any low back pain. It is also a great way to strengthen your core muscles. Starting in an all-fours position, exhale and round your spine as you tuck your chin in towards your chest. Inhale and look slightly forward as you allow your spine to sink down towards the floor.

That is it! Rock this workout, and you are going to feel amazing! Remember, do this 3 times a week to get in awesome shape and join me next time for another great Tabata workout!

*Feel free to ask any questions. Also, please remember to consult your doctor before beginning exercise. I am obviously not responsible for any injuries or accidents that happen during or after this workout. Be safe and be healthy!*

For Two Fitness Review and Giveaway

I was provided product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I am 36 weeks pregnant with my fourth baby, and yes, still teaching fitness classes and working with my personal training clients. I can't help it! I love helping others get fit and healthy! Last night, I taught an awesome Tabata High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class and worked with a couple clients. Exercise gives me such an awesome high and boosts my endorphins. It is very important to keep exercising throughout pregnancy. It helps you pump lots of blood to your baby, keeps you in tip top shape for the hard work of labor and delivery, helps you sleep better, and the list just goes on and on.

Believe it or not, one of my biggest hurdles with exercising through pregnancy is not keeping up with what I normally do, but finding clothes that fit me and feel comfortable on my ever-changing body.

This is where For Two Fitness comes in. Your pregnant body is unique. Their maternity activewear is designed to fit through all trimesters, and flatter your post-baby body too! They have a great variety of high performance clothing with super cute maternity sayings on their tops.

I received their Wild Orchid Training for Two Tee and Black Ultimate Maternity Micro-plush Capris.

 I love how comfortable both of these items are. The pants feel like silk and softness and fit perfectly. The three way belly panel helps them fit you no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in. The shirt is super cute, and I have gotten so many compliments on it already. My clients love it and so do I! I do not have to worry about the shirt rolling up or sliding up. It keeps my whole belly covered in a super cute way!

I know a lot of moms feel tired and unmotivated to exercise during pregnancy, but if you can get some fabulous For Two Fitness clothing on and get your cute booty moving, you will be doing yourself and your baby a favor. Trust me, you will feel more energy after your workout than before.

To help you get motivated to get moving, I am going to share an awesome Pregnancy (or anytime) workout with you next week, and we are going to host an awesome giveaway of For Two Fitness clothing! Check out the total body prenatal workout!

We are giving away (1) $50 For Two Fitness gift card for (1) winner!

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Knocked Up Fitness Review

I received product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

As a pregnant momma and personal trainer myself, I get asked a lot, "What exercises can I do during pregnancy safely?"

It is a great question, and I am so happy to see so many women interested in staying active during their pregnancies. It is one of my Top 5 Healthy Must-Dos for Pregnancy, after all.


Most doctors and fitness professionals would agree that you can do most of what you were doing physically before you were pregnant while you are pregnant. The key is to listen to your body.


But, what about core work? What if I have back pain? What can I do to get my body ready for labor?
These are other great fitness topics that we pregnant women have, and thanks to Knocked-Up Fitness, you can have all the guidance you need to answer these questions and more!

Knocked-Up Fitness is a fabulous company that offers you all the help and information you need to look and feel your best throughout pregnancy and afterward.

I love their Prenatal DVD Set led by Erica Ziel, Master Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer and mother of three. She is coming from a lot of experience, and she does a great job of showing moms-to-be how to strengthen and tone key muscle groups while preparing the body for labor, delivery, and recovery.

This workout set includes 2 DVDs, which offer you 7 different workouts to mix and match. Plus this set also includes a handy exercise band. You will also need a pair of light dumbbells and an exercise ball. I love the variety of exercises and the modifications to amp up your workout out or keep it at a lower intensity.
Best of all, you know everything is safe and beneficial for pregnant women! I love the energy boost, while also feeling peaceful, at the end of these workouts - two things all pregnant mommas need!

I also recommend The Knocked-Up Fitness Guide to Pregnancy book to go along with you on your pregnancy journey. Not only does it have over 50 exercises you can do during pregnancy and beyond, it also answers all your questions from each trimester and includes an entire section on how to start getting your body back after baby.

I love how simple it is to understand, practical, and even though this is my fourth pregnancy, I still learned a thing or two. I will be taking this book along with me to do on-the-go workouts when I am traveling. It is a great reference that you will go back to over and over again throughout your pregnancy!

Have no fear, moms, Knocked-Up Fitness totally has you covered when it comes to guiding you through fitness on your pregnancy journey and beyond!

Also, make sure to check out my total body prenatal workout!

5 Healthy Must-Do's for Pregnancy

If there is ever a time to take care of yourself in life, it is most certainly before, during and after pregnancy. Now that I am pregnant with my fourth baby, I am getting a little more experience on what really feels good and nourishing for my body and my baby during these times. I hope that these tips help you along in some of the most important times in your life!

1. My first and probably most important tip is to get your vitamins and minerals. I love focusing on what I am putting into my body and then supplementing some extras: Super B, OmegaGize, Life 9 probiotics, and Multigreens. They cover some serious bases for nutrition and in this time when my body is needing more nutrition than ever before, I know I can trust these supplements to make a difference for my baby and I.

2. Secondly, let me tell you something you may or may not want to hear. Exercise!!! I am not saying that you have to go hog wild and run a half marathon or start doing Crossfit. But I am saying that exercising on a regular basis - think 5 days a week or so for about an hour a day - will help you feel more energized, confident, stronger and more healthy. The benefits are nearly endless, but let me share a few.

Think about it this way. Let's say you were training for a marathon. You certainly wouldn't wait until race day to actually run your first steps of training. You would be training and running for months beforehand. The same thing applies to pregnancy. You have a huge athletic event coming up called labor and delivery. You don't want to go into it cold turkey. You want to strengthen and tone your body in preparation for this big event. Not only will it help labor go easier (if that's possible), but you will feel so much better during your pregnancy and you will recover much faster after you give birth. Yes, you will. Trust me. And when you have to resume all your responsibilities and all your parenting yourself just days after you give birth, you will NEED to recover as soon as possible.

This is two of my sisters and I running the Diva Dash 5K when I was about 12 weeks pregnant

I get questions all the time about what exercises you can and can't do during pregnancy. Listen to your body. Most likely, you will be able to do the same types of exercises you did before you were pregnant. I have always worked out through the very last days of my pregnancies, and it has been awesome! Not only has it helped me relieve stress, keep my body strong for birth, and given me energy for all the tired days, but it has also helped me lose baby weight fast and keep my core toned and able to bounce back fast. Just do it. :-) Feel free to check out all my Tabata workouts I have shared - they are only 20 minutes for a full body workout! Also, make sure to check out my total body prenatal workout!

3. Drink tea - especially Nettle and Raspberry Leaf tea. Nettle leaf tea is a fabulous source of vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamins A, C and K, and potassium. Raspberry leaf is helpful for toning the uterine muscles, which may help make contractions more efficient. It is also high in many nutrients, including vitamins C, E, A and B complex, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium.  I personally drink at least one cup every day. It gives me energy, relieves some of my nausea, and keeps me focused on putting healthy foods and drinks in my body.

I like to make a bit glass jar full of this tea, so I have a few days worth ready whenever I want some. I buy both teas in bulk from my local co-op, and use a couple tablespoon fulls of each in each batch I make. You can also add a little raw honey, if you want it sweetened.

4. "What you put into your body is what you get out." Have you heard that before? I'm sure you have. The thing is - it is true. When you add a baby into your body, this becomes even more of a truth. My next tip is about eating pure, organic, healthy food.

 

I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a difference this will have on you, your body and your baby. If you want more heartburn, constipation, weight gain, headaches, stomach upset, and swelling, then ignore me. However, if you want to feel your best, gain an appropriate amount of weight, deliver a happy and healthy baby, then please fuel your body and your baby's growth with good, wholesome food. Remember, packaged processed stuff isn't really food. If you are eating something that you could still eat after letting it sit in your cupboard a year, then that probably isn't a good choice. What I am talking about is the good stuff - fresh veggies, fruit, organic and grass fed meats, fish full of Omega-3's like Alaskan salmon, anchovies, sardines, safe herbs, coconut oil and other healthy fats, and lots of water. For more great information on what to eat, check out "Think You Know About Nutrition, Think Again!"

Don't forget about your baby. You are making a full person in there. Not getting enough calcium? Well, then baby is going to take it out of your bones. Not getting enough Omegas? Well, your baby's brain, eyes, skin and much more might suffer from that deficiency. If for no other reason, eat well for your baby. The choices you make right now are going to affect your child for the rest. of. their. life!

Often times, people don't know how good it feels to truly feel healthy. Try it and let me know what a difference it makes in you!

5. Give your mind a rest! Holy cow, do our minds work overtime or what? Does the word stress mean anything to you? The havoc that stress and a lack of rest takes on your body is huge! I never realized this until I started suffering from stress-related issues - neck aches, headaches, stomach pains...It is just no fun.

Here are a few ways you can curb that stress and give your mind a rest:

• Take a nap! I try to get a nap almost every day. It is so refreshing to give my body time to rejuvenate, heal, and rest. Even a 15-20 minute nap makes a difference!
• Sit in the peace and quiet for a few minutes and breathe deeply. Don't underestimate the power of a deep breath. It does wonders! Check out Proper Deep Breathing for great tips!
• Try some yoga. I love prenatal yoga. It is so relaxing, while at the same time energizing your tired body. I enjoy still teaching yoga while I'm pregnant, as well as doing it at home. Check out What Yoga Can Do For You.
• Read a daily devotion, take time to count your blessings and talk to friends and relatives. One of my favorite devotion books ever is Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst. It really keeps me focused on what's important when it is so easy to lose my cool. 

What do you like to do to pamper and take care of yourself while you are pregnant? Please share your tips and thoughts with us! I would love to learn from you as well.

Easy Introduction To Exercise During Pregnancy

Maintaining fitness whilst you’re pregnant helps both physically and psychologically, helping to reduce many common complaints such as tiredness, varicose veins and swollen ankles. Regular exercise can help alleviate discomfort such as lower back pain and heartburn as well as preparing your body for the birth.

Even a modest amount of exercise during pregnancy will release those feel good endorphins, lift your mood and make it easier to sleep, reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

Check out FittaMamma fitness expert Lucie Brand’s Mini workout – it’s a lovely, gentle way to get moving. 

·         These easy warm up exercises are great before you start any cardio activity and work equally well to cool down afterwards:

Legs and ankles:  Stand on leg, raise your other foot off the floor and rotate your ankle. Raise your knee higher flexing back and forwards.  Repeat with the other leg

Hip and body:  With your feet hip distance apart and hands on hips,  rotate in both directions.  Put your hands on your head and gently swing your body from side to side.

Warm up your arms:  Spread your arms wide, flex your wrists before circling backwards and forwards, crossing your arms in front of your body. Shrug your shoulders to loosen, reach up to the sky with each hand in turn stretching over to the side.

·         Increase the pace:

Get stepping from side to side, adding in a knee lift or curl with the opposite leg.  March on the spot, lifting your knees and swinging your arms.

Lunge to each side, pushing alternate arms across your body.

Half jacks, with your arms coming in and out as you step each leg in turn.

Tap your heels forward alternately, bending the other knee and swinging your arms forward.

Jog on the spot, bringing your knees up – alternate with jogging with your heels to bottom

For full workout routines click on www.fittamamma.com– there’s loads of useful info about exercising in pregnancy as well as recipes and nutrition advice.
Also, make sure to check out my total body prenatal workout!

And check out my guest post on the Fitta Mamma blog!

Leading pregnancy activewear specialists FittaMamma are keen to inspire women that exercise during pregnancy is not only safe but beneficial.  They’ve recently launched a range of stylish and supportive fitness and leisurewear so mums-to-be can look great and feel comfortable whilst they exercise.

Mama and Baby Yoga DVD Review

After you give birth to your baby, the challenges to be a healthy mom and have a happy baby at the same time get a lot bigger! You have a crying, needy baby, and you feel overwhelmed, stressed out, overtired, and more, but you are also trying to exercise, eat right and lose the baby weight. What is a woman to do????

Shiva Rea has a great answer to that question with her new DVD - Mama and Baby Yoga. I LOVE that Shiva offers new mothers a workout that incorporates their newborn into the practice. In this DVD, she leads women through yoga poses specifically designed to tone and reshape the parts of the body that change the most during pregnancy.

Mama & Baby Yoga offers three 20-minute practices, plus a 10-minute bonus downloadable practice:

·        Mother’s Body Toning– Focuses on floor work, incorporating effective stretching and toning poses to firm up post-baby bodies.

·        Rising up– Features standing poses to strengthen and lengthen muscles, helping to regain pre-baby shape quicker; while incorporating gentle rocking and connecting with baby.

·        Mother’s Core Practice– Focuses on strengthening the core and helping new moms regain muscle tone, including gentle lifts and resistance work with baby.

·        Bonus Download: Daily De-Stressors– Features poses new moms can use to counteract the daily stresses infants place on a mother’s body.

Like I said above, my favorite thing about this DVD is that it involves the baby in the routines, allowing mother and child to bond throughout the practice. All of the different programs I listed above are exactly what a new mother needs as she starts to rebuild her strength after the huge life change of giving birth. Since they are only 20 minutes long, they are easily manageable in your busy life. Plus, it is just such a beautiful way to bond with your baby!

I am a huge fan of this DVD, and I recommend it to all new moms! Relax, build strength, lose weight, rejuvenate and bond with your baby - all at the same time!

You can find this DVD on Gaiam's website for $14.98. You'll love it!

 Also, make sure to check out my free total body prenatal workout!

*Cara was provided product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed are 100% her own.*

The Bar Method Pregnancy Workout Review and Giveaway

You already know as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I am a huge advocate for exercise - even all the way through pregnancy. I am at 32 weeks now, and I am still doing my Boot Camp classes and Pilates classes with my fitness participants. When I am exercising is when I feel my best! It gives you so much more energy, helps prepare your body for labor, keeps you in shape so you can lose the baby weight faster, and helps you sleep better at night. And those are just some of the benefits of exercise during pregnancy.

Each individual may feel more or less comfortable doing different types of exercise, so pick the one that is right for you. Have you heard of The Bar Method? It is a workout founded by Burr Leonard that creates a uniquely lean, firm, sculpted body by combining the muscle-shaping principles of isometrics, the body-elongating practice of dance conditioning, the science of physical therapy and the intense pace of interval training into a powerful exercise format that quickly and safely reshapes and elongates muscles.

The Bar Method just came out with the Pregnancy Workout DVD, which I absolutely love! It offers pregnant moms a great option for working out and staying fit your whole pregnancy long. They use a variety of safe, but still challenging, moves to help you feel your best and still work up a sweat!

I love that the instructor, Lee Potter, is in her third trimester with twins, so she is speaking from experience the whole time. The other two participants in the DVD are also pregnant, but in their second trimesters. Lee is funny and keeps you entertained while giving great instruction on how to move through the DVD with good form.

I also absolutely love the variety in this workout. They use free-weight work, thigh exercises, standing glute-work, and abdominal strengthening that you perform while propped up on pillows. And no, you don't need a bar for this workout. You just need one set of free weights, a sturdy chair, a soft strap for stretching and two oversized throw pillows. You already most likely own all the equipment you'll need. The only problem I had with this workout was that my kids kept stealing my equipment or using it when I was supposed to be using it. But, that is not such a bad problem to have either, is it?

The workout is only 45 minutes, and I bet you will feel very accomplished and energized when you finish it. You also will probably feel a little sore the next day, but be proud of those muscles you worked and know that your body is getting stronger!

Watch a few clips of this DVD to get more of an idea of what to expect and then buy it on their website or on Amazon.

Also, make sure to check out my free total body prenatal workout!

For (1) of our lucky readers, we will be giving away (1) Pregnancy Workout DVD! (US only)

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Cara was provided product to review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed are 100% her own.