by Lauren Joseph

Lauren Joseph CrossFits throughout her pregnancy and is back on the C2 only a week after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

I had been CrossFitting for just shy of a year and when I found out I was pregnant, I knew a lot of research had to be done. I began by searching through the popular CrossFit Mom website and reading anything I could on the topic of “being pregnant and working out.” I didn’t want to do anything that could hurt the baby, but I also knew there was no way I was going to be able to train clients at the gym and not get my name on the whiteboard!

During my pregnancy I managed to never miss a day of training. I continued to follow three days on and one day off during the months of my pregnancy. While out of town I visited other CrossFit affiliates just to make sure I didn’t miss a day. I often heard on those visits that I was the first pregnant woman to work out in the box.

Most folks were astonished that a pregnant lady was still working out because a typical perception of pregnancy is that of inactivity until after the baby is born. Hearing that I was supposed to be inactive or stop training from various folks is what made me want to write about my experience. I want women to know you can still work out and be pregnant, you can still run a 5K at 39 weeks pregnant, you can still watch what you eat, and you can still do pull-ups!

I am not suggesting a woman already pregnant start CrossFitting now, but for those who have been CrossFitting and become pregnant, please consult your physician and continue at a rate at which you feel comfortable.