Postpartum - forever or temporary?

Postpartum really is forever. There’s no turning that ship around. No baby is going back in me. But maybe it’s also temporary. At least parts of it. It can be both.

Brianna Battles is one of the first I heard say that “Postpartum is forever”. It was something that resonated with me 4 years ago, and something I still think on regularly.

As an athlete, we want to hear that postpartum fitness is just temporary. That there is an end in sight. That some day we’ll workout without thinking about abs or vagina. That some day we will just GO. Hit the push button. Find that intensity and lay miserably in a sweat angel.

But is it just temporary? Temporary like what? Hair color? A DMV tag? My toddlers tantrum?

My kids are two years apart. I’ve been living in this temporary chapter for close to four years now. We’ve moved cross country twice in that time. Lived in 3 different houses. Some days it sure feels pretty forever.

That’s four years of modifying workouts to better serve me. To reduce risk of long term injury. To alleviate some of the pains, pressures, and discomforts that occur during pregnancy. To rebuild strength in a way that keeps me interested and active, but also supports longevity as an athlete and long term health.

I started CrossFit in 2013, and was pregnant in 2017. So almost half my CrossFit lifetime I’ve been a pregnant or postpartum athlete. That feels pretty forever.

It’s not to say your approach to fitness will always be the same during your lifetime as a postpartum athlete. But fitness is fluid, it’s changed with goals, interests, seasons, abilities and even seasons. Pregnancy and postpartum are just a few more bumps in your progression.

Progression as an athlete isn’t only getting fitter/stronger/faster. It’s finding maturity and balance too.

During my twenties it was all about the former. More visible abs. Heavier weights. Faster sprints. Longer harder and more frequent workouts must be better.

Now? Yeah, sometimes I still slip into that world. But it’s also how do I feel outside of the gym? Everyday life? Hiking & skiing? Running around with my kids? What about the 23 hours of the day around my workout? Am I so energy depleted that I’m not actually present with my family? Or am I feeling revived and mentally refreshed?

Why does this matter.?

As athletes we want to hear it’s temporary. To hear that we’ll lift heavy, run fast, and just do sit-ups without thought or fear. Go Rx. PR again. Not postpartum PR, but actual PR.

Temporary is subjective. It might imply a few weeks or months or years.

As coaches, we need to recognize that postpartum is forever. That looking around the gym and seeing a mom with a toddler means she has spent the past few years in this space. Either pushing symptoms off as just part of motherhood or googling quick fixes. Looking for some sort of resource that understands hear goals and activities, but is also educated in how to make progress back to those.

The mom of three? That’s easily 5-7 years in this space. Back to back pregnancies? That’s a lot on the body. She wants to get her strength “back”. Is another squat program the answer? Or is core strength actually the deficient variable in her training? Your 9am class is small when you program Annie? Mom loves to run but low back pain is keeping her on the air bike. How do you help?

As coaches we want to be motivators for our athlete yes. But we also need to be realistic about where they are, our knowledge and scope, and set an example worth following. Help them navigate risk vs. reward, can vs. should, and assist them in approaching workouts in a way that support long term goals and take the impact of pregnancy and postpartum into consideration.

Where to start?

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach course. Show your moms that you want to be a part of these years with them, and provide more than a set of rings every time pullups are on the whiteboard.