Pregnant Mother Weightlifts Hours Before Giving Birth
Call it a non-traditional approach to pregnancy: 33-year-old CrossFit enthusiast Meghan Leatherman credits weightlifting for a pregnancy she describes as “a breeze.”
The Phoenix, Arizona native didn’t let her baby bump get in the way of her active lifestyle, setting a personal record of 215lbs in dead-lift just three days before giving birth. A routine that included 110lb push presses, 165lb squats, three-mile walks with her dog and four-mile hikes in the mountains every week, helped her energy levels to “soar” according to Leatherman, who was lifting weights on the morning she went into labor.
Despite the concerns of family, Leatherman told Huffington Post UK that her doctors approved her routine, calling them “incredibly supportive.” The new mom, who gave birth to 6lb 11oz baby Florence after an “easy” four-hour labor, added that her doctors “were thrilled that I was setting personal records with weight lifting and they told me to keep active and hydrated.”
Interviewed on CNN’s HLN News Now, Leatherman attributed the relative ease of her pregnancy to an active, Paleo lifestyle. Leatherman also pointed out that her doctors simply wanted her to continue her normal routine, highlighting that “every pregnancy is different.”
Having successfully documented her experience on her website, crossfitandpregnant.com, Leatherman says she hopes to return to the gym within a month. She contends that she never considered abandoning her routine, and that pregnancy didn’t deter her from being focused:
“I was never sick at all. There were times I just need to go in and lift when hormones are running a little stronger than I’m used to. To go in and be extra physical kept me focused and thankful and gave me a feeling of empowerment. I never considered giving up. I had family give me a hard time early on but I just said my doctor’s said it’s ok. It made me feel good so why stop?”
Speaking to Huffington Post, Leatherman was quick to affirm that her baby’s health was paramount. “If I’d had heart problems or my blood pressure was up or anything that would indicate a problem for the baby I’d obviously have done something different,” she said.
Leatherman added, “But I think it only made me healthier and better prepared.”
Surprisingly, Leatherman isn’t the only expectant mother to make headlines recently with her fitness routine. As reported by The Inquisitr, fellow CrossFit devotee Lea-Ann Ellison made headlines last September when she was photographed weightlifting while eight months pregnant.
[Images via Huffington Post UK]
