"Let your pregnancy and your child be a part of your unique, fit lifestyle!" -Dr. Amanda

Age: 35

Profession: Physician, Researcher, Administrator

Children: age 3 and 5 1/2

Favorite workout song of the week: -still love Paper Planes by MIA

Athletic gear you can’t live without: -black Lululemon headband

Maya: Many people at the IC know you as an incredibly dedicated and hard working bootcamper, but can you tell us more about your athletic background?

Dr. Amanda: I love our 6am bootcamp.  I started 11 months ago and can’t turn back… I also run 2 days per week and occasionally sneak onto the elliptical in the garage.  In terms of the past, I have been involved in sports forever.  I played organized soccer from ages 4-20 and started running at age 12.  I ran Varsity track in high school and college and was an Academic All American.  Now I’m just a weekend warrior, but the IC gives me a chance to conjure up some of the old intensity.

Maya: What is your professional area of expertise?

Dr. Amanda: Obstetrics and Gynecology (clinical), Peripartum depression, minimally invasive surgery, family planning and fibroids (research)

Maya: Is it okay for an active woman interested in becoming pregnant to continue exercising?  If so, are there any precautions to keep in mind?

Dr. Amanda: Absolutely- however, if one is losing body mass such that she is anovulatory (doesn’t have periods) she may need to slow down so that her eggs can be released.

Maya: What are 5 reasons women should prioritize prenatal exercise?

Dr. Amanda:

1. Women who exercise during pregnancy manage pain better in labor

2. Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to influence their partners and children to exercise thus creating a healthier society

3. There is life after pregnancy and women who exercise will regain their physical fitness more rapidly

4. Women who exercise during pregnancy will be at decreased risk for peripartum depression

5. Exercise is a great way to handle some of the hormonal changes of pregnancy

"There is life after pregnancy and women who exercise will regain their physical fitness more rapidly." -Dr. Amanda

Maya: In terms of exercise prescription, is it safe for pregnant women to do body weight exercises like push-ups, squats, and lunges?

Dr. Amanda: Listen to your body (and your doctor!)  For a LOW RISK pregnancy, as long as there is no abdominal trauma, most exercises are fine.  However, joints are more loose during pregnancy so be careful with technique esp regarding hips and knees.

Maya: Set the record straight on prenatal crunches and sit-ups…

Dr. Amanda: If you can do it reasonably comfortably go for it until about 24-28 weeks.  Thereafter, the weight of the uterus on the blood vessels in the back of the abdomen are too heavy and can compress them.

Maya: Is it safe for pregnant women to use external weights like dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells?

Dr. Amanda: Yes, but use lighter weights.  The joints and back are more fragile during pregnancy and can be easily injured.  If you aren’t straining your back or pelvis, it is fine.  If it starts to hurt those areas, it’s too much.

Maya: Are there any prenatal exercise no-nos women and their trainers should be aware of?

Dr. Amanda: Avoid any flat on the back floor exercises after 28 weeks.  Avoid exercises that puts the abdomen at risk for trauma.  Stop if it hurts (burn is ok:) If you are having more than 4 Braxton Hicks contractions in an hour slow down and hydrate.  Heart rate should max at 15% below normal rate (American College of OBGyn says 140 bpm max, but that doesn’t take into account fit women)– just don’t get to the point of huffing and puffing.

Maya: What are three things you wish every pregnant woman knew about health and fitness?

"Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to influence their partners and children to exercise thus creating a healthier society." -Dr. Amanda

Dr. Amanda:

1. Exercise does not cause miscarriage or preterm labor

2. Exercise will improve your birth experience– labor and recovery

3. If exercise is important to you, don’t stop– you are bringing a child into the world in part because you think you (and your partner) have something good going on to share with the world.  Let your pregnancy and your child be a part of your unique, fit lifestyle!

Maya: You recently teamed-up with Aubrey Wade RN, MSN to create “My Pregnancy – Pocket Guide” in order to provide convenient prenatal health, labor/delivery, and fitness advice.  Can you tell us more about this special project?

Dr. Amanda: In the lay pregnancy literature there really was a gap.  There was nothing on the market that was concise, wellness focused, family inclusive, and medically accurate.  We are very pleased with our end product.  We hope that women will slip this into their purse, make notes on it on their BART commute, and bring it to their appointments.  My favorite section is the medical-ese dictionary– it is so important that women know what the heck we are talking about!