To be fed up of mums who get praised for....

[Sienna333]

1. Either exercising a lot and at quite a tough pace when almost ready to drop

and

1. For mums who get back into training just days after the birth.

I am sick of reading "Wow, You are SO amazing, an inspiration!' On my Facebook feeds. I can't see what is so heroic about it? Just enjoy your baby and those special first moments instead of trying to impress all your followers you know?

They aren't professionals, they've not been taught how to lift/stretch correctly and are at risk of doing themselves a genuine mischief if they don't get aprofessionalinternal post natal checkbeforeresuming exercise of any kind of impact. Failure to do so can really mess you up internally - fact.

And lots of them are professionals or have professional support.

I agree, OP.

You'll get flamed on MN though, and made wrong (somehow), even if its not exactly what you meant.

There is plenty of bad advice about exercising in pregnancy and particularly postnatally. I have cringed at the sight of a very visibly pregnant woman in a Zumba class who hadn't had moves appropriately adapted to reduce the risk of injury to herself (instructor at fault, not the client), meanwhile the regular in my circuits class, with the support of the instructor continued on for a long time gradually adapting to her changing needs. I know which looked more dodgy, but the circuits situation was much better managed. (Despite me switching to the gym in pregnancy as I felt circuits wasn't right for my body and the toll pregnancy takes on me)

It's fair to celebrate exercise, and it's a more positive thing to show off about than a night of Ben and Jerry's/ earning a hangover etc.

I'll admit to feeling jealous/ admiration of people who are able to safely maintain exercise in pregnancy. (I had a narrow window of light exercise between the nausea and SPD). I dislike it when it turns into a "should" attitude as everyone has different needs and comfort zones.

I remember Denise Van Outen being particularly sanctimonious in her magazine column about getting her figure back after a CS, and I don't like the quick fix approach particularly if it involves inappropriate advice such as sit ups which are potentially damaging with abdominal separation.

I cut right back and built up slowly. However my starting point was exceptionally high, so at 9 months I was still doing what most people would consider strenuous exercise. Had a quick, simple, easy birth and didn't see any reason why I shouldn't carry on as normal. And as I was a young mum who has always been skinny, it had nothing to do with getting my figure back. Stomach went back straight away and I knew enough about the subject to realise the muscles would quickly come back.

I love exercise and always have, I'll admit I wanted my abs back asap but only because core strength is important for the type of exercise and sports I enjoy, and it felt weird even walking without them.

I didn't share this on Facebook, but then again I wouldn't have shared pj days, weight gain and sitting about if that had been my experience. Other people use Facebook differently. And bollocks to it might upset people who can't, that applies to almost everything

It would have drove me mad, let alone the fact I practically couldn't have taken the sitting around route if I'd wanted to. I still didn't feel the need to tell everyone else how to be pregnant and be a parent. Then again I don't get my self worth from what others post on Facebook.

Damned if you exercise, damned if you don't. There's no winning for women, is there?

It's fair to celebrate exercise, and it's a more positive thing to show off about than a night of Ben and Jerry's/ earning a hangover etc.
Exactly.

And you're right. The woman in zumba was probably more at risk during a reasonably straightforward class than a woman doing circuits. But only one of them would get the judgement of the exercise police.

I think the pregnant exercise thing is a red herring anyway..i have lots of active friends on social media who share active stuff. I have more sedentary friends. It's always the sedentary friends who share silly memes mocking 'fitness freaks' and gym goers etc. Posting about their excessive drinking and hangovers is fine though.
I think on the whole some people really dislike people who share nice updates. It's probably why it's fine to share that your kids are doing your head in, your house is a tip and you can wait for wine o clock but it's not ok to put regualr updates about some lovely days out you've had.
Rather than think "that's lovely, good for them" some people become bitter and sneery.

I think it's each to their own. I'm not a person who does regular exercise at all. But during my pregnancy I didn't gain much weight, i didn't diet or exercise after the birth, and I was back in my pre pregnancy jeans after a month (would have been sooner but I had stitches that were sore). And after the birth I didn't still have a big bump for weeks.
That was all natural, I didn't try at all.
But i wouldn't judge

I was riding my horse again 2 weeks after an episiotomy, for no other reason than I enjoy it.

Other people enjoy different forms of exercise.

Probability wise it is far more unsafe for women to get into a car while heavily pregnant as they might be in an accident. Or walk down stairs.

It is perfectly safe to carry on the same level of exercise. I know someone who did parkrun on her due date! She wanted to get to 100 before the baby was born!

I'm currently 26 weeks pregnant and part of a FB group for women due around the same time as me. There's a small subgroup of women within this group who are still active pole-dancers, one of these women is 30 weeks pregnant and still doing inversions!

Personally, I wouldn't dream of doing something so potentially dangerous at this stage of pregnancy - though frankly, being able to climb a set of stairs without the urge to burst into tears through pain could also be a massive factor in this.

I know a woman who has always been into dance and fitness, she continued to work out throughout her pregnancy (at a level I couldn't maintain when not pregnant!) and was really eager to get back to after baby arrived. She waited til her 6 week check and eased back into it all. Her approach was measured and sensible. She's got a big following on Instagram. What was interesting to watch was the women around her attempt to keep up or follow her lead, while somehow missing that they didn't start from the same place. One Mum in particular pushed too hard and made herself ill. I do worry that the 'bounce back' culture is harming some women and stopping them enjoying their early days with their little ones.

To be fair I am really inspired by full time working mums who have children and find the time to exercise properly. But unfortunately that's not the mums I know your talking about op.

What I don't like is the pushy mums in my naice (Think white Range Rover driving) area who work Pt or not at all and put their kids into full time ££ private nursery.. they really don't hold back in their pitty for me for having a full time career and being a bit slack around the waist!

I take pride in knowing their six figure husbands are probably banging their way through the office, I know this as I regularly meet them on business. Whilst they are so desperate to cling onto their looks, it's the children I feel for.

life is so much better when you delete Facebook

Yes.Vain and self centred imo,I'm old school and really think that bonding with newborn is more important than gallivanting round in lycra.

I am one of those annoying mums that exercised all the way through pregnancies and got back in to shape almost immediately.

I would not have told social media in a million years though!

Yes because of course you can't bond with your baby if you also exercise burberry

That's not old school though, just a recent first world choice.

But nobody feels bad reading Facebook posts about hangovers and "crazy" nice out. People do feel bad reading smug posts about fitness and diet. I am genuinely pleased for anyone who has lost weight or made healthy changes. Not the least bit interested in them banging on about it on Facebook.
If your job is fitness or pole dancer ( I have a couple of both on my Facebook) fair enough but if it's just that you do it for yourself - keep it that way.

Yeah. Its really old school to assume someone is a shit mum because they exercise

I carried on lifting weights right up until about a week before I had my LO. I found nothing wrong with it, and it definitely made, for me anyways, recovering from a c section much easier. I was able to get back into the gym at 5 weeks post partum.

There is nothing wrong with weight training, whilst heavily pregnant. Aslong as your being sensible and taking it at a gentler pace, it can be done.

I am exercising (crossfit) during pregnancy, currently week 23 and no plans to stop any time soon. I'm listening to my body, and that is it. There is so so much bad science and old wives tales out there when it comes to pregnancy, and apparently we are a nation where it is more acceptable to sit on your arse eating biscuits than it is to exercise.

But you carry on judging OP.

The old wives tales is a strange one, as them same old wives were so much more physically active. The day to day tasks would put to shame a 5k or a few weightlifting classes. I wonder if they had posture lesson or exercise advice with their daily grind without modern technology.

Maybe you should just avoid social media.

Either they're just genuinely updating their friends, in which case YABU to get so annoyed, or they're doing it all for attention, in which case they are pathetic and you shouldn't waste your time caring about what they do.

I only know one person that was like this after giving birth, wrote a big rant how her fitness is what gave her an easy home birth and if other people were as fit as her they'd not have any complications either.

Lurkedforever if we are suggesting a few light stretches and a walk with baby,then yes,bonding and exercising is possible. I'm referring to the women who disappear to the gym for hours on end,why would one even feel then need?Cradling your newborn and being there for them is surely the priority.I feel very sorry for children with such selfish mothers,cuddles with baby or working ones abs in the gym.Goodness me,no contest.