If you have been a regular fixture at the Flywheel Charlotte studio over the past three years, you would be crazy not to notice that several instructors and riders are working out while pregnant. I am currently teaching through my second pregnancy on the bike, which is totally low impact and safe for an entire pregnancy. What about barre though? Believe it or not, there have been more pregnant barre instructors at the studio in the past three years than wheel!
I love sharing my experience with someone else. Fortunately for me, Flybarre Master Instructor and Southeast Regional Training Lead, Carrie Kaschak, is also teaching through her pregnancy at my home studio. Carrie and I have known each other since the opening. In fact, she even recruited me to try out to teach cycle. It has been great to see her evolve throughout her role at the organization and to the point when she was ready to expand her family. When I asked Carrie if I could do a post on teaching barre pregnant, she obliged, and I have to say, I was very excited to dig into how she does it.
First things first. This week, Carrie is in her 35th week of pregnancy. Um, you couldn’t tell. Where is that bump? Prior to becoming pregnant, she was teaching TWELVE classes a week on top of subbing classes when she needed to. In her 35th week, she is STILL teaching twelve classes a week. Important to know – her doctor has approved this. Interesting to know – through our chats about pregnant teaching, we learned that her doctor is the same doctor that delivered my first daughter! I think it is important to share this. It is in your best interest to find a doctor that understands your fitness abilities prior to being pregnant, so they can properly advise you while pregnant. In Carrie’s case, her doctor has been extremely supportive of her job. In fact, she thinks it will only help ease her labor and delivery.
On top of teaching several classes a week, as part of Carrie’s regional role, she has assisted in the opening of three new studios and trained approximately twenty new instructors during her pregnancy. Check out the picture above at the Flywheel Raleigh opening. Although she is still on her routine, Carrie does know her limits (and discusses these with her doctor). See ways in which she has modified her routine as her baby has grown. Sorry, this is not an indication that class has changed. It means more than ever that she is keeping a watchful eye on participants!
- Scale back some of her movements while instructing
- Stopped jumping around 30 weeks
- Scaled back abs in the third trimester (for comfort)
If you are not already impressed by this fit mom-to-be, let me tell you about how she has transformed her life outside of Flybarre during this pregnancy.
- During weeks 9-16, she took a daily one hour nap.
- She learned quickly that if she wanted to continue to teach 2 classes a day, she had to take a nap.
- Continued to run – maxing out at approximately four miles most days.
- Continued to take a few weekly Flywheel cycle classes.
- Squeezed in time at the gym with her husband to lift some old fashioned weights.
- Opted to take several sessions at SmartCore Fitness with Denise Duffy.
All of this variety has kept her motivated and relaxed throughout her pregnancy.
So, I want this post to be entirely open. I did ask Carrie the big question – Naturally there is a little discomfort the bigger you get, has she had any issues? I love that she responded honestly, because I think a lot of people are afraid to say it like it is sometimes. Carrie indicated that she has not had any major issues with the actual Flybarre exercises, but she has had some perfectly normal constraints in every day life:
- Shortness of breath
- Tenderness in hips/round ligament pain around 32 weeks
- Inability to lie on the floor facedown
- Changes in blood sugar during exercise- eating a light snack before class helped her blood sugar from spiking. Her go to – clementines or almonds.
Y’all this FlyMama is rocking out her first pregnancy in a way that most people are afraid to do. She is confident in her workouts, still rocks her spandex and has a special glow about her. Carrie and her husband are both very career driven, but in just chatting with her for a few minutes, you can tell she is ready for the next chapter of her life. Her excitement for all of the things that having a child brings is so genuine. Wish her well as she reaches that full term mark. We can’t wait to meet her little one!
Fly.Jen.Duf 