Your Questions Answered + All the Tips & Advice for Pregnancy/Postpartum Workouts, Fitness, & Recovery with Shayli Campbell
Show Notes
[1:11] The reviewer of the week is Leliz86, and she says: “My favorite pregnancy podcast! Still in preconception here. I stumbled upon this podcast when I started searching for meaningful & educational podcasts that fit my hopes and dreams for my first time pregnancy at 36! I love the content - I feel so informed and empowered to make all the decisions, prepare myself to be my healthiest for me and my baby! I absolutely love that there’s even episodes helping new dads! I can’t wait to sign up for the birth course and love that they cover pregnancy, some preconception health, and birth stories! Determined to listen to every single episode - Thank you for all that you do ❤️”
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Healthy eating habits and moving your body is SO important when you're pregnant. It sets you up for a healthy pregnancy keeps you low risk! Shayli Campbell, pre/postnatal instructor, shares her advice and answers your questions about fitness during and after pregnancy!
[2:07] Our guest this week is someone I’ve known for a few years and have had on the podcast before! (Three years ago?!) Shayli Campbell, is a certified pre/postnatal fitness trainer and is joining me to share all about fitness both during and after pregnancy. (She’s even pregnant right now!) 🤰🏼
[2:59] You guys know I talk about staying active and moving your body! The first two lessons in the My Essential Birth course are all about nutrition and exercise after all. The reason for that is that it sets you up for the rest of your pregnancy in keeping you healthy and low risk! 🥗
[3:28] I ask Shayli to introduce herself. She is 36 weeks pregnant and feeling good. The main reason is because she’s been taking care of herself. She became pre/postnatal certified when she was pregnant with her first baby. Helping women through the many ups and downs during pregnancy is something she truly enjoys and is passionate about. 🤩
[5:46] Movement is medicine! During pregnancy, it makes you feel good, it’s a stress reliever, and a mental health outlet. 🏃🏻♀️
[6:28] I ask Shayli to talk about the benefits of pregnancy postpartum. 👍🏼
- Lower risk for injury and health issues
- Keeps blood pressure at a healthy level
- Maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy
Every person carries their babies differently. Exercise will benefit you AND your baby!
[8:33] Shayli encourages mamas to move at least three days a week! Especially that first trimester, eat something and move! For Shayli, it helped ease her nausea. 🤢 I remember Shayli saying that she attributed feeling good during pregnancy to eating healthy and moving.
[10:14] What do you do on those days when you feel like “I don’t want to do this”? Shayli feels like it’s such a great stress relief and mental attitude. When she gets up and gets her work out in, she feels like her day is so much better. Knowing that she’ll feel better after is huge! 😊
[11:04] A common question we get from moms: “If I haven’t done any exercise before I got pregnant, can I just jump into exercising now that I am pregnant?” Always check with your provider first. Exercise can be walking 1-2 times a week, get your body into it by easing into it, train your pelvic core, learning breathing exercises can be so beneficial! 😮💨Knowing you can start small is so helpful! Strengthening your pelvic floor, working on breathing techniques, can benefit you and baby!
[13:07] “What is something mamas can do starting today to strengthen your pelvic floor and the relationship between breath and the pelvic floor?” From the beginning, you can start laying on your back or sitting on a chair, lean forward to feel the front of your pelvic floor (the muscles you would use to stop your pee), lean back to feel the back of your pelvic floor (the muscles you would use to stop yourself from passing gas). She walks us through how to breathe and engage your pelvic floor muscles. 💪🏼
[16:55] I want to get into the questions that I asked the My Essential Birth community. “Do you have specific tips for how to work out and train safely while pregnant?” Shayli talks about her programs and the workouts on her app. Around 13 weeks, she changes up some of her exercises to accommodate your belly. She encourages women to listen to their body and know when to modify your exercises. 🏋🏻
[19:39] Abdominal pressure causes the coning in your stomach. During pregnancy, ab separation is normal. Being able to avoid abdominal pressure is helpful because the pressure pushes against your core and causes a more severe separation. Whenever you’re doing an exercise, engage your core first and then do the exercise. Exhale and engage on the effort. 😙💨
[21:03] “How can a mom with a high BMI lose weight safely during pregnancy?” Shayli does macro plans for pregnant women with her program. She does not put them at a deficit but in more of “maintaining” a well-rounded balanced diet. She loves helping mamas with their macros. Food is fuel! 🍳
[23:12] If there is one time in life to be really conscious of what’s going on with your body, it’s when you’re pregnant! 😅
[23:43] “When should I start labor-specific moves?” During the 3rd trimester, Shayli focused on lengthening, stretching, and relaxing her pelvic floor. One thing I’ve noticed as a doula, when we are really good at being strong, but we need to also learn how to RELAX. Take the time to stretch! 🧘🏻♀️
[25:41] We can be so good at staying active and fit, but we forget that labor is the hard part because we have to just relax and let our bodies do the work! We don’t actively do anything until it’s time to push! Shayli was in labor for 25 hours! 😫
[26:05] “I have an active job . . . what are some recommendations on how much to exercise at home?” For sure try to get some dumb bells! Strength training and being strong during pregnancy is so beneficial! If you’re active and on your feet all day for work, focusing on strength training would be Shayli’s recommendation. She also recommends the importance of stretching! 🏋🏻
[27:38] “What core exercises are recommended to keep your middle strong during pregnancy?” Shayli wrote a 4-week pregnancy ab challenge and strengthening your core. It’s so much different than the regular ab crunching, sit ups, plank holds, etc. She has alternative exercises for pregnancy. There are so many core movements that you can do safely. ⛑️
[29:08] 360 breathing is when you exhale and then when you inhale, it looks like the baby disappeared. It engages your whole core! It’s like a hug for your baby! It’s not just sucking in. 😮💨
[30:13] “Are there any exercises that can have a negative impact on your pelvic floor?” Shayli feels like focusing only on strengthening her pelvic floor did not work out in her favor. (Her pelvis did not open up like it should have with her first baby.) She needed to also focus on relaxing and lengthening it. 📏
[31:16] The general recommendation is for women to wait 6 weeks after pregnancy to start getting back into their exercise routine. “When women start to get back into exercising, what are some favorite exercises you recommend?” Shayli’s postpartum core-recovery guide was created for moms who needed something for themselves and having something to focus on. She teaches mamas to do affirmations and finding yourself again by using simple breathing techniques. 💬
[33:34] Shayli talks about her experience of getting back into her routine after her C-section. You be the judge of what works for you and your body. She used supportive bands after her C-section to help her midsection and core. 🔄
[35:16] I bought a postpartum workout program and after 6 weeks, I started getting back into working out. I went to do a push up and fell completely flat on my face! Having a baby completely rearranges your core so you need to ease into working out again! 🤦🏻♀️
[36:27] “How can I lose weight postpartum while also making sure not to affect my milk supply?” Shayli shares her experience with breastfeeding and “eating enough.” She makes sure she would eat every time her baby would eat because she needed to fuel her body to fuel her baby. She also drank a ton of water. You need to remember to fuel yourself! 💦
[38:47] “What should a mom do when they still look pregnant . . . even 1,2, or even 3+ years postpartum?” Shayli suggests training your core from the inside out. She has a post-recovery program to get things going for mamas. Healing your core correctly is key before jumping back into working out. Her core program is a 6-week program for 5 days a week. It can help heal the diastasis recti. 🤕
[40:34] How can mom work her way up to increasing workouts postpartum? “I am 6 weeks and my bleeding is picking up after starting light exercises.” Talk to your provider first and make sure nothing is going on. Focus more on upper body and core strengthening. There’s no race or timeline! Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Make sure you’re not overdoing it. It’ll only hurt you in the long run. 😵💫
[42:06] How long until you “get your body back?” That depends on the person! She started working with a macro coach after her first baby was born. Focus on your own journey. Even if it takes you 1-2 years, 6 months, whatever, your body is unique and you are beautiful in your own way. Create a lifestyle because that is what will help you in the long run! 😍
[44:27] I love that Shayli was able to answer specific questions that our mamas have been asking. Shayli shares about her different programs that she has available for purchase. 🗒️
[44:46] She also has a deal going on for 15% off all of her programs for the last 4 weeks of her pregnancy! 🥳
You can find her at:
Her complete pregnancy guide is the best deal because you get all her programs:
- First Trimester Pregnancy Guide
- Second and Third Trimester Pregnancy Guide
- Pregnancy Ab Challenge
- Pregnancy Workout Program (week by week)
- Postpartum Core Recovery Program
She also has a Pregnancy Ab Challenge + Postpartum Core Recovery Program.
I’m not pregnant, but I absolutely LOVE her and the wealth of information and knowledge that she is for pregnant mamas. If you’re local to Shayli in St. George, UT, be sure to go check out her gym and take some classes! 👟
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ALL the best,
Links Mentioned:
Belly Deflating Challenge with Shayli
Get 15% OFF Shayli's Pregnancy & Postpartum Workouts HERE!
