"Motherhood is full of surprises, with one of the biggest being the daily physical toll being a mother takes on your body. From preparing for pregnancy, through carrying a baby, to raising the young children in your life, your body goes through a lot. Many times, we’re left looking in the mirror and not wholly recognizing what we see or how we feel.
We know that we need to be our best selves to be the mothers we want to be for our kids. We know we need to take care of our bodies. But between work and home and cleaning and cooking and teaching and playing and researching, we’re always left with the same question: how?
This is where the Move Your Bump fitness and nutrition app comes in. This app isnāt specifically just for pregnancy. Itās an all-encompassing app to build a strong and healthy body and exercise routine for any stage of motherhood, from pre-pregnancy to years postpartum. It’s never too early or too late to start. Move Your Bump (MYB) has several different class typesālike yoga, pilates, kickboxing, labor training cardio, strength, stretching, and nutritionāso you can always switch it up to find something you like.
The Move Your Bump app isn’t specifically just for pregnancy. Itās an all-encompassing app to build a strong and healthy body and exercise routine for any stage of motherhood, from pre-pregnancy to years postpartum.
It’s meant to establish a firm foundation for strength and empowerment through basic, easy-to-fit-into-your-schedule exercise specific to your stage of lifeāand that is something that every mom needs.
The fitness and nutrition app takes into account where you are in motherhood and starts off slow and gentle, so you can gain strength and confidence as you move through the app at your own pace. The app is available on Apple, Android, Amazon, and Roku devices, so you can really work out anytime and any place. But the best part is that, compared to the cost of one hour of personal training, the Move Your Bump app‘s cost is manageable and accessible for more mothers and can be used as a supplement to other specialists you might be seeing as a part of your birth preparation or recovery.
Even betterāMove Your Bump is offering a free, 7-day trial followed by 50% off your first month for The Everymom readers!
Read on to hear how five of our team members, all in different states of motherhood, describe their respective experiences with fitness in motherhood and how this program helped to strengthen their bodies.
Lifestyle & Current Workout Routine
Before the pandemic, our morning routine felt hectic because my husband left an hour before I had to get our two kids out the door for school and daycare drop-offs. My pre-pandemic workout āroutineā was attending an in-person barre class once a week at 5:45am. That one class felt like the maximum I could squeeze in with working two jobs and being the primary drop-off and pick-up parent.
Biggest Fitness Routine Challenge
Since I became a mom, my biggest challenge has been finding the time to exercise regularly. When my oldest was born, I worked full-time in downtown Chicago, so my exercise routine included speed-walking to and from the El and pushing the stroller around the neighborhood. Now that weāre in suburbia and drive almost everywhere, I know I definitely move less throughout the day, so finding time for exercise is even more important. And if I donāt do it first thing in the morning, it’s hard for me to get back into an exercise mindset through the rest of the day.
Why the Move Your Bump App Works
I love the comprehensive online platform of Move Your Bump because the variety of workouts are on demand and I can do them from my living room or porch with my laptop, phone, or smartTV, rather than drive to a studio. Iāve been using the circuit training and barre classes most often. And since most are around 30 minutes, theyāre very doable before I inevitably have a little person show up and request breakfast or a snack.
Since most classes are around 30 minutes, theyāre very doable before I inevitably have a little person show up and request breakfast or a snack.
Iām up to exercising three to four days a week, and itās the first time since my life pre-kids when I can say I have an exercise routine again. I can feel myself getting stronger (side planks are finally getting easier!). When we get back into the new routine of school in the fall, Iāll already have the MYB routine in place, so Iāll be more likely to keep it up.
Ready to try Move Your Bump? Click below to start your free, 7-day trial followed by 50% off your first month!
Lifestyle & Current Workout Routine
I’ve always been a very active person, and being a mom to two very active little boys definitely has helped to keep that going. But because of my previous two preterm labors, my current activity level is to be no more than light-to-moderate. As someone who enjoys a high activity level when not pregnant, this is really hard on me. Though I try to take long daily walks, I’ve definitely been missing the spin and barre classes I take via our at-home exercise program. They made me feel strong and accomplished on a daily basis, and without that, I find myself feeling constantly sluggish and blah. It’s definitely been taking a mental toll.
Biggest Fitness Routine Challenge
Fitting in a workout while working full-time and managing the schedules of two kids was tricky enough, but the stay-at-home orders made it all the more complicated. Instead of squeezing in a quick workout during my lunch break, my break time is now devoted to making lunches or snacks or playing with the kids who have been asking for attention basically the whole day. Of course, the constant exhaustion definitely does not help with motivation.
Why the Move Your Bump App Works
Because the whole pregnancy leg of the app is developed with the health and safety of pregnancy in mind, I feel good that whatever exercises I’m doing are only going to have a positive impact on my body at this time. I started off with the prenatal yoga classes in order to regain some of the flexibility and balance that I’ve lost over the course of my pregnancy and I really enjoyed them. Other prenatal yoga classes I’ve tried have left me huffing and puffing and trying to catch up, but the slow, deliberate movements used in Move Your Bump are truly effective and simple at the same time.
Other prenatal yoga classes I’ve tried have left me huffing and puffing and trying to catch up, but the slow, deliberate movements used in Move Your Bump are truly effective and simple at the same time.
I also love the range of supplemental classes they offerāeverything from posture and breathing to core work and pelvic floor strengthening. With such a variety of offerings, it’s easy to work some kind of class into my schedule (typically done in the playroom while my boys play). That kind of consistency has really helped to bring back my feeling of accomplishment and strength. I look forward to diving into the postpartum leg of the app after our newest bundle arrives.
Lifestyle & Current Workout Routine
I donāt work out. There, I said it. Iāve taken my fair share of yoga, pilates, and spin classes over the years, but Iāve never prioritized fitting regular workouts into my weekly schedule. When COVID-19 hit in early March and my downtown Chicago yoga studioāwhich I was frequenting only once a week on Saturday mornings, if weāre being honestāclosed, I was worried that my very sparse workouts would trickle down to nothing. Spoiler alert: I was right.
After trying a few virtual yoga classes during my first week of staying home, my barely-there routine fell apart, and aside from aiming to take a long walk once per day, my workouts stopped completely. When I was asked to try the Move Your Bump app, I was intimidated to say the least. But after a few months of falling off the regular exercise bandwagon, I was motivated to get moving again and felt really eager to give the Trying to Conceive (TTC) workout schedule a go.
Biggest Fitness Routine Challenge
In the past, Iāve gotten into great grooves of working out a few times per week, but when I inevitably break from that routine, I really procrastinate getting back into things again (ugh, why am I like this?!). Building staminaāespecially when it comes to cardioāis definitely my biggest barrier to regularly working out.
Right now, I donāt have kids or the busy schedules that come with little ones hindering my ability to fit workouts in. The only barrier I really have is myself and my motivation. Iāve realized that if I donāt add regular exercise into my weekly schedule and routine, Iāll never do it later on, so I really need to hold myself more accountable and make working out a lifestyle change.
Why the Move Your Bump App Works
When I first signed onto Move Your Bump, I was immediately impressed with the user-friendly setup and extensive organization of this app. Literally everything you could needāfrom a downloadable onboarding guide, helpful introduction videos, a fitness schedule, a meal prep and nutrition guide, and one-on-one access to trainersāto easily follow the MYB fitness and nutrition plan is available to you through this site.
After watching the TTC introductory videos (which were so helpful and encouraging), I jumped into my first classāa 23-minute full-body circuit training video. Move Your Bump’s founder and this video’s trainer, Nancy Anderson, clearly knows her stuff and is awesome at leading these workouts. The moves were easy to follow, and the only equipment needed was a mat, hand weights, and a bench. My first class left me feeling energized and like Iād gotten both a strong cardio and toning workout done in less than a half-hourāa total win-win.
My first class left me feeling energized and like Iād gotten both a strong cardio and toning workout done in less than a half-hourāa total win-win.
For full transparency, I was incredibly sore (remember, Iām really out of shape!) for a few days after that first class, but to me, that meant it really worked and the moves were accessing muscles in my body that clearly needed to be accessed. By my second, third, and fourth classāan upper body circuit, a legs and butt-focused strength and conditioning circuit, and a total body pilates supplemental workoutāI felt more confident as the moves became easier for me to do. And as I kept going, I noticed certain areas of my body feeling more toned (especially my legs and core) from these 20-30 minute classes. Though the workouts donāt take a lot of time, the trainers make sure youāre doing the moves correctly by explaining breathing techniques and how to access the muscles youāre aiming to work, which definitely helped me get the most out of each video.
I learned so much through this app about the importance of conditioning while trying to conceive which I can use to now get my body ready for a healthy future pregnancy. The TTC phase of the app focuses on stress management, nutrition, and physical fitness, which are all aimed to prepare for pregnancy (and staying active during those nine months too) and can even help your chances of conceiving. Though I know from my friends and coworkers how much of a physical toll being pregnant can take on oneās body, I now have a whole toolbox of information and workouts to follow to ensure Iām in the best shape I can be when it comes time to carry a babyāand that is why MYB is so valuable to me.
Ready to try Move Your Bump? Click below to start your free, 7-day trial followed by 50% off your first month!
Lifestyle & Current Workout Routine
Working full-time while having my 3-year-old and 11-month-old with me at home because of COVID-19 has seriously changed my workout routine. Usually, I go to a boutique fitness studio three to four times a week, but the current situation has me working out more at home. Iāve also picked up running again, both for something to do with the kids in the stroller and to get out of the house. I typically like to get my workout done before the kids wake up and before any of the chaos that comes up in the day throws a wrench in my plans, but that definitely doesnāt always happen. Exercise is one of my favorite self-care activities, so I try to prioritize it both for my physical health, but mostly for my mental health.
Biggest Fitness Routine Challenge
Even though I regularly exercise, my core is just not the same as it was pre-kids (understandably). Iām proud of the belly that brought two beautiful children into this world, but Iād be lying if I said I didnāt want to tone it up a bit. Youāre still going to see me rocking a bikini no matter what, but Iād also like to get back into a few of my favorite pairs of skinny jeans sooner rather than later. I love cardio, and while it worked great for me to shed (most of) the baby weight, it seems like no amount of it will bring my core strength back.
Why the Move Your Bump App Works
I added the Move Your Bump app into my routine a few times a week for an extra focus on building core strength. I also loved doing MYB on its own for the days when I wanted a rest from cardio but still wanted to feel active and strong. I have so many good things to say about MYB, I donāt even know where to begin.
Letās start with how easy the platform itself is to navigateāeither from your computer, or my favorite, from your phone. It is so easy to find the level and type of workout you want, and within a few clicks, youāre going. This is huge when youāre trying to squeeze in a workout while your kids nap or before they wake up, and every minute counts. With time being of the essence, I also loved how efficient the classes were. I typically did a 20-25 minute routine. My favorite part was how simple but effective the moves were. Iāve done other at-home workouts where I canāt figure out what the instructor is doing or keep up, which has left me feeling like I didnāt get a workout in at all. Not the case with Move Your Bump.
The MYB app is so easy to navigateāeither from your computer, or my favorite, from your phone. It is so easy to find the level and type of workout you want, and within a few clicks, youāre going. This is huge when youāre trying to squeeze in a workout while your kids nap or before they wake up, and every minute counts.
Everything was easy to understand and could be modified to whatever felt best for me. Even though Iām 11 months postpartum from my last pregnancy, my core strength still needs major rehab, and Iām so excited that Iāve finally found something that can help me build in that area specifically. I canāt wait to see how much stronger I get as I continue to incorporate this into my mix of workouts.
Lifestyle & Current Workout Routine
Before I had my first son, I was incredibly devoted to carving out āme timeā for a workout 5-6 days per week. After becoming a parent, as a full-time working mom with a baby on an unreliable sleep schedule, early morning wake-ups became a necessity if I was going to squeeze in a workout. When I found myself pregnant again with my second son in January, my drive to stay fit during pregnancy increased tenfold. Expecting two boys under 2 years old has really motivated me to be the strongest version of myself.
With a 5:30am wake-up time, I am able to have a leisurely cup of coffee (that my sweet husband brings to me in bed daily) and then get in either a 30-minute strength workout or outdoor run before my son wakes up at 7am. Our nanny arrives at 8:30am, giving me 90 minutes to play with him and get household chores done before the workday begins. On weekends, my husband and I prioritize nap-time workouts or runs, hikes outdoors, and bike rides to get out as a family.
Biggest Fitness Routine Challenge
Consistency is my biggest challenge with getting into a solid fitness routine. Iāll be doing great and really focusing on carving out the time to exercise and then work and life commitments will pop up to fill that time slot. After a week or two of not working out, I will start to feel both physically and mentally down due to the lack of exercise. Making this time for myself without feeling guilty about my massive to-do list is something I am actively working on resolving. I know that I deserve to look and feel like the best version of myself for the duration of this pregnancy and as I adjust to life with two boys under age 2.
Why the Move Your Bump App Works
Move Your Bump is a fantastic app that I am so glad I implemented this pregnancy. With my last pregnancy, I worried during every workout whether or not it was āsafeā for the stage of pregnancy I was in and if I was properly completing the exercises in a way that wasnāt putting me (or baby) at risk for injury. Knowing that the Move Your Bump workouts are both tailored to meeting me where I am in my pregnancy or postpartum journey lets me really relax and focus on the workout itself.
Knowing that the Move Your Bump workouts are both tailored to meeting me where I am in my pregnancy or postpartum journey lets me really relax and focus on the workout itself.
My goal is to maintain my strength and muscle tone so that I feel my best as my belly grows. This program 100 percent achieves that. I feel even stronger than I did before getting pregnant with this baby, and it makes me feel hopeful that if I continue three times a week with the MYB app that my postpartum experience will be much smoother as well. A huge plus for me is that the app is constantly evolving and adding new workouts. With other āpregnancy-specificā workouts, I felt I was bored doing the same routines over and over; finding the motivation to complete the workout knowing what was ahead was very hard for me. I love the easy-to-follow directions in Move Your Bump, and I love being able to select from a variety of classes based on how I am feeling that day.
Ready to try Move Your Bump? Click below to start your free, 7-day trial followed by 50% off your first month!
This post was in partnership with Move Your Bump but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.