First time pregnancies, in my experience at least, are always a fascinating journey – so much unknown & so many “firsts” that it can either be an amazing adventure or anxiety induced rollercoaster…. throw in a global pandemic and you have yourself a memorable experience for sure!

I had just relocated to the Cape, after more than a year and a half of commuting between here and JHB & was looking forward to starting this new chapter with my hubby. None of us could have expected an international lockdown to be woven into the story of our first born’s arrival.

After a bit if a rocky start to get to a tangible stage of gestation (as mentioned – miscarriages, investigations, copious amounts of blood tests, trying again, changing specialists, a fair amount of “life” stress, moving, etc…) the first time experience wasn’t quite what we had envisioned it to be.
Hubby wasn’t allowed at any of the checkups; constant regulation changes as to hospital policies with the ever changing milieu, in light of a bothersome little virus affecting the world; uncertainty as to whether hubby was allowed at the birth and whether we’d be able to have family come from near or far once bub arrived; ante natal classes via zoom; no likelihood of a baby shower…. mood dampener for sure! All things that were out of our control.

External factors aside, the physical aspect of my pregnancy was going well. I was fairly symptom free (apart from the occasional sniper that would get me in the back and have me buckling at the knees during the last trimester) and I was thankfully, able to stay very active throughout the pregnancy.

Fast forward to the 4th June 2020 at 2:30 am after what must have been the billionth late night bathroom break and I felt a “pop”. It was go time – albeit somewhat earlier than my predicted due date.

Surprisingly, my contractions came consistently every 2minutes from the moment my waters broke, which I was not anticipating at all! Where was the intermittent respite that would allow me to find my Zen?!? Not happening mama… baby wanted out.

The plan was to labour at home for as long as possible, knowing that as soon as you change environments, there would likely be a stagnation in the progression of said labour. Our bodies have a clever way of adapting to it’s environment – all we have to do, is let it.

Reassuringly, I seemed to “get in the zone” fairly quickly. I had been told by industry colleagues, family and friends who had experience, that the mental prep would get me through, should I want to go down the natural route (a decision for which some time was still undecided!)
I had my affirmations ready, meditation and play lists too. Hubby ran the bath (water has always been my go to) and got the candles going. I paced, swayed, bounced on the ball and changed position as often as my body told me to. “Breathe mama – juat ride the waves.”

As one would hope, the initial stages of labour progressed in what seemed like a blink. Time to get to the hospital…. stagger up 3 flights of stairs to get to the car (longest trip ever!)… can’t sit normally in the front seat – too painful!

On all fours in the back seat, – just right! “Don’t wait for the red robots, just get to the hospital!!” hollered from the backseat intermittently to the front (Interspersed with many an expletive not suitable for this forum.)
Arrive at the hospital (eerily apocalyptic feeling, being so empty with COVID protocols in full swing), mask on, is hubby allowed in? “Yes, for now.”
“Have you had a COVID test?”…..”uuuum – No… I’m 2 weeks early, we were booked for tomorrow.” …. dramatic pause –
” Right, we’ll have to treat you as a potential positive case then. The lab will have to come and do a swab now. Please don’t remove your masks. In the meantime, let’s see how things are progressing”.

By this stage it was 7:30 am – I was already 7cm dilated and in a headspace that had only been partially experienced in the final stages of some hard triathlons that I had previously done… but this was on another level altogether. My husband equates it to being in the last few km’s of doing Comrades…. I’ll let him have that belief that there is some similarity 😉

Nurse: “Do you have any pain management preferences?”
Husband: “We want to go as natural as possible”
Me: thinking but not able to verbalize, “We?!?What the actual…….?!?!”
Nurse: “ok then, you’re doing great. Ah, Lancet is here, time for your nasopharangeal swab, you ready?”
Me: still not able to verbalize anything as mid (another) intense contraction and possibly heading into transition?
enter swab
Husband: “oooef… that looks uncomfortable”
Me: (in my head) ” … you think that’s uncomfortable buddy?”

Swab done, contraction tapering, another one on the way.
Enter Gynae –
Dr: “Morning! You’ve had quite the day already – progressing well. Still at 7cm though, I’ll see you in an hour.”
….a million hours pass….
Dr: ” Right, only 8cm, things seem to have slowed down. Keep breathing, keep moving, I’ll be back in 45min”
Me: I can’t believe 😑
Everyone else: chatting, going about their day, taking it all in
Me: (in my head) breathe Bailey, ride the wave… work with me baba…. man some pain meds would be great… oooh… another contraction… longer, stronger…..
Nurse: “Don’t push Bailey, the cervix isn’t ready”
Me: (I promise I’m not… my body is doing it all! I actively had to try and not push. How incredible are our bodies?)
Husband: “There’s no rush, slow things down”
Me: evil eye stare and somehow managing to say….”don’t… you….tell me…. there’s… no…rush.” 😂

10:45am arrived after what felt paradoxically like both a millennia and a heartbeat. Dr arrives again;
“Oh good, we’ve progressed nicely – time to meet your bub. On the bed, let’s go”

2 and a half pushes and a cumulative total of 8ish hours later (all those Fit4Two classes surely helped!) and our little man, Harrison Ian MacDiarmid, met us earth side, bleary eyed and chubby cheeked, weighing a healthy 3.55kg and measuring 54cm long.

A spontaneous, natural, unmedicated delivery during a global pandemic …What an experience!
I could hardly believe what had actually just happened.

Fortunately all went well and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Bub and I were healthy. Dad could stay a little while with us in the isolation ward, as we still didn’t have the COVID results yet – No visitors of course.

The maternity ward staff had a torrid time with multiple PPE gear changes every time they needed to check on us for anything, or to simply drop off a cup of tea. (Note to self: invest in medical supply companies- you’ll make a fortune!)
Considering things had gone smoothly and hubby wasn’t allowed to stay or come back until I was discharged – we were able to head home the very next day to get to know our newest, little(ish) family member better.

Whilst things didn’t pan out exactly as we had anticipated (can you ever actually fully prepare for your first time I wonder?), I can’t imagine having had any other experience.

The one silver lining to this irritant of a global pandemic, is that it allowed us to have all the time in the world to adapt to this new way of life in our own time. Interestingly, some studies have shown that babies have returned to their pre birth weight far quicker and mom’s have had a speedier post partum recoveries than in previous years. Which makes me wonder, maybe Mother Nature is trying to tell us all to slow down a little?

So to any mama’s heading into the unknown for the first time- trust the process. Don’t worry about the things you have no control over and whichever route you decide to take to meet your little one, know that you, and your amazing body, have got this – regardless of whatever else is going on around you.

The post The miracle of life- Bailey MacDiarmid appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

However, nothing seemed to be working and let’s face it, I think we’ve all just about had enough of this wretched virus and its impact on everything, have we not? Which got me thinking about adaptability – how utterly amazing is the female form in its ability to adapt? Be it physically, mentally and every other conceivable aspect? 

From the second our bodies register that there is something happening in the reproductive part of our physiology – there is a whole cascade of responses that take place and don’t stop from day dot. It is absolutely miraculous to see, within a relatively short period of time (although some days could equate to years, am I right?) as we go through the various stages of pregnancy. 

Constant changes in hormonal levels, ever changing body shape, weird sensations that come and go as the foetal development evolves, shifting our dietary habits to make sure that both you and little bub are being taken care of, coming to grips emotionally with this new role we will be stepping into as a parent, figuring out the work/stay at home scenario… the list goes on.

But it doesn’t stop there now does it? Goodness no! How adaptable do we have to be as mothers too? I’d say more so than a chameleon strutting around on a box of Smarties! Particularly if there are multiple little sprogs that need to be taken care of.  Sleep routines, growth spurts, food preferences that change overnight, liking these shoes, then hating them the next day…breathe mama!

Change. Adapt. Continue…it happens all the time, oftentimes without us realising, sometimes with a little bit of resistance or hesitation, but it happens regardless. We’ve seen that now with the current lockdown (sorry, it had to sneak in somewhere!) and be it a somewhat forced adaptability from a healthcare point of view, it does allow for time to consider the adaptations that are actually necessary in our lives. I saw a quote the other day from Dave Hollis that said; “In the rush to return to normal; use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” Some profound words there Dave! Some that I’m hoping to take to heart during this gifted period of time we all so desperately seek in our busy lives. 

From a Fit 4 Two point of view, there have been some major adaptations. Obviously, the group classes are a no go at the moment until further notice. We absolutely love these sessions when mama’s come together and share their experiences, provide support and suggestions– creating the “village” it requires to get through this thing called “motherhood”. But times, they are a changing – and as such we have had to adapt too! 

Have you tried the new online platform that has recently launched? Do you have any other suggestions for us during this lockdown that could perhaps help you on your health and wellness way during these unprecedented times? Send us some feedback and comments so that we can continue to adapt to the needs of our mama’s. Things have undoubtedly changed – we’re trying to adapt and we’ll make sure that we can continue as all amazing mama’s constantly do.

Yours in health and wellness, 

Bailey

The post “The Only Constant in Life, is Change” appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

Fortunately, the pregnant population seems to have come off relatively unscathed up until this point (I mean, we all know that mothers are superhuman, but here’s actual proof for those non-believers!) None the less, it is still a worrisome environment for anyone to be in, particularly if you have other little human beings that are dependant on you. Now everyone is going to have a different response to the current world crisis, I know most mama’s will be suiting up in their “Wonder Woman” gear (which in all honesty, is never really taken off 😉 ) but sometimes we need to take a step back and look at things realistically.

Of course, we can do our bit to help #flattenthecurve. Be it by enforcing stricter hygiene standards, making sure to do our bit with social distancing or simply not being “that” person buying all of the toilet paper left on the shelves at your local supermarket. We simply, however, cannot stop this wretched lurgie all by ourselves, which can be an overwhelming realisation to face.

So, if we cannot control what’s happening around us, how about controlling how we respond to what’s happening around us?

For instance:

• How are your little ones (either still baking away, or those already earth side) faring? Their response is going to be directly linked to yours.
  
• How is your mental wellbeing coping with this additional stress of so much unknown? Don’t be afraid to talk to those with the appropriate training and qualifications to assist if you are finding it all too much. Remember to not get bogged down by all the fake news doing the rounds – Only heed the advice of the professionals and appropriate regulatory bodies such as The World Health Organization https://www.who.int/ or The National Institute for Communicable Diseases http://www.nicd.ac.za/.

• What measures are you taking for you and your families’ physical wellbeing? Whilst most things may be cancelled in terms of large group gatherings and restrictions on densely populated public spaces enforced, exercise and movement are not cancelled (…nor is laundry, laundry is never cancelled – but we’ll leave that for another day’s discussion!)

There are papers and papers of academic research confirming the positive impact that exercise can have on immunity, not only for the general population but for those mama’s going through pregnancy too.

Exercise doesn’t only have to be gym based – just get moving! Have a dance-off in your living room, go for a walk,  run races with the kids in the back garden (Did I hear someone say extended Easter holidays?!?) get creative with the house chores, or leave the house chores and make your home a real-life obstacle course! Or, perhaps turn to your favourite pre and post-natal group, Fit4Two to have your backs 😉 We usually like to have our sessions in a group setting, considering the multiple additional benefits that can be gained by having face to face time, but know that we need to keep our socially responsible distance, just until things settle down.

The team is thus hard at work putting together some online platforms so you can still have your favourite sessions, designed by fully qualified biokineticists in the comfort of your own home, with the benefit of a protective screen between you all! What could be better?! Get your sweat on and keep your sweats on, because let’s face it  – none of us have anywhere else to be! Now that sounds like an ideal response to the current health happenings in the world we face today. 

Stay strong mama’s!

Yours in health and wellness,

Bailey

The post Coping During Covid-19 appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

Dear F4T Moms & Moms-to-be,

July is mental health awareness, and so this months newsletter is all about looking
after your mental health, through exercise, social support and a few fun events and
giveaways to keep your spirits up, as we endure the last few chilly months of
Winter😊

BABY MASSAGE COURSE: 6th of August 2019

Please join us for a 4-week baby massage course, starting on Tuesday the 6th of
August, and running for 4 weeks. Baby massage is a wonderful way to bond with
your baby, as well as having limitless health benefits for baby. The course costs
R800, and includes all course manuals, handouts, oils, cheat sheets as well as
refreshments after each class. The course is perfect for babies from around 4
weeks- approx 8 months.

The post July 2019 – Mental Health Awareness Month appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

Fit Mommy Bootcamp 6 Week Challenge- Our 6-week Fit Mommy Bootcamp challenge will begin in July. This is a high-intensity exercise program for mommies to get that pre-baby body back! Please make sure you book your spot as spaces are limited. We will be running the assessments for the challenge during the course of this month.

Fit4Two Mom & Baby Walking Groups– We have 3 different walking groups.  Bryanston, Emmerentia and one in Birdhaven. Please let us know if you would like to be added to any of the Whatsapp groups.

TCL for Moms

• Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMS but worried about bringing your baby in case they cry? No problem, crying babies are welcome. 
• Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMS but worried about breastfeeding at the group? No problem, many moms struggle with feeding, you are welcome to feed in a room off to the side of the venue.
• Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMS but finding it difficult to leave the house? Moms are always late. Leaving the house takes practice before it gets easier and you are welcome to practice on us! I send the moms all the details about where to park and exactly what to expect before the first session.

Mail (hello@tlc4moms.co.za) or Whatsapp (082 515 3365) Megan for more information or to book for either date.

Julie Key Belly Binders– Fit 4 Two are official stockists and professional fitters of Julie Kay’s incredible range of Pregnancy support belts to be used during pregnancy, and belly binders to be used post-pregnancy.  All products are designed by Julie, who is a Physiotherapist, and are proudly made in South Africa with beautiful, high-quality materials.  These products will really do wonders when it comes to alleviating back pain, sacroiliac pain, pubic symphysis pain as well as managing diastasis recti during pregnancy.  Post pregnancy, her binders are unlike anything that can be bought off the shelves. They will support your body after birth, and aid in the healing process, as well as redefining your waist and flattening your tummy post pregnancy- say goodbye to the ‘mummy-tummy’! The Belly binders can be fitted as soon as possible post birth, irrespective of the mode of delivery for best results. These products have been very carefully designed, and therefore it is of utmost importance that they are fitted correctly, in order to see best results.  Please contact us, either by email or phone to book your fitting and take your Belly-up or Belly-Bye home! We are charging an introductory special of R800 for the Belly-up, and R900 or the Belly-Bye, or R1600 for both. 

The post June 2019 – June is Dad’s Month! appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

Introducing an exciting collaboration between Julie Kay Belly-Way and Fit 4 Two

Fit 4 Two is very proud to be official stockists and professional fitters of Julie Kay’s incredible range of Pregnancy support belts to be used during pregnancy, and belly binders to be used postpregnancy. All products are designed by Julie, who is a Physiotherapists, and are proudly made in South Africa with beautiful, high quality materials. These products will really do wonders when it comes to alleviating back pain, sacro-iliac pain, pubic symphysis pain as well as managing diastasis recti during pregnancy. Post pregnancy, her binders are unlike anything that can be bought off the shelves. They will support your body after birth, and aid in the healing process, as well as redefining your waist and flattening your tummy post pregnancy- say goodbye to the ‘mummytummy’! The Belly binders can be fitted as soon as possible post birth, irrespective of mode of delivery for best results. These products have been very carefully designed, and therefore it is of utmost importance that they are fitted correctly, in order to see best results.

Please contact us, either by email or phone to book your fitting and take your Belly-up or Belly-Bye home! We are charging an introductory special of R800 for the Belly-up, and R900 or the Belly-Bye, or R1600 for both.

Pramathon – The Pramathon is coming up this Sunday the 5th of May, and we would absolutely love it if you come through with your family and walk with us! Please let us know if you would like to walk with Fit 4 Two, so we can organise a T-shirt for you, and arrange to meet up and all walk together.

Please book by following this link: https://www.ticketrush.co.za/event/pramathon-jhb to book your ticket! Preggie moms are also welcome to attend, as there will be baby valets to help you set up a picnic blanket, while you browse through the baby market, have something delicious to eat, and have a relaxing day with family and friends. There will be a craft beer tent, as well as lots of activities for toddlers and older kiddies, and loads of awesome prizes up for grabs!

Please go onto their website: www.pramathon.co.za to check out what will be on offer. Please also come and visit us and have a lovely post-walk stretch at Fit 4 Two’s Stretching zone!

TLC 4 MOMs – Megan, who runs the TLC 4 MOMs groups has written a lovely written a piece about whether it’s reasonable or not to feel you should be able to look after your baby on your own. Read the article here.

Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMS but worried about bringing your baby in case they cry? No problem, crying babies are welcome. 

Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMS but worried about breast feeding at the group? No problem, many moms struggle with feeding, you are welcome to feed in a room off to the side of the venue.

Are you interested in TLC 4 MOMs but finding it difficult to leave the house? Moms are always late. Leaving the house takes practice before it gets easier and you are welcome to practice on us! 

I send the moms all the details about where to park and exactly what to expect before the first session.

TLC 4 MOMs update

– For those who can’t make a Tuesday, the next SATURDAY TLC 4 MOMs meeting will be on 18 May at 9:45 for 10am-12pm
– There will be a NEW GROUP of moms starting from May as some of our old members are going back to work.

RSVP if you are interested in trying it out on TUESDAY 7 May- no long term commitment needed.

Mail (hello@tlc4moms.co.za) or Whatsapp (082 515 3365) Megan for more information or to book for either date.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH:

The post May 2019 – May is for the Moms and Moms-to-be appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

April 2019 – Winter is Coming!

Dear F4T Moms & Moms-to-be,

With a month scattered with public holidays a- plenty, and the chill of winter slowly setting in, we
think what better time to warm-up your body with some exercise! Or how about paying our Fit 4
Two Dietician, Jenny Meyer, a visit, to get into some healthy eating habits before the temptation
of hot chocolate and rusks takes over! We also have a wonderful massage special this month, and
one lucky member will also win a 30 minute pre/postnatal massage with our massage therapist
Priscilla Jenks…keep an eye on our Facebook page for details on how to enter.

APRIL SPECIAL!!!!

Book a 60-minute pre/postnatal massage in April for the brilliant price of just R400!!!
Please book directly with Priscilla on 074 262 2628😊

Fit 4 Two- Nutrition
We are so excited to introduce our collaboration with Dietician Jenny Meyer. She will be offering individual consultations, individualised eating plans for during pregnancy and postpartum, at a reduced price for Fit 4 Two Moms and Moms-to-be. Keep your eye on our Facebook page, where we will be publishing her awesome Winter Special she will be running in May.

Pramathon– Fit 4 Two will be aiming to create a strong presence at the Pramathon event which will be taking place in May. Please let us know if you would like to bring you baba, and rest of the family along for what promises to be a great family day of fun! If you would like to walk with Fit 4 Two, we would like to provide you with a t-shirt and cap, so send us a mail so we can get you kitted out!😊 visit: www.pramathon.co.za or find them on Facebook for more details on this event.

Voucher special – We will be sending you all vouchers for a free assessment and trial class at one of our Fit 4 Two branches for any of your pregnant/postnatal friends and family. Also, remember that we do gift vouchers for all our class packages, which makes a wonderful and unique baby shower gift. Let us know if you would like to purchase one.

New Branches – This month we are so thrilled to have opened up 2 more branches of Fit 4 Two, the Cresta Virgin Active Branch and the Boksburg Branch. We are also excited to have two more in the pipeline, which we hope to open soon

Exercise of the month:

Foam rolling fun – how about trying out some foam rolling to provide relief from sacroiliac/ coccyx and lower back pain during pregnancy, and to relieve any muscle soreness postpartum as well😊
Foam rollers are available to buy at most Dischems, Mr Price Sport, or can be ordered directly from us.

 

	Glute Roll	Sit on the foam roller, with bent knees out in front of you. Cross one foot over to the other knee. Roll into the glute of the leg that is crossed onto the knee. Sit into the roller to enhance the effect.	1 Minute
	Lower Back Roll	Sit on your foam roller as pictured, with hands out behind you and legs in front of you. Gently move the roller along your lower back by rocking your body forwards towards your feet and back again.	1 Minute

 

Glute Roll Sit on the foam roller, with bent knees out in front of you. Cross one foot over to the other knee. Roll into the glute of the leg that is crossed onto the knee. Sit into the roller to enhance the effect. 1 Minute

Lower Back Roll Sit on your foam roller as pictured, with hands out behind you and legs in front of you. Gently move the roller along your lower back by rocking your body forwards towards your feet and back again. 1 Minute

Exercise tip of the month:

When you are feeling tired, learn to rest, not quit.

 

We love hearing feedback on our classes, and would so appreciate any comments and suggestions you may have for us. So please pop us a mail, write us a review on Facebook, or fill in our anonymous patient satisfaction survey: www.fit4two.co.za/review. We also really appreciate all the likes, shares and comments you make on our Facebook page.

 

Kindest Regards,
Gill, Kayla, and the Fit 4 Two team

The post April 2019 – Winter is Coming! appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

March 2019 – Time is Marching On

Dear F4T Moms & Moms-to-be,

With the temperatures still soaring, and the weeks flying by, I think we are all in need of some time to relax…not long to go until all the public holidays start coming thick and fast! So with this in mind, the theme of this month’s newsletter is ensuring you take some time out to exercise, as a way to nourish and thank your body for all it has done for you, and all it continues to do for you on a daily basis. We are here to help you on your fitness journey throughout all your stages of life!

March Tapping Special!!!!

Bailey will be offering a taping special: 15-minute functional screening and taping for R150.00.

Please book directly with Bailey on 087 943 2373. We have also detailed the benefits of pre – and post-natal specific taping below😊

RockTape is a kinesiology tape designed to help people “move better and move more”. During the latter stages of pregnancy, some women may find it difficult to move at all after almost 40 weeks of an ever expanding bump and  the associated plethora of hormonal and musculoskeletal changes that one goes through.

The tape effectively works on a feedback loop to the brain. You could say that we “tape the brain so that we can train!” (and this is all drug/medication free. There is nothing in the tape – it’s the design of it and its relationship with our bodies, that makes it work. #amazing)

Based on the tactile sensation of the tapes application and the “lifting effect” it has on the underlying structures, it results in a neural signal to the brain, which then prompts a motor response to the stimulation. More concisely dubbed as “Skintelligence” .

Below are a few pre and post-natal specific applications that could be considered:

• Lumbopelvic  instability and Posterior pelvic pain
• Pubic symphysis discomfort & Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain
• Diaphragmatic breathing patterns
• Suspensory ligament support
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Assistance with DRA
• Scarring application post C – Section

***Please note that the tape should not be used on any individual that has kidney dysfunction, cardiovascular incompetence, neuropathy or any active cancer sites. *** Application of the tape is always individual specific and a pre – screen should always be done by a health care practitioner prior to initial use.

FIT 4 TWO MOMMIES WALKING GROUP!

Please join Kayla and baby Liam every Tuesday and Friday at 9am at Higher Ground restaurant, within Saint Stithians School for a moms and babies walking workout! You are welcome to walk at your own pace, and there are facilities at the restaurant to change and feed babies. This is FREE!!! So spread the word and bring your friends along!

To all our Moms with little crawlers on their hands, who are battling to keep coming to the postnatal classes, why not come along to our Pilates classes on a Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30am, or leave baby behind and have some me-time on a Saturday at 8:45am? 😊

0TLC 4 MOMS Group Price Change: Megan has adjusted the pricing of the weekly TLC sessions, so the cost is now R150 for both the TLC group and Baby Wellness Clinic. If you want to only attend the clinic, its R50, or only the group for R100. Please RSVP to Megan on 082 515 3365, if you would like to attend.

We are so excited to welcome so many Moms back to Post-natal classes, and would also like to congratulate Michelle and Ayesha on the safe arrival of their little ones.😊

Exercise of the month:

Squat – Great for strengthening quads, glutes and can be done safely throughout pregnancy, and postpartum, while holding baby!

Ball wall squats

Squats can be modified depending on fitness levels and trimesters. You can squat down as far as you feel comfortable. Please make sure you are not straining to come back up, or are feeling any pain in your knees. If you are, try to make the squat smaller, do not go as far down. You can repeat this with feet parallel, and turned out, and can also do some calf raises in between each set of squats.

3 sets of 10-15 reps, with a set of calf raises in between each set of squats. You can make this more challenging by holding a set of dumbbells, or if you are postpartum, you can hold your baby😊

Ball Wall Squats Squats can be modified depending on fitness levels and trimesters. You can squat down as far as you feel comfortable. Please make sure you are not straining to come back up, or are feeling any pain in your knees. If you are, try to make the squat smaller, do not go as far down. You can repeat this with feet parallel, and turned out, and can also do some calf raises in between each set of squats. 3 sets of 10-15 reps, with a set of calf raises in between each set of squats. You can make this more challenging by holding a set of dumbbells, or if you are postpartum, you can hold your baby😊

Exercise tip of the month:

Consistency is key when it comes to exercise…start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can😊

 

We are committed to providing you with safe, effective and enjoyable classes, would love to continue to improve our service to you, so please would you take a minute to complete our quick, anonymous, patient satisfaction survey. Click here: http://www.fit4two.co.za/review

Kindest Regards,

Gill, Kayla and the Fit 4 Two team

The post March 2019 – Time is Marching On appeared first on Fit 4 Two.

February 2019 – Love is in the Air!

Dear F4T Moms & Moms-to-be,

After an extremely busy and eventful January, we are already into February, which is not only the month of love, but also Pregnancy Education Month, and Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month.

FEBRUARY SPECIAL!!!!

Refer a friend, and if they sign-up for a trial class, you will receive 10% off your March class fees!!!

This month, we have brought back the Saturday 8:45am Postnatal class, so please be sure to book your spot😊

Also, don’t forget that we run Clinical Pilates classes on a Tuesday and a Thursday morning at 6:30am. These are not pre or post-natal specific classes, so feel free to bring your hubby’s, friends and family along😊

We are excited to announce the opening of two more Fit 4 Two branches this month, in Randpark Ridge, and in Centurion, please check out our website to view the class schedules.

We would like to Congratulate Kayla on the birth of her little boy, Liam, this month, and wish her a wonderful maternity leave.  We welcome two new Biokineticists, Rachel and Hayley to the Fit 4 Two team, and they will be instructing classes at the Blairgowrie branch, as well as Randpark, and Rosebank branches.

We have lots of F4T babies due this month, so don’t forget to PLEASE send us a picture of you and your little angel so we can put it up on our wall of fame 😊

Our TLC 4 MOMS group, facilitated by Counselling Psychologist Megan, is up and running for the year, and we have partnered up with Sister Debbie Hooper, who will be running a weekly baby clinic, which will take place every Tuesday at 9am, at our Blairgowrie branch. TLC 4 MOMS will be happening every Tuesday from 10am-12pm. The weekly talks will include refreshments and snacks, and remember you can claim back from medical aid for the sessions😊 We will also host a monthly moms and babes morning, where a guest speaker will present, this month we had Dietician Taryn Botz give a very informative talk on healthy maternal nutrition.

Exercise of the month:

Cat stretch- great for stretching out and mobilising your spine, either during pregnancy, or postpartum

 

	Cat stretch	Kneel on your hands and knees, with hands directly under your shoulders and feet relaxed. Start with your spine in a neutral position. Exhale to arch your back up towards the ceiling as pictured, inhale to flatten your back down into an extended position, keeping your abdominal muscles tight so you aren’t just sinking into the back. 10 reps
	Rest Position	Separate your knees and sit back onto your heels with arms stretched out in front of you.Hold for 30 seconds

 

Cat stretch Kneel on your hands and knees, with hands directly under your shoulders and feet relaxed. Start with your spine in a neutral position. Exhale to arch your back up towards the ceiling as pictured, inhale to flatten your back down into an extended position, keeping your abdominal muscles tight so you aren’t just sinking into the back. 10 reps

Rest Position Separate your knees and sit back onto your heels with arms stretched out in front of you. Hold for 30 seconds

Exercise tip of the month:

Try to accumulate 30 mins of activity on most days of the week…and remember that exercise is cumulative, so it doesn’t have to be all in one go…chasing a toddler for 5 minutes,6 times a day definitely counts!!!

 

We are committed to providing you with safe, effective and enjoyable classes, would love to continue to improve our service to you, so please would you take a minute to complete our quick, anonymous, patient satisfaction survey. Click here: http://www.fit4two.co.za/review

Kindest Regards,

Gill, Kayla and the Fit 4 Two team

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