I was 8 weeks pregnant when my team and I competed at the South East CrossFit Regionals in 2013.  I felt that this truly set the stage for my pregnancy.  As a former gymnast turned college pole vaulter, I have been an athlete my entire life.  Going into Regionals, I didn’t know how the mama instinct would interact with the athlete instinct.  Would I forget the pregnancy during a workout and overdo it?  Would I be unable to forget the pregnancy and hold back too much?  In hindsight, the result did not surprise me.  My body knew EXACTLY what was allowed.   Each workout was a best effort with smart recovery. After Regionals, I switched my mentality from cross-fitness to birth-fitness; competition goals took a backseat to a healthy pregnancy and natural labor preparation.  Despite the refocus, I was surprised how little my workout regimen changed.  The biggest adjustment came from cutting out the intensity aspect of CrossFit.  I moved at a pace with which my body agreed and if a time cap … [Read more...]