pre- and postnatal fitness. “Sometimes you just don’t feel like it.”

Her attention fixed on her 1-year-old son, Luke, toddling about the floor of her Fort Knox home, Fenzel said she knows firsthand getting back in shape after having a baby is no simple task either.

“We think we’ll get back into it, but we forget we’re responsible for a baby,” she said.

Though it may not be easy, maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes physical exercise can provide benefits beyond burning calories for expectant and new mothers.

Exercise during pregnancy has been reported to reduce nausea, risk for gestational diabetes and back and leg pain, and to promote endurance during the birth process. But there are considerations.

Unless a woman exercised before becoming pregnant, in most cases it is not recommended to start an exercise program during the first trimester of pregnancy.

“Your body is changing, there are a lot of chemical changes happening,” said Marie Simpson, a certified childbirth doula and yoga instructor, who teaches prenatal yoga at E-town Swim & Fitness. “The second trimester you feel better, have more energy. You feel like doing something.”

Prenatal yoga emphasizes stretching and exercises to open the hips. It also helps with breathing and relaxation, which can be useful during labor.

“The more in-shape you are, the easier labor is going to be,” Simpson said. “If you exercise during pregnancy, you’ll be in better shape once the baby is born and be able to bounce back to your pre-pregnancy body. And you feel better.”

She also pointed out there are social benefits to taking prenatal classes or working out in groups.

“There’s a fellowship and friendship,” she said. “You’ve got women at different stages of pregnancy comparing notes, learning from each other. It’s nice to hang around with other pregnant women. It’s fun.”

Elizabeth McNeil, who teaches a class at Energy Sports and Fitness, said prenatal yoga focuses not only on the mother’s body, but the growing baby.

“You want to support the baby and its development,” McNeil said. “It’s about maintaining, not developing strength or flexibility. It’s all focused on the baby. You’re working to release tension from the body, to make it more comfortable.”

Because the body changes dramatically from the beginning to the end of pregnancy, women should remember to stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothing, watch their heart rates and be mindful that their joints are loosening and can be more susceptible to injury.

“Always be mindful of how you’re breathing,” McNeil said. “Your breathing should be smooth and consistent. If your breaths are short, you’re doing too much. You should never feel pain.”

Getting back into pre-pregnancy shape poses another set of challenges.

“Every day I learned, particularly after (Luke) was born, to look for a different way to get a workout done,” Fenzel said. “You throw out the window all your theories about how to get a workout.”

The right exercise plan can help a new mom return to her pre-pregnancy shape and meet the new demands of taking care of a newborn. Some exercises may incorporate the baby and family.

But there are considerations for postpartum fitness as well, particularly regarding the abdominal area where muscles have stretched and split, and the joints and ligaments, which loosened during pregnancy.

The first and most important step to taking care of the body after delivery is recovery. In most cases, women are released by their doctors to return to exercising and other physical activities after six to eight weeks.

“It’s important you not do exercise until at least six weeks postpartum,” Fenzel said.

Then, the return to exercise should be slow and gradual.

“Women really don’t realize how much our structure changes giving birth. If you try to exercise too quickly, you’re working against your body’s needs.”

The challenges of fitness don’t stop after childbirth. As children grow, finding time to exercise becomes a factor for moms, as well.

Holly Rigsby, an Elizabethtown personal trainer and nutrition coach, created an e-book, “Fit Yummy Mummy,” for moms of older children trying to get back in shape.

“It’s geared toward busy moms who are trying to get their bodies back,” Rigsby said. “The majority of my clients have toddlers or school-age children and are just now finding time to get themselves back into a routine.”

One of the biggest challenges to getting back in shape, whether it is six weeks after giving birth or six years, is finding the motivation and the right frame of mind to exercise, Fenzel said.

“We’re so hard on ourselves as new moms,” she said. “In our society, there’s so much pressure on women to get back to their pre-pregnancy size immediately. Our bodies are meant to give birth. Amazingly, if you eat a good diet, do moderate exercise and take care of your baby, our bodies know how to do it on their own.”

Before beginning any form of exercise, women who are pregnant or who recently have had a baby should talk to their doctors. For high-risk pregnancies, in particular, certain exercise programs may not be appropriate.

Holly Tabor can be reached at 505-1745, or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it