I desperately needed a prenatal workout to prepare for childbirth and beyond

Ready or not, this baby is coming! 

24 weeks into my third pregnancy and somehow “Prepare Your Body for Childbirth” didn’t quite make the to-do list…until now. Between working, caring for two littles, drinking enough water and trying to sleep comfortably – honestly, who has the time? But I’ve been down this road before and I know that delivering babies is hands-down one of the most physically demanding challenges on planet earth. Going there without any training? Not ideal. 

So, better late than never, it’s time to (gently) kick my pregnant body into gear. But figuring out where to start felt like yet another chore I just didn’t have time for. (Particularly when all I really want to do is lie down and have a rest.)

Enter: Nike’s NTC app and their [angelic choir sounds] (M)ove Like a Mother pregnancy program. 

Quick, simple, done. And FREE! Just what I needed. 

Logging into the app for the first time, I’m greeted by a clean and streamlined feed that feels not unlike a minimalistic form of the social media I already spend too much time consuming–but this scrolling is far from mindless. A curated selection of aesthetically pleasing videos offers variety without overwhelm, featuring a slew of beautifully fit trainers in beautifully modern studios. 

I browse until finding “(M)ove Like a Mother” and promptly begin the program.

It’s conveniently designed with 24 workouts encompassing all stages of pregnancy–including postpartum – and with my third trimester looming just ahead of my rapidly growing belly, I opt to begin in the “Late Pregnancy” module. 

Immediately, I was eager to dive into the 10-minute Core & Pelvic Floor Connection. After two vaginal deliveries, I’m well aware that my pelvic floor ain’t what it used to be. It’s something I’ve been wanting to work on strengthening this time around, but never seem to remember to do. Plus, a 10-minute break feels manageable to work in throughout the natural cadence of my busy day. 

The lesson was gentle and effective, while I could feel baby reacting to the moves right along with me. My favorite part was that the workout was grounded in the realities of what our bodies are tasked with doing post-delivery, from passing the baby off for a diaper change, to balancing a diaper bag, to pulling ourselves up out of a rocking chair after the baby has fallen asleep. 

A few hours later, I popped back on to try the next 10 minute workout in the program for Upper Body. It was just slightly more strenuous and a good compliment to the light exercise I had already done. In the end, I felt accomplished for squeezing a “full” 20 minute workout into my day by combining two more attainable, bite-sized sessions in between deadlines, laundry and feeding my kids.

As I move through the program, I find a range of guided videos from 20-minute prenatal cardio and strength training to five-minute postpartum stretches. I can definitely see myself returning to these quick, attainable lessons again and again as my due date approaches (and beyond).  I appreciate that it was created by specialists in pre- and postnatal care and vetted by leading experts so I don’t have to worry.

Looking ahead, I’ve opted in for the “Reminder” feature, which sends a push notification to your phone at 8 a.m. (or any specific time of your choosing) to nudge you with a little reminder to stay motivated. With the pregnancy brain at an all time high, I’ll take all the friendly reminders I can get. 

The flow and organization of the program and app as a whole is simplified and streamlined, making it easy to keep track of what will and won’t work for me at various stages of my pregnancy and fitness journey. I appreciate that the program is clear cut, easy to follow and, of course, that the trainers featured are Mamas themselves. That’s what I call, “Moms Supporting Moms.”