In today’s episode, we talk with Desi Bartlett. Desi has 25 years of experience in health and fitness, 2 exercise science related degrees, multiple certifications and is an internationally published author as well as a product designer. She is the author of Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy (https://www.mothersintolivingfit.com/your-strong-sexy-pregnancy/). We start off our conversation with Desi sharing her story and the development of her career. Desi then shares what she means by a “sexy” pregnancy, and we discuss common misconceptions about sex during pregnancy. We then talk about how yoga and other physical exercises can strengthen you during pregnancy and help prepare you for birth. We talk about the muscles to focus on, and the positions, stretches, and exercises that will help you strengthen them. Desi shares the best approach to Kegel exercises, and other approaches to strengthening the pelvic floor. Desi expands on “strong is the new skinny,” and we discuss the important role of strength in your overall health. We talk about how to find the best exercise program for you, and how to determine the right level of difficulty for your exercises during your first trimester. We discuss the benefits of taking walks as a good step to build endurance and connect with your child. We talk about good exercises for second trimester of pregnancy, and focus on the importance of the squat. We then talk about preparing to push during the third trimester in preparation for labor and birth. Desi then shares her recommendations for resuming exercise after birth. We focus on allowing your body to recover and heal from giving birth, and how lochia can be a warning sign of overexertion. We talk about how to exercise abdominal muscles after birth. We also talk about the benefits of involving your baby in your exercises. We discuss care for older moms. We talk more about sex during and after pregnancy, and how you can take your pelvic floor exercises into the bedroom. We explain how everyone is different, how you should listen to your body, and how other acts of intimacy and connection can also be sexy. We discuss the role of healing of the perineum in the pleasure and enjoyment of sex. For more information, visit mothersintolivingfit.com

• 4:53 How to Feel Sexy During Pregnancy

“Simply sitting on top of a stability ball, and walking forward and back with your hips, you can start to feel, oh, these are my pelvic floor muscles, and this is how my pelvis goes into anterior tilt and posterior tilt, or lateral and side to side.” 28:32

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