Laura Colledge - online coach at BoatFit

How I’m moving - and feeling - at 35 weeks pregnant as a hospital inpatient… swipe for my daily reality 🤰🏼🏥🙏

We’re on the home straight, and weight training has naturally taken a back seat. Right now, I’m conserving my energy and supporting my mental health while navigating broken waters and repeated episodes of pre-labour.

I’m also feeling emotional knowing that my final experience of carrying life within me will soon be over. I’m deeply grateful, relieved that the physical toll is nearly behind me, yet sad that this chapter of my life is ending.

All of those emotions can exist at once. 🤍

Social media often shows women smashing workouts and embracing every moment of pregnancy - but that isn’t everyone’s reality. Every woman’s experience, ability and limitations are different, so please don’t compare your journey with somebody else’s highlight reel.

For me, movement currently means gentle stretching, banded exercises to keep my hips and back mobile, and short walks for fresh air and endorphins.

The mental toll of an extended hospital stay is a different kind of challenge. I’m leaning on good nutrition, regular movement and staying connected with family and friends, while communicating openly with the midwives and doctors caring for us. If there were ever a time to call upon my health and wellness coaching skills, it has been these past few weeks - and the ups and downs have reminded me to use them on myself, too!

The plan is now to remain in hospital under observation until baby arrives, as PROM increases the risk of infection and spontaneous labour.

Movement, nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy should support your health, happiness, pregnancy and postnatal recovery - not help you avoid weight gain or prove how hard you can push.

Work with what you have. Your journey is yours. 🤍

Nearly there little one… 🐣♥️⏰

Leaning into those pelvic openers at 8 months! 🤰🏼

We’re on the home straight now, and movement has become less about performance and more about purpose.

I’m not training for how I look in pictures. And my heart genuinely goes out to every woman scrolling through Instagram, surrounded by perfectly posed bumps and super-lean, super-fit pregnancies, wondering why her own body doesn’t look or perform the same. Pregnancy is hard enough without comparisonitis convincing us we should be doing more, looking different or somehow “pregnancy-ing” better. Most of us are just over here doing our best to keep going whilst bringing a whole human being into existence!

For me, movement right now is for my mental health as we head towards labour, and to maintain the strength, mobility and physical capability I’ll need to handle it.

I’m currently experiencing contractions on and off, day and night. They settle, restart and change in intensity - and this stop/start phase could potentially continue for weeks as my bicornuate (double) uterus (see last pic for my quirky bump shape!) contracts and my body gradually prepares for labour.

So for now, I’m listening carefully to my body and keeping things gentle:

✨ 3 x light weight-training sessions a week to maintain muscle
🚶🏼‍♀️ Walking every day
✨ A little gentle cross-trainer work to keep my joints moving
🧘🏼‍♀️ Daily pelvic-opening and mobility work

Food is equally simple - high protein to support baby’s growth, carbs for energy, plenty of nutrient-dense fruit and veg, and some treats because balance matters too.

I’m mainly eating small, frequent meals (which trust me don’t look fancy!) because the pressure in my belly is INSANE and there’s very little room left - plus it helps keep the nighttime reflux at bay!

This home straight isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about staying mentally strong, physically capable and as prepared as I can be for whatever comes next. 🤍

Throwback to 20 weeks pregnant (swipe for present day - yoga on my hospital bedroom floor!) when all I had to worry about was how to dress a bump when bikinis are all I’ve known for so long & what snacks to take to bed at night!

I’m now ALMOST at the 32 weeks milestone and hoping to be back at home from hospital with my little family again soon after 3 weeks of monitoring for preterm labour…then we’re on the home straight to become a family of 5!

If one thing life has taught me it’s that the road to your dreams is never going to be a straight line & the most difficult journeys usually lead to the greatest destinations!

Wish me luck 🍀 🤞🙏

Last day of the challenge! It’s been a hell of a month but doing something that forced me to think outside of my own worries & away from the 4 hospital walls since I was admitted with threatened pre-term labour (still hanging in there at 31 weeks 🎉) really helped with morale… never underestimate the power of a nice walk in nature!

Please donate if you can 💖

We’re Walking 42 ‘Miles that Matter’ for Miscarriage UK Help Laura Colledge raise money to support Miscarriage UK

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